What happens after a resident reports a water problem? Who decides how development proposals move through City Hall? How does Colton operate its own electric utility, prepare a city budget, maintain public infrastructure, or coordinate police and fire services?
This fall, residents will have an opportunity to get answers directly from the people doing the work.
The City of Colton has opened applications for its 2026 City Hall Citizens Academy, a free seven-week program designed to give residents and local business owners a behind-the-scenes look at municipal government. The Academy begins Wednesday, September 23, and continues weekly through November 4, with sessions scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 650 N. La Cadena Drive.
Rather than concentrating the entire program on City Council proceedings, the Academy takes participants department by department, showing how the many pieces of municipal government work together.
The opening session on September 23 will introduce participants to the City Manager's Office, City Clerk and Human Resources. Development Services and Economic Development follow on September 30. Public Works and Utility Services, including water and wastewater, are scheduled for October 7, followed by the Electric Department on October 14 and Finance on October 21. Public Safety, featuring Fire and Police, takes center stage October 28 before Community Services concludes the Academy on November 4.
That variety is significant in Colton because the services residents encounter every day often involve several different departments.
A new business, for example, may interact with economic development, planning, building and safety, utilities and other City operations before opening its doors. A neighborhood improvement can involve planning, engineering, public works and funding decisions. Even something residents may take for granted, such as turning on a light or opening a water faucet, is connected to infrastructure and employees working throughout the community.
The Citizens Academy gives participants an opportunity to see those connections more clearly.
According to the City, the program is intended to help create a community that is informed, involved and connected. Participants will meet City staff, learn about day-to-day operations and have opportunities to ask questions about the services and decisions that affect life in Colton.
The Academy is open to Colton residents, neighborhood leaders, business owners and community stakeholders. The City's application specifies that participants must be at least 18 years old and must be Colton residents or business owners. Participation is free, and space is limited to one participant per household or business.
For residents who normally experience City Hall only when paying a bill, applying for a permit, attending a meeting or requesting assistance, the program offers a different perspective. Instead of interacting with one department for a specific need, participants can see the broader organization responsible for operating the city.
That understanding can become particularly valuable when important community issues arise.
Local government decisions can affect land use, streets, utilities, public safety, parks, recreation, economic development and neighborhood services. Residents who understand which departments handle those responsibilities are often better prepared to find information, ask informed questions and participate in the public process.
The Academy also arrives as Colton continues planning for its future. Development, infrastructure, utility reliability, public safety and community services remain important considerations as the city changes. Giving residents a clearer understanding of how those services are delivered can help connect long-term municipal planning with the everyday experiences of the people who live and conduct business here.
The program requires a meaningful commitment from participants. Those seeking a certificate of completion must attend at least six of the seven sessions. The City's application deadline is September 2, 2026, and applicants will be notified of acceptance by telephone or email.
Applications can be submitted to the City Manager's Office. The City identifies Dawn Miller, Assistant to the City Manager, as the program contact and provides additional information through the official Citizens Academy webpage. City of Colton 2026 Citizens Academy
For a city approaching 140 years since incorporation, civic participation remains as important as ever. Colton has grown from its historic railroad roots into a complex modern community with utilities, public safety agencies, recreation programs, development services and infrastructure serving residents every day.
The Citizens Academy provides a chance to see the people and processes behind those services.
By the time the final session concludes in November, participants may leave City Hall knowing considerably more than how local government operates. They may also have a better understanding of where they fit into it, because an informed community is not simply an audience for local government. It is an important part of how local government works.