VISTA — For most people, the city is an invisible entity. It charges taxes, collects trash and puts on Christmas parades, but what really goes on behind the doors of City Hall? What is it that the hundreds of city workers do every day to make Vista what it is?

The Citizens’ Leadership Academy, an eight-week program held on consecutive Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. beginning April 3, is the city’s way of answering these questions. This free program is a detailed look at the inner works of every department of the city, from legislation to sanitation.

“It’s kind of a great lead into the city. A lot of people from the last session are (now) interested in applying for a commission or volunteering or getting involved in some of the programs they learned about,” program coordinator Gretchen Crowson said.

“It was a great success based on the evaluations from last year’s (program). They got so much out of it,” Crowson added.

Each class covers a different aspect of city administration. Mauro Garcia, director of Public Works, helped teach the class on Public Works and City Engineering.

“I was really impressed with the interest by the residents,” Garcia said. “It was nice to see the light bulbs going off in everybody’s mind.”

According to Garcia, one of the biggest challenges as a presenter was distilling the curriculum down to a two-hour class.

“There’s just so much information. It’s like trying to drink water from a fire hydrant,” Garcia said.

Eighteen students enrolled in the first Citizens’ Leadership Academy last fall representing a broad cross-section of Vista’s demographic.

“We had a couple of city employees’ children, some business leaders, some stay home moms who just wanted to learn more about city government,” Crowson said.

“I got a much broader sense of community,” seven-year resident Kate Blum said. “Before I went into the class, Vista was where I lived — my street and my neighbors and my grocery store and the (Moonlight) Amphitheatre.”

“(The academy) was an opportunity to meet the city workers, street sweepers and guys who clean up the graffiti, the firemen who might save your life. I met them as individuals,” Blum said. “The city sort of became these people instead of an anonymous structure you expect services from.”

Leonard Ryan and his wife, Laurel Ryan, both employees of the Vista Unified School District, were one of several married couples in the course last fall.

“It makes sense. You’re going to commit to eight weeks every Thursday — you might as well go together,” Leonard Ryan said.

Both of the Ryans said they enjoyed the experience.

“Really what it is is a grand VIP tour of your city government,” Leonard Ryan said. “I was really impressed. I feel fortunate that Vista is probably the best governed, best managed city in the county,” he added, a sentiment also expressed by Blum.

The Vista Citizens’ Leadership Academy starts at 5 p.m. April 3 and is open to all Vista residents and business owners over the age of 18. To enroll, call (760) 726-1340, ext. 1419 or e-mail Gretchen Crowson at gcrowson@cityofvista.com.