March/April 2020

March/April 2020

ADVOCACY. SERVICE. INNOVATION.

Columns & Features In This Issue Savannah’s Water Monitoring Project Measures Sea Levels | Georgia Cities Use Technology to Better Engage Citizens | Rural Cities ‘Get Real’ About Broadband

GEORGIA CITIES WEEK

Due to the global pandemic, GMA has postponed the 2020 Georgia Cities Week. There is still time to register to participate in the fall observance and receive your Resource Kit by emailing gacities@gacities.com.

March/April 2020 Volume 1 • No. 5

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Table of Contents FEATURES SAVANNAH’S WATER MONITORING PROJECT MEASURES SEA LEVELS ............... 12 GEORGIA CITIES USE TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER ENGAGE CITIZENS .................... 5 RURAL CITIES ‘GET REAL’ ABOUT BROADBAND ............................................. 28

CITYSCAPES ...................................................................................................... 8 + GMA President Editorial + GMA Executive Director Editorial + Expert Editorial: Georgia’s Cities Are Responding to the Changing Climate

CITY DESK ........................................................................................................ 11 + The Census is Here + Small Town,Big Impact: Ringgold Finds Success with Sustainability + City Spotlight: Funston + ARC Awards Green Communities + The Value of Georgia’s Cities

INSIDE GMA .....................................................................................................18 + GMA’s Financing Programs Make Purchasing Easy + GMA Named a Top Workplace + GMA Annual Convention Details

ADDITIONAL + Downtown Developments .............................................................................40 + Municipal Clerks Have Strong Start To 2020 ..................................................... 43 + Federal Focus: Capital Needs ........................................................................ 42 + Towns & The Law .........................................................................................44

CITYLITES ........................................................................................................ 48 + Fairs & Fests + Georgia Gems

FOLLOW GMA ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook & LinkedIn: Georgia Municipal Association & Twitter: @GaCities

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Georgia Cities Use Technology to Better Engage Citizens

BY ALIA HOYT There’s always room for improvement, and the cities of Watkinsville, Macon and Snellville are three examples of how Georgia’s forward-thinking cities are using technology to better engage citizens.

Watkinsville:

This Time it’s Personal Watkinsville Mayor Bob Smith deals daily with approximately 80 percent hearing loss in both ears, so he’s well aware of the challenges this disability puts on a person’s day-to-day life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 15 percent of Georgians experience some form of hearing loss, making it difficult for constituents to participate in or run for local government. After all, if a person can’t hear what’s going on in a council meeting, it’s difficult to chime in.

To that end, the city of Watkinsville has recently implemented a hearing loop system in the public meeting room of Watkinsville City Hall, which acts as a wireless network for people with cochlear implants or hearing aids. The technology takes signals from the microphone or public address systems and feeds them into an amplifier. Then, the amplifier sends a current through wires embedded in the floor, which creates a magnetic signal. This signal can be picked up by the telecoils, which are part of most hearing aids. Just like that, people who would normally have extreme difficulty hearing the meeting are now a part of the process. The only catch is that once the button is pressed

to employ the technology the user will only be able to hear the meeting proceedings, not the person sitting next to them. Many hearing aids come equipped with the ability to activate the system, however the council does make hearing loop receivers available to those who need them.

Clearly, this is an incredibly personal mission for Smith. “When I ran for mayor one of my platforms was transparency in government,” he explained. “If you can’t hear, you’re not going to go to these council meetings. If we’re truly for an open and transparent government then we’re open and transparent for all.”

As mayor of the first city in Georgia to implement this technology, Smith issues a good-natured challenge to other cities to get on board with including hearing-impaired constituents in local government.

“We’re proud that Watkinsville has taken leadership to help those who can’t hear and challenge them to run for office and participate more,” he said.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 5

Snellville:

Not a Badge of Honor, But a Badge of Experience Snellville-area students, job-seekers and employees looking to improve their old resume are fortunate to have access to the city’s newly launched Digital Badge Program through LRNG.org, an online resource “powered by” Southern New Hampshire University. Users identify skills that they need to hone and take a specially designed online course (typically several hours in length but doesn’t have to be completed all at once, or by a specific deadline). Once the course is successfully completed, the user is awarded a digital badge, which the city bills as “an indicator of accomplishment or skill that can be displayed, accessed and verified online.”

So, instead of receiving a paper certificate, the user’s badges accumulate in their account, all of which are shareable with potential or current employers by providing a simple link. Examples of badge programs are financial management, literacy skills and time management, but the city is working with local employers to develop curriculum to meet their trade-specific needs, such as an introduction to welding certificate. Check out the Snellville-specific portal at www.lrng.org/o/ city-of-snellville.

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“We wanted to find something low-cost that would really be a tool for our residents and high school graduates to close the gap between skills that companies want and those that high school graduates don’t have,” said Eric G. Van Otteren, Snellville’s economic development manager.

The city selected this particular program over others because it offers an added layer of accountability.

“Everything the participant does to earn badges in the platform has to be approved in the back end by someone who’s monitoring or proctoring the badges.”

Perhaps best of all, this skills-development program is free to all those with access to a computer.

“There’s no cost barrier, anybody of any socioeconomic level can just jump in,” Van Otteren said, adding, “You just have to commit the time.”

Van Otteren has big plans for the future of the badge program, particularly to see the number of badge opportunities expand to meet all needs.

“We hope it promotes the city as one that is interested in working with people to help them grow.”

Macon:

Moving Toward a Data-Driven Destiny Macon-Bibb County had big plans of achieving truly “smart city” status. So in 2018, the city government launched an open data portal (www.maconinsights. com), designed to make data available and shareable to those who need it to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.

Considering the data portal, the city established Macon Insights Data Academy, which trains employees on how to use the data to serve constituents.

Armed with this knowledge, employees have created and implemented citizen-friendly apps for everything from trash pickup issues to voting sites.

“This helps to create efficiencies, which makes it easier to allocate limited resources,” said Brett Lavender, Chief Information Officer for Macon-Bibb County Government.

The data portal has also made it possible for Macon-Bibb to address the needs of the underserved.

“One in three Macon-Bibb households have no broadband Internet access,” Lavender explained, “So we came up with the Smart Neighborhoods MBC.” This project, which recently earned a grant from Georgia Tech’s Georgia Smart Community Challenge, will install smart kiosks that provide on-demand services and Internet connection to those who don’t have home access. In addition to being able to access city services, they’ll also be able to retrieve details about community events, health information and the like.

“A lot of the things we do is not a huge breakthrough but is efficiency,” Lavender said. “This is allowing us to do more with what we have and allowing citizens to have a quicker response to their requests.”

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 7

CITYSCAPES

Standing with Our Youth to Build a Bright Tomorrow

BY DUBLIN MAYOR PHIL BEST, GMA PRESIDENT

Last month I had the privilege to say a few words at the start of the first meeting of GMA’s Children and Youth Advisory Council.

I WANTED TO BE THERE TO LET them know that the GMA leadership enthusiastically supported the creation of the council, and that we were 100 percent behind their efforts. My hope is that the entire GMA membership will be, too.

The future of our communities and state is found in the lives of our children and youth. Yet the issues many of them face are significant. One in four kids in Georgia live in poverty while one in five are food insecure. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Georgia children aged 10-17. An estimated 45,500 of our children and youth experience homelessness each year, while nearly 15,000 are in the state’s child welfare system. Sixty-three percent of our third graders could not read proficiently at the end of the 2018 school year.

And nearly 27,000 children in our state were victims of substantiated child abuse or neglect in 2015.

The advisory council, which is chaired by East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham, has been charged to recommend programs, training, research and other initiatives that can be undertaken by GMA and the association’s newly created 501(c)(3), Georgia City Solutions (GCS) and to foster the exchange of ideas and information on programs that have proven to have made a positive impact on children and youth. Learn more about the council on page 33.

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Just as importantly, the advisory council will explore opportunities for collaboration between GMA and GCS with agencies and organizations whose mission focuses on assisting children and youth. There is no expectation for GMA or GCS to create programs or initiatives that other groups are already undertaking. We do believe, however, that cities and city officials have a valuable and oftentimes underutilized role in supporting and focusing local efforts on these important issues.

For example, what cities are traditionally known to do—providing public safety services, parks and recreation opportunities, investing in infrastructure and so on—are key to creating safe and vibrant communities.

But so too is what city officials and other community leaders do each day when engaging with the children and youth of our communities. The work that we and other community partners do to provide healthy outcomes for our children and youth is no less vital an activity for creating safe and vibrant communities than those more traditional activities cities engage in.

As we start this effort, it is important for us to realize that the issues our young people face aren’t for them to face alone, as these are the issues we must also face and more importantly, address. In order for those of us elected to serve our communities and want the best for our children and youth, we must be willing to stand with them and give them our best.

Leadership in a Time of Crisis

BY LARRY HANSON, GMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The common good. Those three words have served as the guiding light for elected officials since the founding of our nation. COVID-19 has caused us to take a hard look at what those words mean for each of our communities. The fact is that hard, potentially contentious decision-making lies ahead for many of us.

UNLESS AND UNTIL HIGHER levels of government take action, local officials across Georgia will be tasked with evaluating whether to limit the number of people gathering in restaurants and bars as well as implementing curfews. These are not insignificant issues that must balance the rights of individuals with the needs of, you guessed it, the common good.

We believe that we will persevere despite the difficulties that we have and will encounter. Why? Because our country was built upon the strength of our local communities and the local institutions that built them.

What we do in our cities and how we approach those responsibilities are just as important, if not more so, as the actions undertaken by our brethren at the federal and state levels.

Georgia’s local officials have been thrust into a situation not of our making, but what is required of us is clear…open and transparent leadership grounded in the common good. And to provide the kind of leadership that does that, and brings clarity to the issues at hand, requires nothing more than a commitment to honesty and openness.

We encourage you to not portray a sense of individualistic bravado that ignores the reasoned and pragmatic advice of experts. Rather, what is needed is for local leaders to acknowledge the fears of those we serve by providing the type of leadership that

empathizes with them, shows that we take their concerns and points of view seriously, that emphasizes the needs of others, and provides a sense of confidence that we will get through this crisis together.

Gov. Kemp encouraged city leaders to provide calm leadership at the local level. He’s asked local officials to refute rumors and let their residents know the state is putting out thoughtful, practical information.

He’s also encouraged local officials to continue to support local law enforcement and local responders and to support our communities’ small businesses. And more than once he’s said he’s a believer in local control and that local officials are in the best position to make decisions for their communities.

GMA will continue to work with our state and federal officials and to provide cities with as much timely information and resources as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions and concerns. We also encourage you to not be shy in contacting officials in other cities, too, as they can provide insight and possible solutions to the issues you face in your city.

This is a unique time in our nation’s history. It is a time when we’re being asked to make decisions, we never thought we’d have to make in response to a crisis we never thought we would face. It is a time of both faith and of fear. It is a time in which we must have faith to overcome our fears. This is a time for local leaders to shine…and I know you will.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 9

CITIES ARE RESPONDING TO THE

CHANGING CLIMATE

BY EMORY UNIVERSITY’S DANIEL ROCHBERG, CO-FOUNDER OF THE GEORGIA CLIMATE PROJECT

Georgia’s climate is changing, and Georgia’s cities are well positioned to seize the opportunities that come with tackling this challenge headon. Implementing innovative and sustainable practices can deliver long-term value by both building resilience to climate-related risks and positioning cities to lead in the economy of the future.

Some have called it the “new abnormal”—19 of the planet’s 20 warmest years on record have taken place since 2000, 2019 was Georgia’s warmest year since observations began in 1895, and temperatures are projected to continue to increase for decades to come.

Why does this matter for Georgia’s cities? The three Ws: warmer, weirder and worse.

Warmer means that Georgians are at an increased risk of heat-related illness and our infrastructure is under more heat-related stress. Warmer also means that sea levels on our coast are rising due to expansion of water and melting glaciers. We’re already seeing more “sunny day” flooding, and projections suggest that we could see several feet of sea level rise by the end of the century.

Weirder means that our weather systems change as the atmosphere and oceans heat up. We expect hurricanes to become more intense. As we saw with Hurricane Michael, these storms can do billions of dollars of damage to the state, and we expect more intense downpours. Paradoxically, we also expect to see more frequent and intense droughts, threatening water supplies for our cities and rural communities alike.

Worse means that these impacts present significant risks to lives, livelihoods and the natural systems on which we depend. And they often disproportionately affect low-income populations that are already highly vulnerable to other shocks and stressors.

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Georgia’s cities are on the front lines of responding to a changing climate, taking concrete steps to both adapt to the impacts of climate change and to cut their carbon footprint. In the process, they are boosting health and promoting economic development in their communities.

Cities are also taking steps to deal with inland flooding concerns. In Valdosta, after a major 2009 flooding event, city officials relocated their wastewater treatment plant to higher ground. Atlanta is pursuing green infrastructure projects like the Historic Fourth Ward Park lake, which not only saved $15 million relative to the traditional alternative but is also mitigating damaging flooding events and providing valuable recreation space in the heart of a rapidly developing area.

Four Georgia cities—Atlanta, Athens, Augusta and Clarkston—have made commitments to 100 percent clean energy. Atlanta projects that achieving the 100 percent goal can deliver 8,000 new jobs and cut healthcare costs by more than $500 million.

These efforts are an important start, but there is much more to do. Thanks to its cities, Georgia has the potential to be a regional and even national leader when it comes to developing a clear-eyed response to climate change, one which minimizes our risks and maximizes our future.

The Georgia Climate Project is designed to support policymakers and practitioners across the state in this effort. We are a non-partisan consortium of nine colleges and universities in the state committed to partnering with others to improve understanding of climate change impacts and to be a resource for the development of climate solutions. Learn more at, www.GeorgiaClimateProject.org.

CITY DESK

The 2020 Census is Here – NOW WHAT? Congratulations! By the time you read this, our nation’s largest peace-time effort will be well on its way. The U.S. Census Bureau will have delivered initial invitations and reminder letters to residents to submit Census forms online and by phone.

Local complete count committees will have organized outreach activities and distributed marketing materials. There may have been various Census-related events with music, barbecues and fireworks in your community—especially on Census Day (formerly known as April 1).

Many are asking, “Does this mean we are finally done talking about counting people?” Not a chance.

For starters, households that have not responded to earlier invitations to fill out the Census will receive additional reminder letters and paper questionnaires beginning April 8. Throughout April, Census takers will visit college students who live on campus, people in senior centers and others who live among large groups of people. Census takers will also begin conducting quality check interviews to help ensure an accurate count. Between May 13 and July 31, there will be in-person follow-up visits to those homes that have not responded to the 2020 Census.

During this non-response follow-up (NRFU) period, the overall goal of municipal officials is to increase the local response rate, ideally to 100 percent.

Play your part as a Census ambassador by following these steps: • Continue to communicate via all available channels why the Census matters and that it is not too late to respond.

• Inform your community that the fastest and easiest way to stop receiving mail or visits (or both) from Census officials is to fill out the Census form online, by phone or by mail.

•

•

•

•

Reach out to hard-to-count populations or motivate other trusted voices to do so. Hard-to-count populations are likely to be “hardto-follow-up” populations as well, but their participation in the 2020 Census matters as much after April 1 as it did before.

Assure the public that the 2020 Census is safe, secure and protected by federal law. Census responses—regardless of when and how they were provided—cannot be used against anyone, and this year’s records cannot be released before 2092. Census takers who are visiting homes for follow-up visits will carry photo identification with a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. If they collect data during an in-person inter view, it will be encrypted and not stored online.

Promote Census jobs in your area. Depending on local employment rates and the prevalence of hard-to-count populations, there will be a need for additional Census takers and other staff to support ongoing Census operations.

Document your city’s efforts to promote the 2020 Census. Make note of what worked and what didn’t work, so that community leaders 10 years from now will be able to learn from your experience when it is their turn to conduct the next count.

For more information on these and other topics visit www.2020census.gov and GMA’s 2020 Census Toolkit at www.gacities.com/census.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 11

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WATER MONITORING PROJECT MAKES SAVANNAH A WORLD LEADER

BY GALE HORTON GAY

A few years ago there existed only one gauge in Georgia that monitored tide levels and that was at Fort Pulaski on the Savannah River. Now Georgia is home to more than 40

sensors that keep track of the rise and fall of sea levels in Savannah and Chatham County.

According to one expert, thanks to the Smart Sea Level Sensors partnership program,

Georgia now has the highest density of water monitoring sensors anywhere in the world.

THE SMART SEA LEVEL SENSOR PROJECT IS A partnership p artnership between the city of Savannah, Chattham ham County Emergency Management and Georgia TTech ech that started approximately two years ago with a $100,000 $ 100,000 grant.

During the past 18 months, 42 sensors have been installed around bridges, coastal areas prone to flooding, docks, marinas and at some private sites, according to Russell J. Clark, director of the Mobile Technology & IoT Programs at Georgia Tech Savannah. Thirty additional sensors are expected to be installed this year.

Clark, who is also co-director of Georgia Tech’s Research Network Operations Center, explained that the sensors have wireless technology, are online all the time and transmit water level readings every five minutes. The data is stored in the virtual cloud and from that information programs can determine trends and conduct analytics. Chatham County Emergency Management officials monitor the information routinely and share it with Savannah officials.

“We are able to look at all the data and give alerts when a location’s water is rising or about to flood,” Clark said.

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Nick Deffley, Savannah’s director of environmental services and sustainability, said he considers the program, which has advanced from its initial one-year pilot program stage, a success based on several factors.

“Our goal is to provide real-time information about water levels across Chatham County to aid in emergency planning and response during episodes of flooding associated with storms, king tides and other environmental events,” states the project’s website.

“The sea level data also provide a unique and important dataset to aid scientists, engineers and regional planners in quantifying the short- and long-term risks associated with continued sea level rise.”

“The technology and tools developed by this project are cutting-edge.

And most importantly, this is a solution that can be scalable for other communities across the world.”

Randall Mathews SENIOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR CHATHAM COUNTY

The information can be extremely useful in forecasting areas that will flood from weather phenomena such as a storms or hurricanes. Clark and Deffley agree that it’s valuable to be able to pinpoint specific threatened areas and alert people in those areas as to what to expect and when to evacuate.

Randall Mathews, senior emergency management coordinator for Chatham County, said the project’s impact is multi-faceted.

“This project is enhancing our ability to understand impacts at the hyper-local level from tropical cyclone impacts, high tides and sea level rise. With an enhanced understanding of this, we can prioritize hazard mitigation projects to help protect our citizens and the infrastructure systems,” said Mathews. “We can also use these tools to better understand vulnerable areas of development. This means that as governments are investing taxpayer money into the community to build infrastructure systems and things of that nature, we have more precise data to inform our decision-making process.”

Five Georgia Tech departments are involved in the project in a variety of ways—ranging from day-to-day co-managing, installation, design, civil engineering, molding, planning and development.

“Georgia Tech is all in,” said Clark, adding that the project is viewed as a “long-term” and “indefinite” effort.

Mathews said he appreciates the collaboration with Georgia Tech.

“This project is the first project I have worked on where we tapped into the great resources, knowledge and expertise of the university system,” he said. “The

project team has a very diverse background, so being able to look at the problems and solutions from different points of view has truly made this project unique.”

Officials are seeking ways for other entities to eventually take over the project and make it sustainable on a larger scale.

Mathews said it could benefit many other communities.

“The technology and tools developed by this project are cutting-edge,” said Mathews. “And most importantly, this is a solution that can be scalable for other communities across the world. Chatham County has one of the most-dense networks of water monitoring gauges in the country now, which can better help us understand the impacts from Mother Nature, both in the present and future. Data drives decisions, and we have a whole lot of data.”

Georgia Tech is also working with the city of Johns Creek to start a similar smart sensor pilot program, Clark said.

He also shared that discussions are underway and proposals are in the works to expand smart sea level sensors to areas such as the city of Brunswick, Camden County as well as Charleston, South Carolina.

“The model gets better the more data we have,” he said.

Small Town,

Big Impact Ringgold Finds Success with Sustainability

IT’S NO SECRET THAT GEORGIA IS HOME TO A robust commercial recycling industry with facilities that accept old carpet, glass, plastic, cardboard and aluminum. The city of Ringgold is working to add to this industry by gradually adopting greener standards and promoting a city-wide recycling program. This program expanded the city’s curbside pickup service by using extra trash cans in addition to the city’s standard garbage pickup and transitioning to blue recycling cans.

During a city council work session meeting in July 2016, representatives from Republic Services, Inc. met with Ringgold and neighboring city officials about pursuing a more robust recycling program. This spurred the opening of the city’s drop-off center approximately two years ago. Now, close to 100 residents participate in the recycling initiative.

“We started small with one dump area that would stay open for a few hours two days a week,” said Ringgold Councilmember Kelly Bomar. “We used city resources to create a cardboard dumpster. We also repurposed trash cans and a garbage truck to cut down on the cost of third-party waste disposal.”

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Ringgold city officials continue to make recycling more economically viable and are reaping greater environmental and community benefits. When leaders noticed that many of the cardboard boxes collected were sitting in trash cans, they purchased a retrofitted cardboard hauler for $5,500. Ultimately, this investment decreased the cost spent on collecting the cardboard for trash and provided the city a credit due to recycling these boxes.

Another sustainability project introduced by the community was, “Clean Catoosa,” an opportunity for the city to partner with local nonprofit L.I.F.T. and provide recycling art classes in one of their local parks.

Initiated during Georgia Cities Week and taking place every year, Clean Catoosa hosts over 200 participants and 50 projects.

“I am very proud of the citizens of Ringgold who are willing to take the next step in reducing our waste stream,” said Ringgold Mayor Pro Tem Sara Clark.

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City Spotlight

Funston

HISTORY: Take a drive down Georgia State Route 37, and you’ll find the small city of Funston. Historians

POPULATION:

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MAYOR:

Ferrell Ruis GMA DISTRICT:

believe the city was named after General William Funston, also known as “Fighting Funston,” who was a general in the United States Army. He is best known for his roles in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. Funston received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine-American War. He settled in the city (originally named Touchton) during the early 1900s and became the city’s first mayor.

Before the General made it to Funston, city settler W. H. Spivey discovered the city and developed it with a determined vision. He developed the city by mapping out plans and donating land for schools, churches, a park and a cemetery to make his vision a reality.

Spivey built several mills and a general store beside his residence.

Since the city’s charter was created in 1906, leaders have continued to expand Spivey’s vision, which included the city’s recent historic preservation project that transformed one of Georgia’s first consolidated schools to the new Funston City Hall. This project was made possible by a skilled councilmember, who is also an expert brick mason.

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March/April 2020 | gacities.com 15

Four Cities Recognized for Continued Commitment to Sustainability THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION (ARC) recognized the cities of Dunwoody, Peachtree Corners, Sandy Springs and Woodstock as certified communities through the agency’s Green Communities Program for demonstrating leadership in sustainability practices.

All winners earned certification points for sustainable measures implemented in their communities. Examples that were awarded certification points include: City of Woodstock: Built more than 12 of a planned 77-miles of multi-use-trails throughout the city through its Greenprints Plan.

City of Dunwoody: Installed a cool roof on city hall to reflect solar energy away from the building, making it easier to maintain internal temperature and reduce energy costs.

Dunwoody

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City of Sandy Springs: Cleaned up a formerly contaminated, low-density commercial business site and transformed it into a healthy, thriving downtown destination for residents to live, work and play.

City of Peachtree Corners: Provided single-stream, curbside recycling to all residents and hosted an annual electronic waste disposal event for residents to safely and properly dispose of electronic appliances and devices.

In metro Atlanta, 20 local governments—13 cities and seven counties—are currently certified under ARC’s Green Communities Program. This is the first program in the country to promote sustainability through a green certification program for local governments.

Peachtree Corners

“These local governments are to be commended for showing an ongoing commitment to conserving energy and protecting our natural resources,” said Kerry Armstrong, ARC board chairman. “Their efforts set a positive example for other communities while fostering a sense of regional pride.”

ARC developed the Green Communities Program in 2009 to recognize local governments that

invest in programs and policies that lead to a more sustainable region. The nationally recognized program showcases the many ways that local governments can reduce their environmental footprint.

For more information about ARC’s Green Communities certification program, visit atlantaregional.org/greencommunities.

Together, the efforts of these four communities have made the following cumulative impact over the past four years:

$554,000

147 acres

625 trees

Saved over 80,000kWh/year in energy, resulting in approximately $554,000 in energy savings

Added 147 acres of protected greenspace

Planted 625 trees on government property to replace those lost during development

11 charging stations

150 tons

6 buildings

Collected approximately 150 tons of household hazardous waste for proper disposal, including electronics, batteries, textiles and more

Located six government buildings at infill locations, greyfields or brownfields rather than disturbing undeveloped land

Installed 11 electric vehicle charging stations at community facilities

Sandy Springs

Woodstock

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 17

INSIDE GMA

INSIDE GMA

GMA HOLDS CEREMONIAL GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW HEADQUARTERS On Monday, Jan. 27, GMA held a groundbreaking ceremony for the association’s new headquarters project. GMA welcomed several prominent leaders to the ceremony, including former presidents and executive directors of the association, members of the project team and valued GMA staff.

The new GMA Headquarters, parking deck and renovation project will include four floors and 27,000 square feet of additional space, a five-level, 146-space parking deck that directly connects to three floors

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of the new building and a first-floor conference room large enough for GMA Board meetings and other functions for up to 140 people. The headquarters will also include a landscaped courtyard between the two buildings with direct access to the new conference room and a fourthfloor terrace facing the State Capitol that can accommodate up to 200 people for special events.

GMA’s current, 24,000-square-foot building (The Burgess Building) will also be renovated as a part of the history-making project.

Best, Past President and Newnan Mayor Keith Brady (Property Committee (l to r): GMA Third Vice President and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith, President and Dublin Mayor Phil LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton, and GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson Chair), First Vice President and Union City Mayor Vince Williams, Second Vice President and

GMA BUILDING HISTORY A permanent home for GMA was a long-term goal of the Board of Directors and membership for many years. Following his appointment as GMA executive director in 1983, Jim Burgess set in place a process to make that goal a reality. At his recommendation, then President Bob Knox appointed a committee, chaired by Immediate Past President Lillian Webb, to oversee this effort. Following an examination of available sites within a three-block radius of the State Capitol, the committee concluded that a dilapidated 13,500 square foot warehouse built in 1905 and an adjacent parking lot would be the best location for the new headquarters.

The property was purchased in 1984 for $627,000, and following renovations, the building was occupied in September 1986. Construction of a 12,000-square-foot addition was completed along with the purchase of an additional parking lot in 1988.

In 2004, following the first major renovation of the building and parking lot since its acquisition and expansion, the Board voted to name the GMA building “The Burgess Building” as a tribute to Jim Burgess’ vision and perseverance.

GMA leaders recognized the need for additional office space and parking in the past decade and formed a Property Committee during Mayor Keith Brady’s term as president. In recent years, plans to move forward with a new building gained momentum under the leadership of former presidents Mayor Dorothy Hubbard and Mayor Linda Blechinger and guided by the diligent efforts of the Property Committee chaired by Brady. Based on a space study performed by the association’s program manager, Comprehensive Program Services and extensive input from the association’s staff, in January 2019 the GMA Board approved the concept of constructing a new building and parking deck on the current site.

As a result of the collaborative efforts of the project team and GMA, a plan was developed and history was made with the groundbreaking of GMA’s new headquarters building. Construction of the new building and parking deck is scheduled to be completed in December 2020. Renovation of GMA’s existing building will begin in January 2021 and be completed in early summer.

PROPERTY COMMITTEE Mayor Keith Brady, Newnan; Chair, Property Committee Mayor Phil Best, Dublin; President Mayor Vince Williams, Union City; First Vice President Mayor Jim Thornton, LaGrange; Second Vice President Mayor Julie Smith, Tifton; Third Vice President Mayor Linda Blechinger, Auburn; Immediate Past President Former Mayor Boyd Austin, Dallas; Past President Mayor Sam Norton, Dahlonega Mayor Joe Walter, Zebulon PROJECT TEAM Program Manager Comprehensive Program Services Architect Stevens & Wilkinson Construction Manager At-Risk NewSouth Construction Project Financing Truist (SunTrust Bank) March/April 2020 | gacities.com 19

GMA’S LATEST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM HONES HR SKILLS Cities across Georgia are faced with workforce recruitment and retention issues on a daily basis, which are magnified by a limited number of professionals designated and/or trained on human resource matters or a personnel department to help meet these ongoing challenges. GMA introduced the Human Resources Administration Certificate (HRAC) program to serve cities and help meet these workforce needs. This certificate program includes five classes specifically designed to provide elected officials and appointed staff with the tools necessary to successfully recruit, train and retain talent to provide services to their communities.

• •

Understand how to develop personnel policies Understand how to address employee performance and workplace culture The Human Resources Administration Certificate Program replaces HR Express, which was discontinued in December.

HRAC CERTIFICATE SPECIFICS The five-class program will be held on consecutive Wednesdays or Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. starting this summer.

Upon completion of the five classes, participants will receive a certificate and should: • Understand all relevant employment laws • Understand the importance of recruiting, onboarding and professional development to attract and retain the right people for the right job • Understand the right and wrong way to compensate and provide benefits to employees

The registration fee for each class is $100.

This fee includes lunch and class materials.

Learn more about the HRAC program by contacting Terrell Jacobs at tjacobs@gacities.com.

NOMINATE A LEADER FOR THE HALL OF FAME APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 21 Nominations are now being accepted for GMA’s Municipal Government Hall of Fame. Inductees will be honored on Monday afternoon, June 29, at the Annual Convention in Savannah.

The Municipal Government Hall of Fame was established in 1992 to recognize current and past municipal officials who exemplify the very best in public service and who, throughout their careers, have made extraordinary contributions to their cities. To be considered, nominees must have: • Served a minimum of 15 years as either an elected or appointed municipal official (an exception is made for city officials who were only able to serve two four-year terms due to term limits)

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•

Made significant contributions to the quality of life within their city • Been a strong supporter of the GMA A maximum of three individuals are inducted in a given year, not counting the outgoing GMA president who is automatically inducted. No more than two individuals may be inducted posthumously in a given year.

To submit a nomination, please use the nomination form on GMA’s website, www.gacities.com.

For more information contact Alan Dickerson at adickerson@gacities.com.

GMA WELCOMES NEW MEMBER SERVICES CONSULTANTS GMA welcomed new Member Services Consultants, Sherri Bailey, Artiffany Stanley, Emily Davenport and Stan Brown.

In their new roles at GMA, these consultants will assist member cities with operational and compliance issues and promote GMA programs and services. They will work closely with district officers for planning the spring and fall district meetings.

Sherri Bailey brings experience in finance and city management from the city of Washington, Ga., where she worked as finance director for seven years and most recently as the city administrator for the past five years.

Bailey has an Associate Degree in Accounting from Augusta Technical College and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Columbia Southern University. Bailey will serve Districts 5 and 7.

Artiffany Stanley began her career in local government with the city of Dublin over 23 years ago, working through the ranks to her last role as Dublin’s assistant city manager.

Stanley received an Associate of Science degree from Middle Georgia College, Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia College and State University and Master of Public Administration from Troy University. Stanley will serve Districts 6 and 9.

Emily Davenport has extensive experience in stormwater management and engineering and most recently served as Hahira’s Main Street Director. Davenport participated in GMA’s inaugural 20 under 40 cohort in 2019 and will bring a wealth of experience and energy to the member services consulting team.

Emily holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geography with a minor in Geology from Valdosta State University. Davenport will serve Districts 10 and 11.

Stan Brown, P.E., PWLF has served in local government for over 30 years, holding various public works, engineering and management positions in Georgia, Colorado and Wyoming. During his career, Brown has had the opportunity, and good fortune, to oversee two wastewater treatment plants, which were recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as national plants of the year.

Brown received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1982 and his master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of West Georgia in 1995. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Georgia, and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. His most recent military service included deployments to Iraq, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan. Brown was awarded the U.S. Army’s Bronze Star Medal for exceptional and meritorious service as a facility engineer commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brown will serve Districts 1 and 2.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 21

2020 Cities play a vital role in the state’s economy:

LAND

44.1%

POPULATION

69.4%

Cities compromise only 9.2% of the land area in Georgia.

Cities contain 44.1% of the population in Georgia.

Cities provide 69.4% of jobs in Georgia.

67.3%

60.6%

of commercial property in the state

of all tax-exempt property

46.2% of assessed value of property in the state

48.8% of industrial property in the state

Cities are responsible for providing a variety of services to tax-exempt properties.

Cities are growing at a faster rate than the state’s overall population:

JOBS

Population Growth In Cities

Population Growth In The State

between 2008 and 2018

between 2008 and 2018

20.7%

75.5%

75% of Georgia cities have a population of 5,000 or less.

POPULATION

90.4% GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

10.7%

Daytime Population Population in Georgia cities increases during the daytime by 27.4% due to commuting, and cities provide services (water, sewer, fire and police protection, etc.) to both daytime and resident population.

Cities account for 90.4% of GDP in Georgia.

27.4% Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Georgia Department of Revenue

017

9.2%

Cities are home to:

Local governments are investing in the future: MUNICIPAL REVENUES

by Source, FY2018

MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURES

by Category, FY2018

MunicipalRevenue by

Source,

SPLOST AND TSPLOST REVENUES

94%

of SPLOST referenda have been approved by local voters since 2001.

$6.6 billion

in SPLOST revenues were distributed to local governments to pay for voterapproved capital projects between 2015 and 2019.

27

Georgia counties have Single County TSPLOST in place,

AND 4

91

counties are either in a Single County TSPLOST or TIA Region. (as of Dec. 2019)

regions have implemented a Regional (TIA) TSPLOST. (as of Dec. 2019)

Local funds will not be enough – a long-term, strong local-state-federal partnership is needed to address our state’s infrastructure needs.

FY2

GMA Named a Top Workplace in Atlanta GMA was named one of the Top Workplaces for 2020 in Atlanta by the Atlanta JournalConstitution (AJC) and Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee research and consulting firm. covering seven areas, including organizational health GMA RANKED 19 AMONG 65 SMALL WORKPLACfactors relating to workplace culture. Employee enES in Atlanta. This is the sixth year in a row that GMA gagement, company leadership and the basics (pay, has been recognized as a Top Workplace by the AJC. benefits, flexibility, trainFor the 2020 rankings, nearly 3,000 companies ing and expectations) are were nominated or among the questions. asked to participate afMore than 75 percent of ter metro area employGMA’s employees particiees responded to print pated in the survey. and online solicitations According to the AJC, that began appearing in a common theme that resSeptember 2019. Eneronated from employees gage then surveyed the of these 150 top compametro companies that nies was a genuine care agreed to participate from their employer and in the no-cost program. . an investment in each More than 41,645 metro attend AJC’s awards dinner Members of the GMA staff and every one of their employees. workers participated in “This award is an honor because these results the survey. Any public, private, nonprofit or governcame directly from our valued team members,” said mental employer with a minimum of 50 employees in GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. “For the past metro Atlanta was eligible. six years, this recognition has illustrated that the GMA The top 150—ranked based on employee feedteam believes their work serves the greater purpose of back scores—includes 22 large companies (500 or equipping and empowering Georgia city officials and more employees), 63 midsize companies (150-499 making GMA one of the top leagues in the nation.” employees), 65 small companies (149 or fewer employees). The survey gathers responses to 24 factors

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GMA ANNUAL CONVENTION

SET TO ENERGIZE AND INSPIRE The GMA 2020 Annual Convention themed, “Creating Vibrant Cities: Imagine. Inspire.

Innovate.” will take place at the Savannah Convention Center from June 26-30.

Registration for the convention opened in March. Registration and payments must be received by May 25. Anyone unable to meet the May 25 deadline must register onsite at higher rates and make their own hotel reservations outside of the GMA block.

For more information about the convention, contact Erica Powell Grier at epowell@gacities.com or 678-651-1015. For information about exhibiting during the convention, contact Yalonde Tanner at ytanner@

gacities.com or 678-686-6239, and for information about Annual Convention sponsorship opportunities, contact Kelli Bennett at kbennett@ gacities.com or 678-686-6242. *At the time of print, GMA still plans to hold the 2020 Annual Convention. Should these plans change, GMA will alert all registrants and members of updated convention details.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 25

CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS The Awards and Installation Luncheon will be held on Monday, June 29. A separate ticket must be purchased for this event.

Training certificate recipients will receive their awards during the Training Ceremony on Saturday afternoon, June 27 at 5:00 p.m., and a reception will follow.

Green Meeting: We will continue our green meeting initiatives. You will find recycle bins throughout the Convention. Handouts and session notes will be posted on the GMA website. We will not serve bottled water but will provide water tanks throughout the building. You may bring your own water bottle, if you’d like.

Exhibit Hall: The Exhibit Hall will be open on Saturday, June 27 from 3:15-5:30 p.m. and on Sunday, June 28 from 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

-3:00 p.m. Please visit the exhibitors and tell them how much you appreciate their attendance. Lunch will be served in the Exhibit Hall on Sunday.

Annual Business Meeting and Awards & Installation Program: The Business Meeting will take place on Monday morning this year and Awards & Installation ceremonies will be held during lunch. You will need to purchase a separate ticket for the luncheon as it is not included in the registration fee. During the Business Meeting, GMA’s 2021 Legislative Policies will be voted on, and the Board of Directors and district officers will be elected. Voting delegate forms will be mailed in late April.

Shuttle Transportation: Shuttle service will begin each morning at 7:00 a.m. and run continuously throughout the day from hotels to the convention center. The Water Taxi will run continuously between the Marriott Riverfront and the Hyatt and the convention center. Service will only be provided on Tuesday morning to accommodate those taking training. The convention center also has 1,500 FREE parking spaces in its lot.

TENTATIVE CONVENTION SCHEDULE FRIDAY, JUNE 26 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Municipal Training Board Meeting 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute Classes 4:15 – 5:45 p.m.

Board of Directors Meeting SATURDAY, JUNE 27 8:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute Classes 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

City Attorneys’ Session and Lunch 3:15 – 5:30 p.m.

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Exhibit Hall Open 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Training Ceremony and Reception SUNDAY, JUNE 28 7:15 – 8:00 a.m.

Worship Service 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Open for Breakfast 9:15 – 10:45 a.m.

Opening General Session 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open (lunch available from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.)

12:45 – 1:45 p.m.

Deeper Dive with Peter Kageyama 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.

Federal Policy Council Meeting and Lunch 12:45 – 2:00 p.m.

City Managers’ Session and Lunch 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 3:45 – 5:15 p.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 5:30 – 6:15 p.m.

Legislative Policy Council Meeting MONDAY, JUNE 29 8:00 – 8:45 a.m.

GMA Business Meeting (continental breakfast provided) 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

RMEBS Membership Meeting and Board of Trustees Meeting 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions 10:30 – 11:45 p.m.

Rapid Fire Sessions 12:00 – 1:45 p.m.

Awards and Installation Luncheon 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions 6:30 p.m.

Closing Event

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RURAL CITIES ‘GET REAL’ ABOUT BROADBAND During the 2015-2016 school year, a class in the Seminole County School System visited the computer lab. Eager for a change from their normal classroom time, the 25 students ran to their designated computers. But within seconds, this excitement was met with disappointment. “My computer is taking so long to load,” one student yelled.

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, MORE STUDENTS reported the same Internet speed issue. The instructor then checked the loading speed for the entire computer lab and saw that all computers were running on less than 100 megabytes per second (Mbps), combined (According to AT&T Business, each student should be receiving a minimum of 4.3 Mbps to work efficiently, and these students individually were only receiving 2.5 Mbps [at best]—a combined 62.5 Mbps.)

After identifying this and several other connectivity problems, leaders with the Seminole County School system and officials in the city of Donalsonville stepped up to the plate to create a wireless broadband solution, called “eDonalsonville.” This broadband service has two cell sites that allow for students to take their mobile routers home each day to access Wi-Fi and complete assignments.

Through eDonalsonville, residents have affordable access to three different plans starting at the Basic 10/2 Plan, which the city markets as “great for 28

Facebook and email” at $39 a month with unlimited data. The highest plan is the “Power Plan” for $99 per month and is “great for people who want all the Internet they can get at a price they can afford.” Residents also have access to PC support and repair services, new phone service, security cameras for home and office and free Wi-Fi downtown. The LTE service of eDonalsonville will also soon be available to the faculty and staff, the public and local businesses.

In addition to educational enhancements, eDonalsonville is improving other areas of the community, according to Communications Director Jeff Hatcher. “eDonalsonville provides the opportunity to compete in economic development projects, as Internet access is an essential requirement for any business in today’s economy,” he said. “Public safety operations are enhanced as police and firefighters have access to real-time information in emergency situations.”

Donalsonville Mayor Dan Ponder shared one of the most significant impacts made possible by

eDonalsonville since the program’s launch.

“During the Hurricane Michael disaster in October 2018, eDonalsonville was able to provide connectivity to residents and businesses within our city while traditional providers using copper lines to provide DSL and other Internet services were down,” he recalled.

“Without access to Internet service, residents were unable to access funds on debit and credit cards to purchase food or gas. Pharmacies were unable to fill prescriptions. Insurance adjusters were unable to file paperwork for claims, and residents were unable to complete FEMA applications for assistance.

The ability to rapidly [within one day] provide service to residents highlighted the versatility of a wireless broadband system over more traditional cable providers. Some of those providers required three months to reconnect service to customers,” he said.

According to Hatcher, as contracts with current telecommunication providers expire, the city can reduce its costs by $30,000-$40,000 per year by implementing the eDonalsonville network. In the next five years, city leaders believe this system will be completely self-sufficient. Access to expanded license coverage will increase the profitability of the service, and project leaders are researching licensing alternatives to expand into locations outside of the immediate coverage area.

“One of the biggest hurdles has been access to spectrum outside of Donalsonville,” Hatcher said.

“With recent changes at the Federal Communications Commission, we will soon have access to the spectrum we need. This will allow us to increase the speed of service that we can provide as well as allow us to expand the footprint of eDonalsonville outside of our city.”

Woodbury Recognized as ‘Broadband Ready’ Securing broadband service in rural Georgia was a main priority for state leaders during the 2018 legislative session. The State House Rural Development Council considered a new tax structure and incentive policy to pave the way for expanded rural broadband service across the state of Georgia, which led to the 2018 passage of Senate Bill 402, the Achieving

Connectivity Everywhere (ACE) Act. This law provides planning, deployment and incentives for broadband services across the state.

To operationalize this act, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) created the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative, which encourages the promotion and deployment of broadband services to currently unserved areas with a minimum of 25 Mbps download and three Mbps upload speeds.

Through this initiative, Georgia communities can become “Broadband Ready.” According to the DCA website, any political subdivision in Georgia pursuing improved broadband access is eligible for the Broadband Ready Community Certification. This community must demonstrate compliance with the adoption of a Comprehensive Plan inclusive of the deployment of broadband services and demonstrate compliance with the adoption of a Broadband Model Ordinance.

As the second city recognized as a Broadband Ready Community (The city of Claxton was the first.), Woodberry officials, residents and business owners credit this designation and the support of DCA leaders for legitimizing the need for broadband network projects and encouraging the city to install a test phase of their Wireless Internet Service.

“The test phase consisted of installing a unit at our newly opened Rural Health Clinic, one downtown business and one downtown resident. After two months of testing, we saw extremely positive results with our utility. In the months that followed, we have installed the antenna on the first of two water towers to offer the service to our community.” explained Mayor Steve Ledbetter.

While these results were positive, Ledbetter knows there is still work to be done.

“Our community is more than ready for the benefits offered from basic high-speed internet access. The opportunity for the city to receive the designation of a Broadband Ready Community with the possibility of asking for state assistance to help us grow our utility is the catalyst that drove us to seek this recognition,” he said.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 29

A SERVICE OF THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

A SERVICE OF THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Are cable & telecommunications companies underpaying your city?

Are you negotiating fees that best benefit your city when those companies place equipment on your municipal property?

Not sure about the answers to those questions?

You’re not alone. Many cities often lose revenue when they fail to properly negotiate and manage rights of way with cable and telecommunications companies.

5 Things Every Georgia City Needs

to Know about Telecommunications & Right of Way Management Cities should receive a 5% franchise fee from any wired company

1. that provides cable or video services in their community.

What is the franchise fee percentage your city receives from these companies?

When was the last time you performed an audit of the cable or video companies serving your city?

During an audit, GMA will collect and review detailed information about the company’s revenues, calculation and remittance of franchise fees, financial statements, billing reports, and number of subscribers to determine if you are underpaid.

Cities should receive 3% of local recurring revenue from a telecommu-

2. nications company if that company provides retail end use service.

As part of a city’s right of way ordinance, a right of way or construction permit will be required for companies to place their equipment. Permits should follow any laws and procedures for fees, charges, insurance, and repair requirements – and you need to make sure that permits and payments are aligned.

Does your city have a list of all companies that have been issued a permit to perform work in the right of way? And has your city received compensation from each company that was permitted to work in the right of way?

should receive at least $2,000 to $4,000 or higher per month rent from 3. Cities cell phone companies for use of a water tank tower.

Today, cell phone companies approach cities to lease space on almost every water tower in the state of Georgia. In many cases, cell phone companies also want to erect towers on public land.

Land leases should include colocation requirements and revenue sharing provisions with revenue percentages ranging from 20% to 40% per carrier. Rent escalators should also be required.

In most cases, cities should reject small offers to extend lease terms and/or offers to buy out leases as they are seldom in a city’s best interest. Cities should also not agree to management contracts where a private consultant’s payment is based on the city’s percentage of revenue. small cell antenna companies that want to install poles in the city’s right 4. For of way, cities need an agreement that imposes reasonable safeguards on the placement and maintenance of wireless equipment and facilities while also addressing reasonable compensation for use of the right of way.

Companies such as Mobilitie or Crown Castle are approaching cities about installing poles (120 foot poles in some cases) or constructing long fiber runs in the right of way. They are also approaching cities about installing numerous utility poles to provide infrastructure that will enhance their current cell phone service and possibly provide advanced telecommunication services in the future.

Small cell antennas aren’t going away. Companies will keep pushing to install them throughout Georgia. These new and sometimes unprecedented negotiations around small cell antennas need to be handled in the city’s best interest. Expertise such as the kind GMA provides can assist cities in responding to these applications.

Cities need a right of way ordinance that clearly defines the rules concerning

5. installations, poles, height restrictions, and any disruptions and interference because of obstructions.

The city ordinance needs to explain any legal requirements about how and where antennas can be placed, how workers need to go about installing the equipment, and how public infrastructure must continue to operate smoothly both during and after the installation. An ordinance should also require that the city maintain a complete inventory of existing cable and telecommunications infrastructure, cell towers, and small cell antennas. GMA has created model ordinances that meet these requirements.

So what can you do to take proactive action about these right of way issues? u Read more about what you need in your model agreement with small cell antenna companies. u Learn more about cellular tower lease negotiations and how cities should prepare for small cells. u Contact GMA about how we can help you. With over 25 years of expertise dealing with cable and telecommunications companies on behalf of cities, GMA provides you access to experienced experts who can negotiate with those companies as your advocate.

To talk about your cable and telecommunications needs, contact: adickerson@gacities.com • Alan Dickerson 678-686-6213 • adickerson@gmanet.com • Greg Fender 706-482-9933 • ghfender@windstream.net

TRAINING CLASS SPOTLIGHT: N E W A N D

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FOR CITIES Technology has become essential to most aspects of our private and public lives. For city officials, technology plays a critical role in governance, communication and citizen engagement, among other endeavors.

The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, operated through a partnership between GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, offers a training class designed to help city officials better understand their role regarding local government technology and understand how cities can better use digital solutions to enhance operational effectiveness and productivity, increase quality services and facilitate transparency. The class, New and Emerging Technology for Cities, is taught by Steven Carter, the city of Albany and Dougherty County’s Chief Information Officer.

Carter is a US Air Force veteran with 35 plus years’ experience in the field of information technology. His diverse background includes building and leading both private and public sector technology teams.

In his current role, he leads a group of 35 managers, engineers and technicians. He manages a budget of more than $7,000,000 and oversees everything related to technology and communications throughout the city and county.

Under Carter’s leadership, the first-ever Albany Emerging Technologies Team (ETT) was created from varied disciplines within the city of Albany and

32

Dougherty County governments. “The ETT’s purpose is to look beyond the usual silos and lead a multifaceted, multitalented group of willing workers to address business challenges through technology,” Carter explained.

Since ETT’s inception, several innovative solutions have emerged, including winning the inaugural Georgia Tech Smart Communities Challenge and partnering with the Environmental Systems Research Institute to build a data hub.

The New and Emerging Technology class, which will be offered in 2020 on Tuesday, June 30 in Savannah during GMA’s Annual Convention, covers several topics including, security, ERP (enterprise resource planning) migration, Blockchain, IT budgeting and current and future technology trends.

While there’s a lot for city officials to understand about technology, Carter noted a couple of issues that should primarily concern city officials.

“By far, the most important topics facing cities today are security, budgets and aging or failing systems,” he said, adding that 2020’s new and emerging technologies are “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).”

City officials should not worry about being bored or overwhelmed in Carter’s class. “The class is not the traditional lecture series,” he said. “It is designed to be interactive with robust discussions to facilitate learning from each other.”

Newest GMA Council Works to Empower Youth On Feb. 26, GMA hosted the first meeting of its Children and Youth Advisory Council in Macon-Bibb County.

THIS COUNCIL, WHICH WAS CREATED TO recommend programs, training, research and other initiatives to be addressed by GMA and Georgia City Solutions, is comprised of elected officials, city managers, assistant city managers and city clerks from various cities.

“We sometimes think about the short game when looking for solutions to problems,” said East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham, chair of the Children and Youth Advisory Council. “This advisory council has allowed me and others to think, ‘How do we prepare ourselves to ensure that future generations are successful?’”

During this kickoff meeting, advisory council members heard a presentation from Cliff Johnson, executive director of the National League of Cities’ IInstitute for Youth, Education and Families. They also gleaned knowledge from representatives of the Georgia Family Connection Partnership, the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network and Georgia City Solutions.

“Coming from the life and health industry, one thing I’ve had the fortune of experiencing is how education is intersected between academic and nonacademic experiences with children and families. I also experience how supportive resources can be put in place by cities and counties to make sure these youth are successful.” said Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz, member of the advisory council.

Those interested in serving on the Children and Youth Advisory Council should visit the Get Involved section at www.gacities.com for consideration.

Members of the GMA Children and Youth Advisory Council

+ Strong Relationships

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Yet, the team at GovDeals can’t help but notice that some strange items occasionally find themselves on the service marketplace.

HERE ARE THREE THAT WE RECENTLY NOTICED: • Basketball Goal: Everyone wants to be like Mike, and for just $20, youth can practice their jump shots.

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Cities can use GovDeals at any time without worrying about costs or budgeting and no upfront costs or annual fees.

For more information about this service, email services@gacities.com.

Home Depot Government Solutions GMA has worked with Home Depot’s government leadership team to provide exclusive discounts, volume pricing, and annual rebates to Georgia cities.

Getting to that steep discounted price can be hard to do on your own – and GMA has already done this hard work for you.

Renovations, installation projects & emergency response planning

There is no cost to participate and no minimum spending requirements.

Dedicated contractors with government experience can help you with projects such as roofing or window installation.

Your account is already set up.

Just activate it and start saving money!

Additionally, if a disaster strikes, Home Depot is ready to help your city by supporting your crisis command center with whatever you need.

Save Money ◆ Special Discounts when you buy through GMA ◆ Annual Rebate of 3% with no minimum spending required ◆ Volume Pricing to help reduce costs on major purchases of $1,000 or more

Visit www.gacities.com to find out more and activate your city today!

Save Time ◆ Direct shipping ◆ Easy online purchasing ◆ Dedicated Home Depot support ◆ Simplified tax preparation of purchases ◆ Items not displayed on Home Depot site available

Questions? Contact the GMA and Home Depot team: Georgia Municipal Association – Darin Jenkins 678-686-6264 Home Depot Pro Government team -844-233-9702 EXT. 63085

GMA’s Financing Programs Make Purchasing Easy Local governments can obtain long or short-term leases for heavy machinery equipment, city vehicles, firetrucks and more through GMA’s lease program. GMA’s Brick-and-Mortar Services offer financing using the economies of scale approach to minimize costs associated with financing real estate. Since 1990, GMA has assisted Georgia cities with major equipment and real estate purchases. GMA has secured nearly $2 billion in financing for cities, amounting to over 5,600 individual deals. Some of the most recent projects include:

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Johns Creek

Lilburn

TRANSACTION: • Johns Creek City Hall • $23.8 million transaction amount • Transaction closed on September 26, 2017 • Maturity is September 1, 2032 (15 years)

TRANSACTION: • City of Lilburn Police & Courts Complex • $4 million transaction amount • Transaction closed on June 15, 2018 • Maturity is June 15, 2022 (4 years)

In March 2019, the city of Johns Creek opened its new city hall and municipal complex housing offices for several city departments. The renovated three-story building is on 26 acres of land, and future plans include a linear park adjacent to the lake. The move to a consolidated facility is expected to ultimately save taxpayer funds while providing an efficient building for city hall, the city’s public safety departments and to serve residents and businesses.

In February 2020, the city of Lilburn celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new 24,000 square foot Police & Courts Complex. To accommodate growth within the police department, the city chose to build a new facility which is centrally located, cutting response time to service areas.

East Point

Washington Fire Department:

TRANSACTION: • East Point City Hall • $12.8 million transaction amount • Transaction closed on December 12, 2017 • Maturity is December 2047 (30 years)

TRANSACTION: • City of Washington Fire Station/Administration Building • $975,000 transaction amount • Transaction closed on July 30,2018 • Maturity is January 30, 2033 (15 years)

The city of East Point opened its new city hall on April 30, 2019. The 32,000 square foot facility includes city offices, a multi-purpose city council chamber, a water feature and an outdoor amphitheater. Approximately 30,000 square feet of greenspace is available for public events, gatherings and other recreation, which includes an amphitheater that can hold approximately 10,000 visitors.

To learn more about GMA’s Equipment & Real Estate Financing Programs, email services@gacities.com.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 37

INNOVATION

Newly Elected Officials Learn How to Successfully Serve More than 470 newly elected city officials gathered for two meetings of the state mandated Newly Elected Officials Institute presented by GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson of Institute of Government.

THESE TRAININGS WERE HELD ON FEB. 10-12 AT THE UNIVERSITY of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton and March 4-6 at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel in Athens. The institute provided an opportunity for mayors and councilmembers to increase their knowledge and understanding of city government, especially as it relates to the role and responsibility of the elected official. They received information designed to increase the awareness of the legal, financial and ethical responsibilities of city officials.

In his opening remarks, GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson encouraged the new municipal leaders to utilize GMA’s services.

“Although your constituents may not always recognize it, the decisions you make will touch their lives more directly than those made by officials at any other level of government,” he said. “You’ll also

discover that the problems and challenges facing your city are no different than the problems and challenges facing other cities, and that’s where your active involvement in GMA can be most beneficial to you and your city. Through GMA, you will have numerous opportunities to network with city officials throughout the year—to share ideas, discuss problems and learn from each other’s successes as well as mistakes.”

Hanson also announced GMA’s new “Get Involved” web feature to the newly elected officials. This portion of the GMA website, which is open for all GMA members, details every participation and leadership opportunity at GMA—from legislative councils, to district officers, working councils and more. The feature also allows users to conveniently submit an electronic interest form for these various service areas. Access this section from the GMA website menu at www.gacities.com.

WHAT THEY SAID: NEWLY ELECTED SHARE “I’m developing relationships with other newly elected official, which will lead to us being able to continue to share ideas, really understand each other’s challenges and figure out creative ways to approach those challenges. I’ve also enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions of people who have been in their roles for such a long time. Their openness has been incredibly helpful to us.”- Decatur Commissioner Lesa Mayer, who ran to help amplify the voice and concerns of her neighbors “The ethics session was powerful, especially learning how to navigate certain issues. Listening to Dublin Mayor [Phil] Best speak about working with taxpayers, businesses, state and other local governments was another highlight.” -Cornelia Mayor John Borrow, who answered his call as an elected official after opening several businesses in the city “I am a lifelong learner and I feel very privileged and special to be here. I’ve been enlightened by many points of understanding on not only why I was elected to serve, but how I can serve better—from conflict of interest to how we can govern correctly. -Riceboro’s youngest mayor Joseph Harris, who always had a passion for community service “This experience has been very good, and I’ve met and exchanged contact information with several people. This learning opportunity will help me serve my community.” -Meansville Councilmember Janet Minter, who was inspired to help her hometown by filling her father’s council seat after he passed away 38

Heart & Soul Workshop and Fall Training Event Scheduled GMA and the Georgia Cities Foundation will hold its Spring 2020 Heart and Soul Downtown Workshop in Downtown Milledgeville on May 21.

THIS SIX-HOUR WORKSHOP WILL SHOWCASE MILLEDGEVILLE’S downtown revitalization efforts to include a focus on business development, downtown housing and how the city has been successful in leveraging its assets and fostering partnerships. Attendees will be in the classroom for part of the workshop and walking to downtown sites the other part of the time. This workshop is limited to 40 participants, so please register early. The cost to attend is $265 through May 7 and $275 after May 7. Elected officials and city managers/administrators and assistant city managers/administrators who have taken previous Heart and Soul Downtown workshops can receive credit for completing this workshop. Registration information is available on the GMA website, www.gacities.com.

FALL TRAINING EVENT SLATED FOR SEPTEMBER IN ATHENS The Two-Day Fall Training event will take place in Athens on Sept. 2425, at the Classic Center’s Foundry Building, located at 130 Foundry Street, Athens, GA 30601. The Foundry Building is behind the Classic Center. Registration will open in April. Four six-hour classes will be held each day. The fee for each class is $265 through Sept.10 and $275 after September 10. Small city scholarships in the form of tuition discounts are available for this training. Email Training Manager Aileen Harris at aharris@gacities.com for an application.

THE CLASSES OFFERED ARE: THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 • Downtown Development Authority Basic Training (ends at 4:30 p.m.)

• Ethics* • Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems • Public Problems, Democratic Decisions—The Governing Role of Mayors and Councilmembers*+ FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 • Community and Media Relations* • Conflict Resolution* • Municipal Finance I* • How Shall We Live? Practical Ethics for Public Life*+ Find class descriptions and training registration information on GMA’s website. If space is limited during early registration, preference will be given to those who have earned at least the Certificate of Achievement.

--Classes with an * are on the required list for the Municipal Training Institute Certificate program. Classes with a + are on the advanced leadership track are required to obtain the Certificate of Dedication.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 39

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS

HARNESSING ARTS AND CULTURE FOR RESPONSIBLE PLACEMAKING IN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS

BY DORIAN MCDUFFIE, PUBLIC ART PROJECT MANAGER, ATLANTA CITY STUDIO

English Avenue is home to over 3,000 people and has been the subject of several plans designed to determine the fate of the neighborhood. The most recent one, the Westside Land Use Framework Plan, is guiding the cultural, economic and infrastructural initiatives in the community today. Its ambitious but attainable goal of creating new, exceptionally designed community spaces that is further elevated by the Department of City Planning’s Atlanta City Design: Aspiring to the Beloved Community and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ vision for One Atlanta. But this story about place starts with the people that live there.

WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, SUCH as Mother Mamie Moore and Winston Taylor among others, has been an eye-opening experience. Many of our meetings are reminiscent of the Civil Rights meetings held at the kitchen table of an engaged supporter. We have strategized, disagreed, agreed and moved forward with cultural and infrastructure plans for the intersection of Cameron Madison Alexander Boulevard and James P. Brawley Drive in Mother Moore’s home many times.

Community discussions at that table have garnered

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new sidewalks at the intersection, trash cans coming to the intersection and heartfelt discussions about how this work should continue to move forward.

It is imperative that this work involve and include the community. For this reason, the city of Atlanta Department of City Planning has embarked on several ways to include the wants and needs of the residents.

Cultural asset mapping has enabled us to connect to residents and make note of their talents and skillsets.

Many of these residents will be incorporated into our cultural planning in the neighborhood. Other outreach initiatives have included conducting a design exercise

Many of these are congruent with the practices of the and giving the residents the opportunity to vote on the Department of City Planning when working in underkinds of placemaking that they would like initiated at the served communities: intersection. A steering committee has come out of our • We use design to elevate our communities and efforts to have residents lead decision making around center the voices of our residents who are directly work with arts organizations that will bring our next impacted by the products of the design process round of cultural programming to St. Mark’s Church.

• We prioritize the impact of design on community This kind of outreach is necessary for successful over the intentions of the designer placemaking in underserved communities. Understand• We view change as emergent from an open and col ing the history of people of color who have tried to make laborative process rather than as a point at the end a place has had a checkered past. For decades, African of it Americans were penalized for gathering in a space. It is • We believe the role of the designer is that as a imperative that we are mindful of this as we design and facilitator and that everyone is an expert based on program space with and not for these communities. their lived experience and all have unique Our eagerness to “help” must not be overshadowed by contributions to bring to a design process the community’s desire to maintain existing social and • Before seeking a design, we look for what is already cultural codes that existed before our arrival. We must working in a place to honor and uplift traditional, make sure that our efforts don’t result in displacemakindigenous and local knowledge and practices ing and understand that the word “placemaking” may have a different connotation to those who OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY As we move forward with this work, we are the residents of the IS TO KEEP AND CREATE A PLACE WHERE must be committed to place being made. Inwholistic engagement stead, let’s move to the that is innovative, eduword placekeeping so cational, fervent, culturally affirming and creative. Only that we acknowledge and honor what is already there then will we have spaces that reflect endurance and beand its significance to current residents. longing through social interaction. Our responsibility in Artists are imperative to the process of keeping the community is to keep and create a place where evplace. They are the translator of social and cultural codes eryone can live. and necessary partners in the transformation of commuThe city of Atlanta Department of City Planning is nities. They are the perfect go between for residents, fortunate to work with great leadership in the neighfunders and government and will often bring nontradiborhood and to have as a partner the Westside Future tional ideas and methods to the table to move an initiaFund. This organization shares our philosophy of how tive forward. Their use of experimentation and play as to work with residents to enhance neighborhoods by part of a process to work towards a solution results in working with them and reflecting the best of what they qualitative, experiential placekeeping that leverages have to offer. the arts to elevate residents and amplify cultural identity.

Collaborating with artists and adhering to certain principles when keeping place reaps the best results.

Many organizations, like the Design Justice Network, outline useful principles to guide such work.

EVERYONE CAN LIVE.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 41

TOWNS & THE LAW

Cities to Airbnb, ‘Pay Up!’

BY GWIN HALL, SENIOR ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL, GMA

Even in the best economic times, cities and counties in Georgia look for ways to pinch pennies—and collect more of them—to pay for services their businesses and citizens expect.

GIVEN THE LIMITS STATE LAW puts on local revenue sources, finding new money can be difficult. Sometimes, the best way to find “new” money is to make sure your city is collecting all it can from existing revenue sources.

The cities of Rome, Cartersville and Tybee Island, along with Hart County, did just that, and included all other cities and counties in Georgia in their effort. On Jan. 31 they initiated a class action lawsuit, City of Rome, Georgia, et. al., v. Airbnb, Inc. and Airbnb Payments, Inc., in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, against Airbnb, claiming Airbnb is required to remit hotel-motel taxes to cities and counties in Georgia but is not doing so. According to the lawsuit, in 48 other states, Airbnb forwards hotel-motel taxes to the appropriate local government but does not do this in Georgia.

Many cities and counties in Georgia charge hotel-motel taxes (also known as “occupancy taxes”) on short-term lodging. The hotel-motel tax rate in Georgia can range from three percent to eight percent, depending on how the revenue will be used and how the tax is enacted. At least some of the tax revenue is usually spent to promote tourism, trade shows and conventions, but some of it can be used for general fund purposes, like paying for basic government services.

The lawsuit alleged that Airbnb collects hotel-motel taxes from renters for lodging in Georgia but does not

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pay those hotel-motel taxes over to the city or county where the rental property is located. The lawsuit also claimed that Airbnb owes Georgia cities and counties this occupancy tax regardless of whether Airbnb collects these taxes from the renter. In short, the taxes are owed, and Airbnb is responsible for paying them, but so far the company has not.

The lawsuit did not speculate how much hotel-tax revenue Airbnb owes cities and counties in Georgia.

The amount an individual city or county could recover depends on factors like its hotel-motel tax rate and rental fees for Airbnb properties in that city or county.

The Georgia General Assembly is considering House Bill 448, which would remove any argument that Airbnb does not have to collect and remit hotel-motel taxes in Georgia. Out of respect for the legislative process, the lead local governments in the lawsuit asked the court to dismiss their lawsuit, understanding they can file it again if the legislation does not pass.

MUNICIPAL CLERKS HAVE STRONG START TO 2020 During the February Georgia Clerks Educational Institute at Jekyll Island, the Georgia Municipal Clerks Association (GMCA) held its winter board of directors and membership meeting. Here, new officers and a new board of directors was elected and installed. In addition, several clerks were honored for earning clerks training certification.

LEVEL ONE CERTIFICATES Patricia Ballard, Pearson Amanda Burbage, Zebulon Christie Burgner, Acworth Gail Hammock, Thomaston Leah Harden, Statesboro Arlene Hobbs, Pembroke Melissa Jones, Walthourville

Bonnie Kendrick, Hiawassee Dianne Parker, Claxton Sue Pate, Baconton Sharee Steed, Riverdale MASTERS CERTIFICATES Sharon Casey, Concord Lisa Johnson, Fargo

IS YOUR CITY CLERK A MEMBER OF THE GMCA? Founded in 1956, GMCA has years of experience improving the professionalism and education of city clerks. GMCA has grown to exceed 350 members, representing small and large municipalities. The purpose of GMCA is to promote professionalism in the Office of the Clerk by attending educational programs, exchanging experiences and methods of handling problems and encouraging each other to find solutions to these problems. Members also benefit from mentoring programs, the Bill Cain Scholarship and the Clerk of the Year Awards program.

For information on the Clerk of the Year program, contact Janice Eidson at jeidson@gacities.com and to join GMCA contact Kristen Grissom at kgrissom@gacities.com for membership information.

2020 GEORGIA MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT PAULA MARTIN

VICE PRESIDENT MELISSA MCCAIN

TREASURER LISA JOHNSON

SECRETARY VICKI WAINWRIGHT

DISTRICT DIRECTORS

DISTRICT 1 VACANT

DISTRICT 2 MARILYN CHASTAIN CITY OF HELEN

DISTRICT 3 EMMIE NIETHAMMER CITY OF CHAMBLEE

DISTRICT 4 RICHARD MCCOY CITY OF WEST POINT

DISTRICT 5 SANDRA HAGGARD CITY OF COMMERCE

DISTRICT 6 PAMELA ROBERTS CITY OF MCINTYRE

DISTRICT 7 DEBORAH MOORE CITY OF HARLEM

DISTRICT 8 MARGARET SHELLEY CITY OF VIENNA

DISTRICT 9 VERNICE THOMPSON CITY OF HAZLEHURST

DISTRICT 10 MARY KING CITY OF ARLINGTON

DISTRICT 11 TERESA BARBER CITY OF LENOX

DISTRICT 12 DEBORAH WALKER-REED CITY OF ST. MARYS

SAVE THE DATE MAY 3-10: MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE YOUR CITY CLERK’S HARD WORK!

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 43

FEDERAL FOCUS

GMA Releases Capital Needs of Georgia Cities The results of GMA’s 2020 Capital Needs Survey are in, and based on GMA projections, cities will need approximately $20 billion for capital needs in nine categories over the next five years.

IN ALL, 229 CITIES PROVIDED RESPONSES TO GMA’s survey (42.6 percent of Georgia cities). This is a significant increase in the response rate compared to the 2017 GMA Capital Needs survey (156 cities or 29 percent) and a steep upturn in total projected five-year needs since GMA asked three years ago, which were estimated at $11.2 billion. As was the case then, GMA’s most recent projections indicate that the category of greatest need is water and sewer, followed by transportation and public safety.

“City leaders are acutely aware of the urgency of addressing local infrastructure needs and have supported GMA’s capital needs survey to help us document these needs,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson.

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“We have communities across the state with 100-yearold water pipes and deteriorating streets, and deferred maintenance on these facilities only increases the costs for repair and replacement.

Some cities are also growing at almost double the rate of the statewide population, putting additional stress on existing resources and requiring new investment to plan for future needs of residents, employers and visitors.”

A strong partnership between federal, state and local governments is imperative for municipal leaders to successfully address these significant needs and keep Georgia cities vibrant, safe, healthy and family- and business-friendly.

“Throughout the state, local governments have invested billions in local revenues for infrastructure projects, but local funds won’t be enough to meet all capital needs,” said LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton, chair of GMA’s Federal Policy Council. “GMA will continue to work with federal and state leaders on solutions that give cities access to new revenues as well as support for tried and true programs like CDBG, BUILD and programs for wastewater and clean drinking water. GMA supports federal solutions that allow local leaders to decide how funds may be spent as well as more flexible, low-cost financing options.”

This year’s Capital Needs Survey also has important implications for the upcoming Census. Several federal spending programs, including those related to transportation infrastructure and community development, allocate funding to states based on population counts. For instance, according to the Census Counting for Dollars 2020 research project, Georgia received about $1.3 billion for Highway Planning and Construction, $94 million for Community Facilities Loans/Grants and almost $40 million in CDBG Entitlement Grants in fiscal year 2016 alone. Cities are encouraged to promote the 2020 Census and attain a complete and accurate count in order for these funds to be available in the future.

GMA urges municipal leaders to inform state legislators and members of Congress about the capital needs in their communities.

For questions and additional information about the results of the 2020 GMA Capital Needs Survey, contact Becky Taylor, GMA Research & Federal Relations Director, at 678-686-6276 or Holger Loewendorf, GMA Research Manager, at 678-686-6246.

The City of Atlanta’s survey response indicates 49% of capital needs are for water and sewer infrastructure, followed by transportation and government buildings.

Georgia Cities Projected Capital Needs, 2020-2024

City of Atlanta Capital Needs, 2020-2024

Georgia Cities Projected Capital Needs, 2020-2024 (excl. Atlanta)

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 45

The GDOT Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant Program The Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Local Grants Office assists Georgia’s local governments with the construction and reconstruction of their road and street systems.

The most widely used program administered by the Local Grants Office is the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) Program.

LMIG is a flexible, formula-based funding program for local transportation projects that was the result of collaboration between GDOT, GMA, ACCG and others and established in O.C.G.A. 32-5-27 (d) after the passage of SB200 in 2009. LMIG replaced the Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) and State Aid programs for local financing and resulted in a streamlined, locally driven process to pay for qualified local transportation expenses.

The LMIG Formula State law requires the General Assembly to annually allocate between 10 and 20 percent of State Motor Fuel tax revenues for LMIG. For FY2020, the LMIG Budget is $187,586,631. Per O.C.C.A. 32-5-27 (d), LMIG amounts for each local jurisdiction are based on a formula determined by the GDOT planning director, and “such formula shall include considerations of paved and unpaved lane miles and vehicle miles traveled and may include population, employment and local funding matches available, as well as other factors as may be determined by the division and the director.”

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Currently, the LMIG formula is based on population and centerline (CL) road miles: (Local Population/State Population)(1/3) + (Local CL Miles/State CL Miles)(2/3) = FACTOR FACTOR X ANNUAL ALLOCATION = LG FORMULA AMOUNT Local Match and How to Apply In 2010, the Georgia Transportation Improvement Act (TIA, or HB277) amended the LMIG match requirement. Under O.C.G.A. 48-8-244 (d), jurisdictions in regions that passed a regional TIA sales tax must provide a 10 percent local match, while jurisdictions in regions that did not pass a TIA must provide a 30 percent local match for LMIG. At the beginning of each fiscal year, GDOT provides each local government with its LMIG formula amount.

Jurisdictions have complete control of expenditures.

GDOT only requires local governments to submit a project application and project list to document projects that total the formula amount plus the required match.

Eligible LMIG items include: • Aggregate surface course for dirt road maintenance • Bridge repair or replacement • Construction supervision and inspection • Grading, drainage, base and paving existing or new roads

• Intersection improvements including signal installation • Patching, leveling and resurfacing a paved roadway • Replacing storm drainpipe or culverts • Roadway signs, striping, guardrail installation • Sidewalk (within right-of-way and adjacent to a public street) LMIG funds may not be used for: • Right-of-way acquisition for a county or city road • Street lighting or pedestrian lighting • Beautification and streetscapes • Walking trails and tracks • Alley • Landscaping • Administrative services • Equipment Beginning in FY2020, GDOT moved to an online application for LMIG. “The online GRANTS program has really made a huge difference in allowing our office to function more effectively and efficiently,” said Kelvin Mullins, GDOT Local Grants Administrator. “We now have immediate access to all project and funding information. For complete packages, we are currently averaging 12 days statewide for payment to local governments from the date of initial submittal.”

Local Road Mileage Data Used in LMIG Formula To ensure your city receives its fair share of LMIG funds, it is important to validate centerline mileage through GDOT’s online portal at https://www.gdotreport.org.

In mid-February, GDOT mailed notification to each local government with the jurisdiction’s centerline mileage on record at GDOT as of Dec. 31. Governments have until April 27 to validate centerline mileage.

ASSISTANCE AND GDOT DISTRICT OFFICES For assistance with centerline mileage, please call 404-3470712 or 404-347-0688 or email OTDLocalGovtCoor@dot.ga.gov.

Questions about the LMIG formula, calculations, distributions, or eligible projects should be directed to the GDOT District Offices at www.dot.ga.gov/ AboutGDOT/Districts.

ADDITIONAL LMIG RESOURCES LMIG FAQ: www.dot.ga.gov/DriveSmart GRANTS Training Guide and LMIG Manual: www.dot.ga.gov/PS/ Training/grants

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 47

CITYLITES

Fairs and Festivals April 3-4 Williamson Wisteria Festival Williamson Swampfest Waycross April 3-5 Blessing of the Fleet Darien April 4 State Banana Pudding Festival Irwinton Madison Fest Madison Spring Tour of Homes Washington Locust Grove Easter Egg Hunt Locust Grove April 4 -5 Festival on Ponce Atlanta April 5 Tunes and Balloons Macon April 6 Pan African Festival Macon April 11 Duluth Rotary Car Show Duluth 48

National Grits Festival Warwick City of Grayson Easter Egg Hunt Grayson April 13-14 Antiques Shopping Weekend Monroe

April 18-19 Bear on the Square Festival Dahlonega Big Shanty Festival Kennesaw Artsapalooza Sandy Springs

April 17 Taste of Social Circle Social Circle

April 18-19 DockDogs Competition Monroe

April 17-18 Spring Fling & Backyard BBQ Festival Moultrie

April 18-June 7 Georgia Renaissance Festival Fairburn

April 17-19 Atlanta Dogwood Festival Atlanta

April 22-26 Lemonade Days Dunwoody

Mitchell Springfest Mitchell

April 23-25 Thomasville Rose Show and Festival Thomasville

April 18 Glow in the Park Suwanee Spring Fling Nicholls Wildcat 5K/Fun Run Duluth Mayhaw Festival Colquitt

April 23-26 Vidalia Onion Festival Vidalia April 24 Antique & Artisan Festival Braselton April 24 & 25 The Garden City Festival at Sacred Heart Augusta

BBQ Boogie & Blues Festival Calhoun Crawfish Festival Woodbine April 24-26 Sweetwater 420 Festival Atlanta April 25 Annual Stand Up For America Day Port Wentworth International Festival Johns Creek

April 26 Celebrate Clayton Art Festival Clayton April 30 -May 2 Wine Festival Tybee Island April 30, May 1 -2 Little Roy & Lizzie Music Festival Lincolnton May 1-2 Arts in Black Tifton

Gay May-retta Daze Arts & Crafts Festival Marietta May Market at Rose Lawn Festival Cartersville Cotton Picking Fair Gay May 3 – August 30 Fridays-N-Duluth Duluth May 3 Duluth Margarita & Taco Fest Duluth

Georgia Strawberry Festival Reynolds

Pine Tree Festival & Southeast Timber Expo Swainsboro

Jonquil City Jog Smyrna

May Day Doerun

May 7 Taste of Alpharetta Alpharetta

Gainesville Spring Chicken Festival Gainesville

May 2 Taste of Blue Ridge Blue Ridge

May 9 Food Truck Friday Snellville

Taste of Conyers & Car Show Conyers

Spring Bierfest Helen

Spring Festival Lavonia

Buzzard Blast Louisville

Mayfest Arts & Crafts Festival Carrollton

*Before you make plans to attend, check with cities to see if these events were postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

West Georgia Jazz Festival Villa Rica Encore Azalea Festival Arcade Sharon Shenanigans Sharon Beer and Wine Festival Kennesaw April 25 - 26 Jonquil City Festival Smyrna Inman Park Festival Atlanta Cedar Valley Arts Festival Cedartown

Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival Thomson May 2-3 Snellville Days Snellville Georgia Apple Blossom Festival Ellijay Shady Days in Gay

To place a free Fairs & Festival listing contact gacities@gacities.com.

Please submit listings at least eight to ten weeks ahead of publication date.

March/April 2020 | gacities.com 49

GEORGIA GEMS Pralines Perfection Finds a Home in South Georgia ACCORDING TO THE U.S. PECAN GROWERS Council, Inc., Georgia is one of the top pecan-producing states in the nation, and when this agricultural commodity is mixed with sugar and spice, people nationwide enjoy the perfect pecan praline. Renowned for this Southern staple is River Street Sweets in Savannah.

When owner Tim Strickland was a kid in the late 1970s, he and his family were looking for things to take back to their giftshop on River Street. At age 11, Strickland stumbled on a fudge pot and begged his parents to put it in their giftshop. His parents finally agreed, and, a week later, on St. Patrick’s Day, his sister made the first batch of mint chocolate fudge. The fudge sold like crazy. Six months later, River Street Sweets became a full-fledged candy store.

Stan Strickland, Tim’s father and former owner, decided to find recipes for something Georgia was known for and ran into a praline recipe.

“I started a batch of pralines, around 11 o’clock in the morning, and two or three women walked in and could smell that aroma of candy making,” Stan remembered.

Almost immediately, the most popular treats were the World Famous Pralines, hand-dipped and placed onto a piece of marble that Stan bought from a gravestone company. Today, their pralines generate more than $35 million in annual sales, making them the leading supplier of pralines on the planet. According to store owners, River Street Sweets is the oldest candy store in Savannah.

With over 100 years of combined experience in the candy business, River Street Sweets is expanding their reach by opening shops throughout the East coast with plans to open several new locations including Orlando, Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Every day of the week is a sweet day at River Street Sweets. Visit www.riverstreetsweets.com for more information.

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SEE YOU IN SAVANNAH FOR THE GMA ANNUAL CONVENTION! EARLY REGISTRATION AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE BY MAY 25.

Find registration information at www.gacities.com.

Contact conference@gacities.com for more information. *Anyone unable to meet the May 25 deadline must register onsite at higher rates and make hotel reservations outside of the GMA block.