The musical short is produced by filmmaker Joanna Hay and features original music from Jeri Katherine Howell, both Frankfort residents. It was released this week with the launch of “Frankfort Civic Proud,” a year-long initiative designed to empower residents to participate in civic and community life.
"Local government is where decisions are made that affect people's everyday lives," said Blair Hecker, Frankfort’s Communications Manager. “It’s where the roads that you drive on are decided about. It's where your garbage pickup is decided. It's where your tax dollars are going to make your community work for you, to make your corner of the world a better place."
One component of the program is a new online platform called “Frankfort Rocks.” It went live this week with the first of six civic education units, a civics pre-test, and a civic engagement bingo card.
“We modeled this as if we’re all gonna be in a fifth, sixth grade classroom civics setting together,” said Hecker. “All of us in our community,”
Every two months, a new unit becomes active on the site. The topics are:
Frankfort Rocks - celebrating Frankfort’s community
Call City Hall - on making local government more accessible and transparent
A Capital City- examining Frankfort’s unique role as the hub of state government
Where the Money Goes - a deep-dive into the city’s budget process
I’m Just a Bill - breaking down the city’s policy process and community engagement
Vote! - on local offices and how elections work
"We really want to break down each individual aspect and make it more accessible and less intimidating so people feel more prepared to interact with their local government," said Hecker.
Frankfort Civic Proud is part of the city's America250 celebration.