Kinston 101

Kinston 101 is going virtual! We will be finishing the remaining sessions online via Zoom, and ending November 12th!

What is Kinston 101?

Kinston 101 is a 9 week program that shares information with citizens about the city operations while increasing their capacity to participate in local government.

Each week, participants see a different city department through the eyes of its department head. Participants tour the police station, visit city parks, create a mock city budget, see the wastewater treatment plant, and more! Kinston 101 is for any resident interested in how the city works and how public decisions are made!

Kinston 101 in part fulfills the promise we made to ourselves in the 2015 Plan Kinston strategy to "continuously engage the citizenry to solicit feedback, generate ideas, and garner support for projects, policies, and improvements to Kinston’s quality of life."

Objectives

Kinston 101 aims to:

  • Inform citizens about city operations and opportunities for engagement
  • Invest in a body of citizens interested in future public service
  • Identify further opportunities for transparency and effective communication by city departments
  • Build relationships between citizens and public servants

  • Learn from citizens in Kinston 101

Kinston101 logo

Citizen Input Survey

Even though applications for this year are closed, we could always use your help! To make Kinston 101 as interesting and accessible as possible, we need feedback. What do you want to know about city government? How would you want Kinston 101 to work? Share your thoughts here to help shape the program!

Requirements

Kinston 101 is held either Thursday evenings from 530-8pm or Saturday morning from 9am-12pm, depending on the activity planned. To participate, you must:

  1. Attend the first session 

  2. Attend 8 of 9 sessions 

  3. Attend a city council meeting during the course of the program 

*Preference will be given to residents of Kinston or the ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction), but anyone may apply!

Community Development Planner

Sarah Arney

Email      Phone: 252-939-3271

Kinston 101 Schedule

Session  Topic Date Time Location
1 Intro to City Government Thurs February 6 530-8pm City Hall
2 Police TBD 530-8pm Police Department
3 City Operations: Finance, HR, and MIS Thurs February 20 530-8pm City Hall
4 Public Services I Thursday February 27 530-8pm City Hall
5 Public Services II Sat. March 14 9am-12pm Tour of Wastewater Treatment Plant
6 Economic Development: Planning, Inspections, and Pride of Kinston TBD 530-8pm City Hall
7 Parks and Recreation TBD 9am-12pm Tour
8 Fire TBD 530-8pm Fire Department
9 The Budget TBD 5-8pm City Hall
10 Graduation TBD TBD TBD

Supplemental Materials

  1. Kinston 101 Application.docx
  1. Kinston 101 schedule.png

Department 1-pagers

  1. Code Enforcement and Inspections 1 pager
  2. Budget 1 pager
  3. Fire Department 1 pager
  4. Parks and Recreation Department 1 pager
  5. Planning Department 1 pager
  6. Pride of Kinston 1 pager
  1. Public Services Department pager 1
  2. Management Information Services 1 pager
  3. Human Resources Department 1 pager
  4. Finance Department 1 pager
  5. Police Department 1 pager