and Participate in your local government to guarantee the sustainability of The Villages. That is a sentence taken from the first page of the CDD overview in my Resident Academy binder that I received prior to my attending the Academy several weeks ago.  Many people have expressed concern about the future of The Villages.  It is my opinion that you should not be at all if you understand our local government which is Special Districts, ours being a Community Development District.  You, we and me are in charge of our District’s future, and that is why it is important to learn and understand how they govern .  One really easy way to get started is to attend the Resident Academy, which will clearly explain how it works.  Janet Tutt, our District Manager not only does an excellent job overseeing our Districts but she also does an excellent job of explaining how it works.  Directors from all the Departments were there and gave a slide presentation of their roles in the District:  Human Resources, Budget, Finance, Operational Manager, Buyer, Recreation, Public Safety, Golf Management, Customer and Support Services, Landscape Manager, Property Manager to name most of them. I apologize if I missed a Department.  I attended with a lively group of residents with lots of questions, but the program moves along at record speed just as everything in the Villages seems to do. It was two 1/2 days and even included a tour of our Waste Water Treatment Plant.  I debated whether I really needed to go there and decided I did.  As I am with all our facilities,  I came away extremely impressed and in awe of the entire operation.  It’s said that everything in The Villages is top notch, well you can now add the treatment of our waste water.  I know we are all busy working on our retirement but I highly recommend giving two 1/2 days up to learn the inner workings of our community, it is fascinating.  If I did not get you interested in the first tour, there was also a tour of the new Firehouse south of Rt.#466A…that has to be a fireman’s dream to work out of that or any one of The Villages firehouses.   If I was younger and stronger I just might apply for the job.  I hope after reading this you would like to attend.   You can do just that by calling Customer Service at 753-4508 and signing up.  Happy learning and understanding…