March/April 2021

March/April 2021

ADVOCACY. SERVICE. INNOVATION.

Columns & Features In This Issue Social Media Transcends Social Distance | Cities Further Innovations in Technology Resources for Cities: Sustainability & Technology

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W W W . P A R K E R Y O U N G . C O M

Table of Contents FEATURES SOCIAL MEDIA TRANSCENDS SOCIAL DISTANCE.......................................... 5 RESOURCES FOR CITIES: SUSTAINABILITY & TECHNOLOGY ......................... 18 CITIES FURTHER INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY....................................... 38 CITYSCAPES....................................................................................................... 8 + GMA President: Cities Spring Forward After Year of Perseverance + GMA Executive Director: GMA Works to Meet Your Needs + Expert Editorial: Innovation Through Reconsideration

CITY DESK.........................................................................................................12 + Small Town, Big Impact: Cornelia Survives Cyberattacks + City Spotlights: Conyers Pursues Equity & Inclusion + Albany Uses Data to Tackle Local Challenges + Fiber Optics in Covington

INSIDE GMA......................................................................................................18 + Your Health Matters: GMA Launches COVID Vaccine Campaign + GeorgiaForward + Georgia City Solutions + Student Practicum & Community Engagement + Advocacy: Legislating and Lobbying in the ‘New Normal’ + Service: GMA Launches New Data Visualization Tools + Innovation: Value of Cities Data Dive: Population Growth

ADDITIONAL + Towns & Law: Staying Safe from Hackers........................................................... 42 + Federal Focus: Emergency Broadband Benefit .................................................. 43 + Downtown Developments: Conservation Through Housing Choice........................... 45 + ENGAGE: Connecting with Georgia’s Children and Youth...................................48

CITYLITES......................................................................................................... 50 + Fairs & Fests + Georgia Gem: Tybee Island’s Coastal Resilience

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

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More than Pictures

By Becca J.G. Godwin

Social Media Transcends Social Distance & Communication Barriers IN AN ERA WHEN ADULTS USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR gathering news, checking in with friends and following their favorite businesses, it only makes sense that local governments also have a presence. To really connect with residents, though, cities need to do more than just

posting standard memos, especially since the pandemic has made digital personas even more valuable. Three Georgia cities—Griffin, Brookhaven and Tucker—are taking unique and innovative approaches on social media to further engage residents.

Early last year, the city of Griffin was planning a big Spring Fling to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its popular Second Saturday series, a free community event that drew residents to downtown once a month.

For the celebration, the city planned to close the streets off, put out Astroturf and have food trucks and vendors for the crowds to enjoy.

Then COVID-19 swept in, and everything changed.

At first, the city thought the events would have to stop.

“But then we realized that would not be beneficial for our businesses who were struggling to figure out what they were going to do during this time,” said Danielle Hancock, the city’s economic development administrative coordinator. “So, we came up with an idea to host our Spring Fling and do it in quarantine style, because at the time we were encouraging people not to get out and about.”

The result was a nearly 12-hour virtual event with live streams including an at-home scavenger hunt, a concert from a local band and virtual classes with kits for making pizzas, doing a facial or painting with a child. It was a fun way to encourage people who were feeling scared that they didn’t “have to be so down in the dumps with quarantine,” Hancock said. The day’s events garnered about 150,000 views.

“Facebook basically blew up with having Griffin everywhere, because it was just constant businesses sharing, our page sharing, and then people watching sharing,” she said.

The event continued to grow, capturing viewers from other states including Florida, Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina and New York. Second Saturdays have since returned to in-person with required social distancing, but the city continues to do a few Facebook lives for those out-of-staters or people who’d rather stay home.

Social Media Increases Inclusion Brookhaven, which has a large Spanish-speaking population, saw the benefits from work it put into innovative social media practices before the pandemic.

In July 2019, the city brought on a full-time public engagement specialist, Julissa Canas, who speaks Spanish. She created “Ciudad de Brookhaven” Instagram and Facebook accounts, which are separate from the English language ones, and started translating, publishing and distributing city documents into Spanish.

These efforts to increase outreach and accessibility for Spanish-speaking residents contributed to Brookhaven winning GMA’s Visionary City Award in January. Burke Brennan, the city’s communications director, said although the city places a lot of emphasis on outreach, they still have a long way to go.

“We are not, by far, reaching as many people as we need to reach. We know that,” said Brennan. “So, we’re hoping to build upon our successes and continue to provide the information that the community wants and needs.”

Canas said there was a deep need for information in Spanish, especially in the Buford Highway community. When COVID-19 hit, she saw followers on the Spanish channels increase significantly. Canas shifted the content of the posts to make sure everyone had helpful information about resources that were available to them.

“The idea is to have equitable access to city communications materials, because even if you don’t speak the language, you are entitled to your government’s information,” Canas said.

Welcoming Residents ‘Nextdoor’ In Tucker, social media was used during the pandemic as “part educational tool and part entertainment morale booster,” said Matt Holmes, the city’s director of communications and admin services. As a result, he said engagement “skyrocketed,” with followers or subscribers increasing by nearly 2,000 across different channels since February 2020.

To meet residents where they are, Tucker goes beyond just being on the most obvious platforms for branded accounts. The city started an account on Nextdoor, an online site for neighbors, a few years ago.

“We are on all kinds of social media channels, but one of the promises that was made when Tucker became a city in 2016 was that we weren’t going to leave

anybody behind,” Holmes said. That meant getting on an additional platform—niche though it may be—to communicate and engage with all residents’ questions and concerns.

“Between jobs, between the pandemic, between family stuff, people are busy,” said Holmes, a working father himself. “And a lot of times, they don’t have time to do a real deep dive and figure out all these things that we take for granted when it comes to meetings and city happenings.”

Last year, Tucker started posting pertinent pandemic-related information on Nextdoor, such as an emergency dinner giveaway for children, face mask distribution and a notice that the third annual July 4th firework show would be virtual. Other posts detailed a series of spring events “aimed at improving morale in the community,” which included a challenge to send a card or encouraging note to someone in the community, the Tucker Takeout Picnic Challenge and a virtual prom for high school seniors.

“I think that Nextdoor, while it is a social media channel, it’s not quite as involved as some of the other ones, and there are a lot more casual and older users,” Holmes said. “It’s an opportunity for us to reach them, and I think they’ve been appreciative of that.”

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 7

CITYSCAPES

Cities Spring Forward With Renewed Energy

BY VINCE WILLIAMS, GMA PRESIDENT

The events our country experienced this past year have impacted me intensely.

OUR COMMUNITIES, STATE AND nation have undergone stresses and strains that were unforeseen and for which we weren’t necessarily prepared. This upheaval has made me think more deeply about the role of cities in our society as well as what GMA brings to the table in these, and other, less stressful times.

For me, and I suspect for many of you, this last year has highlighted the importance of the positions we hold in our communities. While we were motivated to run for office for any number of reasons, recent events galvanized us to tackle shared issues. The need for us and our cities to find common ground and seek the common good has come into sharper focus. While the challenges before us today are humbling, I find that the turmoil of the past year has provided me with both a clarity of purpose and renewed energy.

The events of the past year also highlighted the role of cities and city leadership in our state, and for that I’m particularly thankful. It was with immense pride that I saw city officials across the state make tough decisions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in the wake of racial unrest across the country, thoughtful and diligent local leadership was exemplified by the intense desire of so many of you to ensure that equity and inclusion are hallmarks of your community. All the while, city leaders continued to do the things we’ve always done to create the places we want to call home.

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And when it comes to GMA, the organization established by and for cities, the past twelve months have shown its value to us each and every day. I couldn’t be prouder of our association. Providing the services that support cities, advocating at the state and federal level on issues related to COVID-19, and beginning to help us address inequality and exclusion in our communities—our association has been with us every step of the way. And the amazing thing is, there’s more to come.

GMA is working on public health issues with students at both the University of Georgia and Emory University, and has partnered with the National League of Cities on a wellbeing project. The association’s municipal workforce development efforts are ramping up with a significant workforce assessment and strategy project. New courses have been added this year to the association’s training program. Georgia City Solutions, GMA’s 501(c)(3), is diligently working to create a work program to assist cities tackling local challenges. And your association rolled out a vaccine awareness campaign for city officials to use. Learn more about this campaign on page 27.

It’s been a tough year, no doubt, but I believe that this spring, we find ourselves in a time of renewal with much to look forward to.

Remember, I love you, and there ain’t nothing you can do about it!

GMA Works to Meet Your Needs

BY LARRY HANSON, GMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The COVID-19 pandemic forced local leaders to make tough and painful decisions around service delivery and infrastructure spending.

CITIES’ ABILITY TO MAINTAIN essential service levels to protect the public’s health and safety, as well as the local economy, have been strained over the past year, and economists agree there will be a long-term economic impact on cities.

In 2020, GMA worked with ACCG to negotiate the sharing of a portion of the state’s CARES Act allocation with local governments that did not receive a direct allocation from the federal government. Ultimately, GMA and ACCG were able to negotiate with Gov. Brian Kemp and his team to obtain $371.5 million in CARES CRF funding for small cities and counties with populations under 500,000. These funds helped cities to support businesses and residents with some of their essential needs.

But CARES Act funds did not go far enough to address revenue losses and ongoing expenses for the provision of essential city services. Across the state, city leaders told GMA that they needed direct, flexible funding from the federal government. GMA heard cities loud and clear, and since last spring, the pursuit of direct, flexible federal funding for cities has been our highest federal advocacy priority. With your support, GMA worked non-stop to urge Congress to answer your call for federal funding. Most recently, in February 2021, as Congress deliberated yet another relief bill, nearly 250 city officials representing nearly 140 cities signed a letter urging Georgia’s senators to

pass legislation with direct, flexible funding for local governments.

In March, the American Rescue Plan Act was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law

by President Joe Biden. This bill provides $350 billion in direct funding to all cities and counties in the U.S., including $65 billion for cities and $65 billion for counties. For Georgia, the bill provides nearly $3.5 billion to cities and counties, including, $1.4 billion for cities ($551.8 million to cities with populations of 50,000 or greater, and $856.6 million to cities under 50,000).

The bill outlines broad uses for these funds, including revenue replacement, general fund expenses due to the pandemic, and capital costs for water, sewer and broadband. The U.S. Treasury Department is working now on detailed guidelines for how funds may be used.

GMA stands ready to take this guidance and prepare the resources, training and information you need to use these funds as outlined in the legislation and to meet the unique needs of your city.

The term “Cities United” is exemplified in GMA’s efforts to answer the outcry from city leaders around the state to help you respond to this unprecedented health and economic crisis. We could not have achieved this victory without you. Thank you for your continued service to your cities and we are proud to support you and demonstrate that membership in GMA is important and that together we can be strong and successful.

Please stay safe and healthy and let’s stay UNITED! March/April 2021 | gacities.com 9

GEORGIA CONSERVANCY INNOVATION THROUGH RECONSIDERATION

BY KATHERINE MOORE, PRESIDENT, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY

“INNOVATION” IS A TRICKY word, one that implies searching for a new approach or idea, something truly inventive that captures our imagination and solves a long-standing problem. It is also a word most often applied to business and the private sector. We all would probably agree that to successfully face the future, to remain competitive and relevant, any business must innovate to be successful.

We rarely, however, expect—or perhaps even feel comfortable—with the idea that our communities

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should innovate. That hesitancy for many could be rooted in a reluctance to embrace change in the places that we love just the way they are, warts and all.

Yet we must embrace change if we want the places we love to remain strong and successful as we face our future.

Georgia has a lot to love. The richness of our state entices those of us already here to stay and compels others to see it for themselves. Our beautiful and diverse landscapes, the bounty of our natural resources, the high quality of life and dividends of past investments in key assets all contribute to the draw. Georgia

currently hosts a population of over 10 million, with an environment serve ecological, recreation and agriculadditional 4 million projected to call Georgia home tural functions that keep us and our economy healthy by 2040. This “business” of hosting people and the unless we innovate by reconsidering our approach to environment, with attendant needs of water, food, community building. shelter, and air, necessitates that we innovate to reThe good news is that we can accomplish a lot by main competitive, to stay current with trends, to be relreconsidering our past. Our downtowns provide blueevant as a state—and to have a habitable and healthy prints for how to successfully meet a variety of needs in environment. very land- and resource-efficient ways. But these blueThankfully, Georgia’s cities are innovating. Across prints won’t help unless we read them. our state, in places expected as well as unexpected, Next time you find yourself in a downtown of city leadership and everyday citizens are introducing any size, note the mix of uses and their adjacencies: a new approach or idea in big and subtle ways. This residential options next door, above and across the publication is highlighting such fresh thinking and street from businesses. Note the variety of housing courage through myriad examples. options and where they are located, paying attention It would be unfortunate and even short-sighted, to single-family next to multifamily, or duplexes next to however, to celebrate innovation by solely calling out stand-alone residences. Examine the mobility options entirely untested and never-before-considered ideas and ask questions of existing infrastructure: Are streets and projects. It is necessary to include in the definition and sidewalks connected in a grid? Are there bike of city innovation the introduction of an approach or lanes or transit stops? idea long forgotten, dismissed or discarded. ReconLastly, imagine what could have occupied the sidering our past is, indeed, innovation for our sustaincity’s buildings and storefronts in the past and who or able future. what could occupy them in the future. What could the Numerous cities are demonstrating their innovation reuse of buildings and the redevelopment of space by turning fresh eyes and energy to their downtowns, bring next? And how has good community design and the oldest areas of our cities. These activity centers easy access to infrastructure allowed the community to attract us not only through their often-inexpressible evolve over decades? charm, but precisely because they meet the needs of Every innovation owes its genesis to a series of detoday and the demands of the fucisions that build the framework in Our downtowns provide ture. Our downtowns are compact which the innovation is born. After blueprints for how to and walkable. They host a variety of you explore what made downtowns uses in compatible contexts. They are flourish and the promise that reinsuccessfully meet a variety highly efficient conglomerations of vestment in our downtowns holds of needs in very land and infrastructure and land, owing to their for Georgia’s future—you can start resource-efficient ways. relative density. Most importantly for by checking out some examples we future innovation, they present enormous opportunity love on page 45— take those lessons to your own city. to reuse and redevelop buildings and spaces, an idea Consider how your current framework of regulations, consistent with the necessity that we do not waste any ordinances and programs inhibit or encourage redeland. Remember those additional 4 million people? velopment that recaptures yesteryear’s innovations. It They need homes, places of employment, services and may not be true that everything old is new again but transportation options. Our local governments cannot learning from our past certainly goes a long way to afford endless miles of pipe and pavement, nor can our building a sustainable future.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 11

CITY DESK

Small Town,

Big Impact Cornelia Officials Warn Small Cities of Cyberattacks CORNELIA CITY OFFICIALS AWOKE THE MORNING after Christmas 2020 to find out they’d been hacked.

Luckily, they were prepared. Cornelia had already gone through a hack in 2019 and made significant upgrades to their IT security in the aftermath. So, while the hackers attempted to extort the city in a ransomware attack, none of Cornelia’s city services or resident data were compromised.

“You have to have layer upon layer of security,” said Cornelia IT Director Jeremy Dundore.

That includes an antivirus software that isolates any city computer that gets infected with malware, he said.

Then, the virus can’t spread further into the city system.

Local governments are regularly attacked by hackers, often targeted for their troves of employee and resident information or as part of a ransomware attack, where hackers hold a network hostage until the victim pays a ransom. The city of Atlanta was the victim of a paralyzing ransomware attack in 2018 that took city computers offline for five days and cost millions in recovery work.

State Rep. Victor Anderson, who represents Cornelia, wants to add another tool in cities’ defenses against these attacks. Anderson has sponsored House Bill 134, which would allow local governments to discuss cybersecurity issues during executive session, out of public view. Cornelia’s hack and one in Hall County spurred him to push for this extra layer of protection. “[Hall County] had a work session on a Monday, planning to vote on a cybersecurity contract that was discussed and basically revealed the inadequacy of the

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protection that they had at the time,” Anderson said in a video explaining the bill. “The vote was scheduled for that Thursday. That Wednesday, they were attacked.”

The bill passed in the House in February and at the time of print is awaiting a Senate vote.

Allowing cybersecurity discussion to be kept private would help cities further protect against hacking attempts, Cornelia City Manager Donald Anderson said.

“You don’t need to let everybody know what security you have in place because then you are [also] letting the hackers know what is in place,” Anderson said.

An investigation into the Cornelia hack by an outside firm isn’t yet complete, but Dundore believes the hacker got into the system through a city vendor that had administrative access.

“This particular vendor has multiple clients, and they all got hacked at the same time,” Dundore said.

Since the hack, additional security measures have been added to Cornelia’s network.

While it may be easy to assume larger cities are bigger targets, Dundore urged other small city governments to put preventative measures in place, lest they get caught unprepared.

“If other municipalities and other folks don’t take the steps we have taken, you’re going to see a significant uptick this year with small cities being targets,” Dundore said. “At this point, threat actors don’t care how big you are. They want to get in there and compromise your data.”

City Spotlight

The City of Conyers Establishes Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board DURING THE CITY OF CONYERS’ ANNUAL RETREAT in January of 2020, Human Resources Director Casey Duren presented to the mayor and council an idea to establish “The Connect Committee.” The committee’s purpose was to foster an environment where employees could collaboratively work as a team despite any physical, cultural or personal differences.

After establishing the Connect Committee, Mayor Vince Evans had a broader vision and created a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board for local citizens. Those appointed to the board were Muddessar Ahmad, Jennifer Baker, Cheryl Board, Thomas Dean, Rebecca Gibbons, Ronnie Godwin, Justin Kenney and Yvette Morton Williams.

“These citizens are willing to reach out to help us better connect city leadership and employees with those we serve to break down barriers and bridge any gaps that may divide us,” Evans said.

The mayor’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board will focus on three pillars: communication, serving as unity champions, and soliciting and providing feedback. The board will serve as a resource for city government and the community by providing information and communication to facilitate understanding while celebrating constituents’ differences to eliminate discrimination and bias. Finally, the board will provide input to advise the mayor and city council on best practices for conducting outreach to a diverse community.

Conyers’ Diversity & Inclusion Board

“I was honored when Mayor Evans asked me to be a part of this advisory board. It is encouraging to know that the mayor wants to hear from other community members and make sure everyone feels included,” said Muddessar Ahmad, chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board.

The board’s first meeting was in December 2020.

During the board’s second meeting in January 2021, Evans and Duren reached out to GMA director of equity and inclusion, Freddie Broome, to present GMA’s equity and inclusion initiatives and offer any words of advice to the newly formed board.

Broome presented the key points of the REAL framework process developed by the Center for Creative Leadership. The framework focuses on providing guidance to organizations and boards to hone the concepts of understanding: Reveal relevant opportunities; Elevate equity; Activate diversity; and Lead inclusively. Broome cautioned the board to avoid the pitfalls of impatience, lack of commitment and establishing unrealistic goals.

Contact Casey Duren for more information at 770-929-0453 or casey.duren@conyersga.gov.

Fiber Optic Investments Pay Off in Covington

BY NIKKI PERRY

While many city employees are still enduring glitchy video calls and frozen faces, Covington is sitting pretty with a lightning-fast network built over the past two decades.

AN EXTENSIVE FIBER NETWORK CONNECTS Covington’s 24 municipal facilities, bringing speed, stability, security and cost-savings to the city. Covington has reportedly saved at least $2 million by eliminating landline phone service and costly connections from the private sector. Now, the city is generating revenue by leasing connections to other government entities, such as Newton County.

In the 21 years since the city of Covington began installing its fiber optics network, IT Manager Bobby Johnson said, “I’ve never talked to another person in the IT business about our setup that hasn’t said, ‘Man, I wish I had that.’”

Covington spread its fiber investment over many years, but many Georgia cities and counties face quickly increasing demands brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative, led by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Georgia Technology Authority, was already in the works to establish a framework to encourage rural broadband investment.

According to a 2020 initiative report, nearly onethird of rural areas—507,000 homes and businesses— do not have high-speed internet access. This was revealed by a new mapping tool available at broadband. georgia.gov.

“Not only should the new mapping tool help stimulate private investment, but it also enables us to

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support local communities and track progress toward serving the unserved,” said Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Christopher Nunn in a release.

Cost is the main obstacle to private investment in sparsely populated or low-income areas. Broadband connectivity is a daunting investment for most local governments. The statewide initiative has identified federal, state and local funding programs for wireless and wireline infrastructure.

Covington does offer free public Wi-Fi on the downtown square. However, Johnson recommends the reliability of wired connectivity.

“There are two main differences between wireless mesh and fiber: One is security, and second is speed of connection. You’re going to get a lot better connection with fiber,” Johnson said. As far as security goes, “We have one firewall we have to worry about rather than 24 firewalls at different facilities.”

Covington’s fiber allows the city to access data securely from a disaster recovery site, so that billing systems and city operations can be recovered in as little as four hours.

Cybersecurity should be a top concern for every city in Georgia, according to Kevin Howarth of VC3, an IT service provider.

“Municipalities are one of the highest targets for cyberattackers, because they are such easy targets and their data is so great,” Howarth said.

The Technology Foundation Cities Need to Stay Secure in 2021 In a chat with Georgia’s Cities, Joe Howland, Chief Information Security Officer at VC3, offers these tips for cities looking to increase cybersecurity.

GC: What are the top cybersecurity risks for local governments?

GC: How can cities increase the security of teleworking?

JH: Any kind of social engineering attack. It’s not just a link in an email. It could be a phone call with someone telling you your machine is infected and asking to connect. Or, it could be an email from a seemingly trusted vendor asking for a change to ACH payments. In August 2019, Naples, Fla., got taken for almost $700,000 simply by someone spoofing a construction company the city had a multimillion-dollar contract with.

A second item would be around zero-day vulnerabilities (vulnerabilities that no one has ever seen before). Many cities lack information around what systems are vulnerable, and they lack the ability to rapidly address cyberthreats when vulnerabilities are identified.

JH: An area of security (called Advanced Endpoint Protection/Endpoint Detection & Response) offers better protection at the endpoint—such as an employee’s computer at home. AER/EDR protects devices that are even located outside the carefully constructed security boundaries organizations put in place on their networks.

Make sure employees are using city-managed devices that are regularly patched and monitored.

Provide multifactor authentication (MFA) at all access points—email, VPN, cloud services, etc. MFA requires another step (such as inputting a code sent to your phone) that makes it difficult for a hacker to enter your systems.

Training, training, training! Awareness, awareness, awareness! You can never train your employees enough and create enough awareness about cybersecurity.

GC: How can small cities address these risks without an IT staff and a lot of money?

JH: Partner with a trusted vendor (GMA offers IT in a Box). Even a small IT staff may lack the expertise and knowledge to manage security and stay up to date about the rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 15

Albany Food Security Landing Page

From Housing to Food Insecurity, Albany Uses Data to Tackle Local Challenges NAMED IN THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF FOUR communities to receive a Georgia Smart Communities Challenge (Georgia Smart) grant from Georgia Tech in 2018, Albany’s Housing Data Analytics and Visualization Initiative has evolved into something more.

The project that was founded in 2018 looked to help city officials develop and evaluate an automated housing registry. The goal was to manage the city’s housing inventory more effectively by bridging the gap between currently available data and the need for a more robust, flexible and accurate database. At the time the grant was awarded, the city’s housing inventory of over 33,000 units was inefficiently managed.

Handwritten inspection sheets were being translated into several spreadsheets, a process that consumed significant resources and allowed a high likelihood for errors.

The outcome of the initial grant-funded project resulted in several improvements, including improved efficiency of data access, the retirement of the spreadsheets and a move to online dashboards with analytics and information, enhanced transparency and

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connections with the community, and improved decision-making based on data.

Albany’s housing data initiative led to the development of additional data-centric initiatives, which was the city’s intent from the very beginning. The city’s Food Security Initiative, which kicked off in 2020, is focused on improving the quality of life and health in Albany by addressing food insecurity, food access and health outcomes. This multi-organizational collaborative has been designed not just to identify food deserts within Albany, but also to create a public-private partnership to eradicate food insecurity altogether.

The link between the housing initiative and the food security initiative is based on the robust use of data. Albany has established a GeoHub for its data-based initiatives. For the food security initiative, users can find data and maps on food access in the city, health factors and outcomes, access to community gardens and food insecurity. In addition to the Food Security Initiative, the data hub also provides Albany residents access to the housing initiative data, crime data analytics and Dougherty County property tax information.

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Resources to Serve Cities

Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative Learn More: broadband.georgia.gov/about THE CURRENT PANDEMIC HAS CREATED PLENTY of uncertainties while also confirming what many local officials knew all along: a reliable internet connection is essential infrastructure for business, healthcare, education, agriculture and overall quality of life.

Of the 1.6 million Georgians who lack access to high-speed internet, a quarter live in rural areas. The Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI) intends to change that by coordinating and establishing broadband programs to increase economic, education and social opportunities for Georgia residents and businesses.

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Local governments can play an instrumental role in this process as Broadband Ready Communities. Applying for this designation demonstrates a willingness to reduce obstacles to broadband infrastructure investment, signals a municipality’s readiness to partner with broadband providers, promotes community planning, and provides an opportunity to receive additional points for GBDI grants.

In 2020, Woodbury was the first city to earn the Broadband Ready Community Certification from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

Out of the 11 Broadband Ready communities, only five

are cities: Claxton, Dublin, Fitzgerald, Hiawassee and Woodbury. Deana Perry, executive director for Broadband at the DCA, issues a call to action for everyone else.

“Closing the digital divide in Georgia will take all stakeholders, public and private, working together,” she said. “I encourage municipalities to seek designation as a Broadband Ready Community and collaborate with regional partners to be better prepared for future investments.”

Has internet access been enhanced in other areas of the state?

Most recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Pembroke Telephone Company Inc. will use a $4.6 million ReConnect Grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network. This network will connect 3,554 people, 73 farms and 19 businesses to high-speed broadband internet in Evans and Tattnall counties in Georgia. In the prior ReConnect round, Pembroke Telephone Company was also awarded $4 million in ReConnect funds to build a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network in Evans County. According to USDA, the service area includes 964 households, 20 pre-subscribed farms and 15 pre-subscribed businesses. The city of Claxton and Evans County are both “Broadband Ready” and represent the first multi-jurisdictional recognition of this kind.

Q

and more than 70% of unserved locations are in rural Georgia. Visit broadband.georgia.gov for more information.

What other technical assistance is available?

DCA’s Broadband Office provides technical assistance to Georgia communities looking to bring service to unserved areas. The GBDI team has developed tools to assist communities in broadband expansion efforts. Data-driven decision-making and public-private partnerships are key to solving the digital divide in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Therefore, the GBDI team can utilize the maps and data to provide specific information tailored to each community.

Q

Examples of collaboration include: • Identifying unserved homes and businesses • Understanding the investment and cost of expansion • Acting as a liaison between the community and the provider • Identifying funding sources • Designating Broadband Ready Communities • Highlighting connectivity needs • Identifying opportunities to leverage assets

How can I see where service is available or

Q unavailable?

The Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI) has maps located at broadband.georgia.gov which illustrate the statewide challenges to internet access and also serve as a tool that enable stakeholders to make data-driven decisions regarding investment and broadband planning efforts. More than 5 million locations in Georgia’s 159 counties are represented,

Visit broadband.georgia.gov or email broadband@dca.ga.gov for additional information.

TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

Georgia Tech’s Innovation Resources Georgia Tech’s initiative on Smart Cities and Inclusive Innovation (SCI2) develops innovative approaches to shaping resilient and sustainable communities.

Through research and development, strategic partnerships, and cutting-edge programming, Georgia Tech makes available interdisciplinary expertise in

technology and policy to the development of smart cities and communities.

Learn More: Visit smartcities.ipat.gatech.edu

Georgia Technology Authority GTA offers a range of services to state and local governments, commercial entities, and the general public, including: • Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) • GTA Direct Services • Data Sales • State Portal

• • • •

Call Center and Constituent Services Training and Education Professional Services Unified Messaging Learn More: Visit gta.georgia.gov/gta-services

SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES

ARC Green Communities Program Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Green Communities Program helps local governments implement policies that reduce their environmental impact and educate their residents about sustainability and environmentally friendly habits. The voluntary certification program has four levels: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

How to Apply: Applications for 2021 are due on May 27, but

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cities that have not yet started the process are encouraged to contact the ARC’s Natural Resources Group at least six months before applying in order to learn more about the certification process.

Learn More and Apply: atlantaregional.org/natural-resources/ sustainability/green-communitiesprogram

• Georgia Environmental Finance Authority GEFA offers low-interest loans for projects that improve a city’s efficiency, sustainability and conservation efforts. These would include renewable energy projects, land conservation purchases and improvements to water and waste infrastructure.

How to Apply: Visit gefa.georgia.gov/ financial/loan-programs for information about specific loan programs.

• Georgia Department of Natural Resources Georgia DNR has multiple grant opportunities for local governments, including those covering coastal zone management, environmental stewardship in parks and wildlife viewing areas.

How to Apply: Visit gadnr.org/grants to find which grants you are qualified for, contact information and deadlines.

• Georgia Environmental Protection Division EPD offers many educational resources and grants. Cities are eligible to apply for Regional Water Plan Seed Grant funds, which provide up to $75,000 for the implementation of a Regional Water Plan.

How to Apply: Find more information about EPD’s educational tools and the Regional Water Plan Seed Grant at epd.georgia.gov/outreach

• Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program This program is dedicated to funding parks, trails and the acquisition of land critical to preserving wildlife, clean water and outdoor recreation areas.

How to Apply: Contact Robert Stokes at Robert.Stokes@dnr.ga.gov or visit gadnr.org/gosp for more information.

For a list of additional agencies and resources for local governments, visit: georgia.gov/state-organizations GMA’s Grants + Awards page at www.gacities.com

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 21

INSIDE GMA

GMA SEEKS HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS NOMINATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED for GMA’s Municipal Government Hall of Fame. If you know of someone who meets the criteria outlined below, please consider submitting a nomination.

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 municipal government.

To be considered, nominees must have: • Served a minimum of 15 years as either an elected or appointed municipal official in Georgia (an exception is made for city officials who were only able to serve two four-year terms due to term limits); • Made significant contributions to the quality of life

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within the city or cities they have served and/or are serving; and • Been a strong supporter of GMA. To be considered, nominations must be submitted through the online nomination form available on the GMA website, www.gacities.com. The nomination deadline is 5 p.m. on June 4, 2021.

For more information, please visit the Municipal Government Hall of Fame page on the GMA website or contact Alan Dickerson at 678-686-6213 or adickerson@gacities.com.

GMA LAUNCHES NEW DATA VISUALIZATIONS WEBSITE AND UPDATED DATA TOOLS FOR BETTER OR WORSE, WE LIVE IN A WORLD of data and continue to generate unprecedented amounts of information. GMA created a new Data Visualizations website with a filter interface that allows city officials and staff to understand, analyze and communicate data with interactive formats.

In addition, GMA and its contract partner Neighborhood Nexus updated all three online data tools, which now feature data from the recently published 2019 American Community Survey, state agencies and GMA’s membership database.

• The Georgia Cities Like Mine tool allows Georgia city officials to identify and obtain data on similar cities within the state.

• The Peer Cities Tool enables Georgia municipal

officials to identify peer cities in terms of location, demographics, government, facilities and services provided, and/or finances.

• The dashboard includes indicators for each city in Georgia along with city and statewide averages for comparisons. Users can choose economic, education, household, population, demographic and labor data.

All the tools mentioned above are available via the “Resources” section on the GMA website.

TALK IT UP THURSDAYS PROVIDES INNOVATIVE EDUCATION FOR CITIES GMA MEMBERS LOOKING FOR EDUCATIONAL, quick and free training opportunities should join the GMA Member Service Team on the last Thursday of each month for “Talk It Up Thursday.” Each virtual session is one hour and covers a new topic each month.

These topics are designed specifically for elected officials and city staff and provide educational information, coupled with information on GMA services or programs as well as resources available through state and federal agencies and more. To learn more about the topics, view previous sessions or register, visit the “Talk It Up Thursday” page at www.gacities.com.

Talk it Up Thursday Schedule April 29: Downtown Development May 27: Developing a Vehicle & Equipment Replacement Program June 24: Infrastructure Asset Management July 29: Leadership Development Aug. 26: Campaign Finance Rules Sept. 30: Building Your Team Oct. 28: Onboarding New Elected Officials Nov. 18: Preparing for Your Audit Dec. 30: Using Emotional Intelligence to Improve Workplace Culture

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 23

GeorgiaForward Aims to Spark Creativity & Lasting Statewide Partnerships IN JANUARY, GEORGIAFORWARD WELCOMED three new members to the Board of Directors: Stacey Chavis, Odie Donald and Howard Franklin.

Stacey Chavis is the Managing Director of Campaigns Academy, where she trains leaders to serve in elected office and serve in leadership positions for political candidates and campaigns. She also works with nonprofits to develop their public policy and advocacy agendas. Her work includes public policy, government affairs and nonprofit training.

Odie Donald serves as the Administrator for the consolidated government of Augusta–Richmond County. Previously, Donald served as the first permanent City Manager for Georgia’s fifth largest city, the city of South Fulton, and as the State Labor Administrator for the District of Columbia.

Howard Franklin is the founder of Ohio River South, a southern-focused government affairs firm that has served more than 300 clients in nine southern states. Howard is a frequent contributor on CNN, NPR and MSNBC, and is a previous executive director of GeorgiaForward.

All three are alumni of GeorgiaForward’s Young Gamechangers program, a leadership action program that brings young professionals together from across the state to generate recommendations for persistent community and economic development challenges in a select Georgia community.

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“We are thrilled to welcome Stacey, Odie and Franklin!” said Board Development Chair Ann Cramer. “Each is an exemplar of civic engagement, community service and intentional bridge-building. I know their impact will be tremendous.”

Series to Build Statewide Solutions In April, GeorgiaForward will kick off its 2021 series “Two Georgias No More: Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide.”

Acknowledging one of Georgia’s sharpest divides, this series will reframe the discussion on broadband, healthcare, housing and education through hearing what the issue looks like from a rural point of view, an urban point of view, and how to build statewide solutions.

“This series will emphasize not only the complexity of these issues but also how interdependent Georgians are on one another when tackling them,” said GeorgiaForward Managing Director Brenda Belcher.

“Rather than ignoring, resenting or dismissing the other half of the state, these statewide challenges require statewide conversations and collaborations.”

Georgia Health News President and CEO Andy Miller will moderate April’s discussion on healthcare.

Education will be the featured topic in June, to be followed by housing in August and broadband in October.

GeorgiaForward was founded on the premise that each corner and county of Georgia is meaningfully linked.

“By convening these discussions and continuing to deepen the partnership with GMA, GeorgiaForward hopes to create conditions that spark creativity, innovation and lasting partnerships across our state,” Belcher said.

Leaders Begin Workforce Development & Equity Initiatives THE GEORGIA CITY SOLUTIONS BOARD OF Directors held a virtual meeting in February to review and discuss proposed GCS programs and funding needs to support the adopted strategic plan. The proposed programs total approximately $5 million over a three-year period and will address the overarching issue of intergenerational poverty. Partnerships are key to the success of these programs. GCS will partner with city officials who have an unrivaled platform to inspire and connect partners to mobilize them for the common cause of addressing issues in the following categories: Youth Leadership & Engagement, Workforce Development, Equity & Inclusion, Economic Mobility and Innovation.

“This is a work in progress and will be refined as feedback is received during the feasibility study phase of the funding strategy process as it moves forward this Spring,” said GCS Managing Director Kay Love.

Initial work has already begun in the areas of Municipal Workforce Development and Equity & Inclusion. In

partnership with GMA, GCS has contracted with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG) to conduct initial research in the form of a needs assessment to understand the municipal workforce needs and challenges.

“Equity & Inclusion is a topic that not only overlaps within the GCS areas of focus, but it crosses every department within GMA,” said Love. “Under the GCS umbrella, GMA’s Equity and Inclusion Director Freddie Broome is delivering customized diversity, equity and inclusion training for cities upon request in addition to developing new E&I curriculum to be deployed as completed.”

Preliminary planning has begun for the annual golf tournament to benefit GCS. GCS has partnered with the city of Sugar Hill to hold the tournament in October at the Sugar Hill Golf Club.

The next GCS Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for May where the board is expected to review an initial draft of the feasibility study.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 25

Graduate Students Find Solutions to Support Cities When addressing citizen engagement challenges, city officials should remember that simple strategies that require minimal resources can be used to effectively improve engagement practices.

THE CAVEAT? A COMMITMENT FROM LEADERSHIP. Three graduate students from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University (GSU) researched the local engagement challenges expressed by five cities as part of GMA’s Hub Cities Initiative. In their final report, Hiba Amjad, Amber Fields and Dylan Simmon outlined their key findings from stakeholder interviews, provided an overview of strategies and engagement best practices from across the nation and made recommendations on which best practices each of the five cities could consider using to address its specific challenges.

“The students did an outstanding job on this report,” said Brian Wallace, GMA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives. “We had such a great experience with the GSU students that worked on a homelessness report during the spring of 2020, that we signed another group up last fall to look at engagement challenges cities face.“ “From the research two general recommendations were advanced in the report. And these were found to be durable and effective approaches even during COVID,” said Dr. Joseph Hacker, the faculty advisor on the project. “The first is ‘Open Sessions’ where promotion and feedback is accomplished outside of traditional townhall meetings. Brownbag discussions, Facebook Live and Leader Roundtables can be done in nearly any mode and provide community feedback. The second is ‘Small Target Campaigns’ where underserved

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or represented groups are targeted to promote or engage in working relationships.”

Hacker went on to say that both strategies can be done informally or virtually as needed. “There are many engagement strategies from across the country where appropriately masked and distanced outreach efforts are in small groups and building trust,” Hacker added.

In the report, the students provided a matrix that cross referenced engagement priorities­—catalysts to increase outreach, reaching youth, reaching underserved communities, building trust, and so on—with specific best practices that can be used to meet those needs, such as art competitions on civic issues, dialogue circles, service learning and participatory budgeting, among other practices.

“Many of these strategies were being used before COVID hit, but have been refined through experience,” Hacker said. “The takeaway being that when it comes to effective citizen engagement, cities should lean into what they are already doing and find a way to extend their outreach by getting out of the office or taking the message directly to those affected.”

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

GMA Launches Statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Campaign, Tools for All Cities IN MID-MARCH, GMA ROLLED OUT ITS comprehensive public information campaign around the COVID-19 vaccine. Dubbed “It’s Worth a Shot,” this campaign is built to contribute to Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Health’s goal to vaccinate as many Georgians as possible during spring and early summer 2021 to reach a 70%-80% vaccination rate and achieve herd immunity. This campaign will supply operational details and actionable steps for receiving the vaccine, dispel myths surrounding the vaccine and effectively communicate to constituents in rural, minority and other underserved areas.

“Our goal in creating this campaign was to give all of Georgia’s cities—regardless of their size, location or communications resources—the tools to educate their residents on the COVID-19 vaccine,” said GMA Director of Communications Kelli Bennett. “We hosted several focus groups with elected officials across the state and their constituents to ensure we were crafting messaging that spoke to [versus at] all Georgians.

There is something in this campaign that can be used or customized for each of Georgia’s 537 cities to lead by example and equip their community with facts.”

“If we truly want a return to normal, we must all commit ourselves to encouraging Georgia residents and helping to overcome fear, misinformation and distrust.” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson.

“This is what will fully restore Georgia’s economy and balance the issues of public health and the sense of safety Georgians want to fully connect with each other and re-engage with local businesses—the heartbeat of our state’s economy.”

Through the “It’s Worth a Shot,” campaign, all GMA members will have access to: Talking Points: This document includes key messages and supplementary talking points that can be used flexibly: as a source of themes for longer written pieces, as short explanations in interviews, or as prompts to help frame community conversations. Some talking points include sub-points that allow you to “Dive Deeper” into supporting research and information for your audience.

Vaccine Q&A: A brief Q&A that answers some of your communities’ most pressing questions.

Social Media Posts: The “It’s Worth a Shot” social media campaign tool contains resources that you can use to streamline your presence on social media platforms. This campaign feature will also allow you to customize social media posts specific to your city name, photos of city leaders getting vaccinated and more. Sharing these will be a quick “copy and paste” for you or the communications professional on your city staff.

Expert Resources: This section features real-time dashboards, videos from healthcare leaders, links to DPH and CDC updates, materials in Spanish and more.

Access the “It’s Worth a Shot” COVID-19 vaccine campaign toolkit by visiting www.gacities.com/covidvaccine March/April 2021 | gacities.com 27

ADVOCACY

Legislating and Lobbying in the ‘New Normal’ Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly has persisted.

AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, MORE THAN 1,000 house bills and resolutions had been introduced and over 450 bills and resolutions had been dropped in the senate. GMA’s governmental relations team follows all legislation impacting municipal governments and encouraged city officials to remain engaged with the legislative process until the date to adjourn sine die, which was on March 31.

At the time of print, several municipal priorities had successfully passed prior to the Crossover Day deadline and will be eligible for final passage. These legislative proposals range from allowing cities to call for liquor package sales referenda by local ordinance or resolution (House Bill 273, Senate Bill 145), to authorizing cities to hold virtual public hearings in emergency situations, such as the current pandemic (HB 98, SB 95).

As with each session of the General Assembly, there was the threat of preemptions and unfunded mandates, including HB 286 (Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens), which would prohibit municipalities from cutting the budgets of their city police departments.

State level micromanagement of any municipal

Ocilla Mayor Matt Seale, Irwin County Commission Chair Scott Carver, and Director of GMA Governmental Relations Tom Gehl

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budgeting or service undermines the authority granted to each city’s locally elected officials and the citizens they represent.

Other proposals focused on large scale changes to how local governments collect property tax (HB 352), restricting how cities calculate certain regulatory fees, causing undue administrative burdens to reestablish such methods (HB 302), allowing for increased truck weights for the timber industry (HB 496, SB 118), while others sought to preempt municipal ordinances related to security companies and false alarm calls (HB 465), and reducing the fees owed to municipalities for use of the public rights-of-way (HB 328), among others.

“Our governmental relations team, in concert with the Legislative Policy Council and city officials, will continue to advocate for the principles of home rule and local control on behalf of all of Georgia’s cities,” said Tom Gehl, GMA governmental relations director. “We thank the city officials who have participated in the legislative process this year, provided feedback on bills and communicated with legislators that cities are united, even in the new normal for legislating and lobbying.”

Savannah Mayor Van Joh nso Dean of the House, Rep. Calvin Smyre and Tom Gehl

n, city officials and Tom

Gehl

SERVICE

Brief History PRS started in 2015 and is headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia PRS was created by insurance professionals and engineers in an effort to develop a monthly revenue stream for cities and counties that is cost-free and effort-free. PRS is currently serving clients in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Indiana.

RECOVERY SERVICES

A Service of the Georgia Municipal Association

Results adquartered in Suwanee,

STATS

Startup Costs: ance professionalsPRS constantly monitors traffic accidents and files claims as they are develop a monthly identified, ensuring a fast return to the client. The charts bellow show d counties that is Cancellation Costs: theclients growth of the revenue created for each city. is currently serving Carolina and Indiana.

Stats

$0 $0

$150,000.00 $150,000.00 $100,000.00 $100,000.00FACTORS

Three key factors raffic accidents and $50,000.00 impact the recovery ntified, ensuring a$50,000.00

$-of funds: $-

1 3 • Asset 1 Allocation 3 5 5 7 7 • Uninsured $800,000.00 • Hit-and-runs $800,000.00

owth of the revenue

dents per Year

Avg Time to 1st 2,000 ACCIDENTS PER YEAR Payment:

2 months

Valdosta

Avg Claim Value in GA:

$2450 $2450

9 9 11 11 13 13 15 15 17 17 19 19 21 21 23 23 25 25 27 27

$-

1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 • Decentralized 1 process • Too few resources • Limited tools

Atlanta

Cancellation Costs:

$0 Avg Time to 1st Payment:

2 months Avg Claim Value in GA:

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$2450

Avg Increase in Quantity of Claims Filed:

Avg Days to Recovery:

94.5%Atlanta

6 7 7 Avg 8 Percentage 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 6 8 9 Recovered of Invoiced Amount:

Other Recoveries 98.83%

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

ES

Three key factors impact the recovery of funds: • Asset Allocation • Uninsured • Hit-and-runs

$0

35,000 ACCIDENTS PER YEAR

VALDOSTA

ccidents per Year

Factors

Avg Days to Recovery:

$600,000.00 $600,000.00 BARRIERS $400,000.00 $400,000.00

Cities face three $200,000.00 11 13 15 17 19 21$200,000.00 23 25 27 barriers to high Months $-recoveries:

Startup Costs:

Here are a few more examples of recovery values (to date).

What to Expect

Dunwoody Accidents $27,000+ (new) Avg Monthly Marietta Per Year Recovery of recovery values (to date).

Up to 2000 $3,041.70 Columbus $248,000+ Newnan 2000 to 5000 $3,703.64 Marie�a $180,000+ 5000 to 7500 $6,726.52 Calhoun $110,000+ Montgomery Newnan $ 70,000+ 7500 to 10000 $7,933.16 Montgomery $234,000+ Winston-Salem > 10000 $319, 000+ Gary $26,977.51 Gary $11,000+

$180,000+ $70,000+ $234,000+ $11,000+

Darin Jenkins Todd Rhoad Phone: 678-686-6264 Phone: 678-230-7594 Since joining in 2019, Peachtree Recovery Services has recovered Email: djenkins@gacities.com Email: todd.rhoad@peachtreers.com

“ over $469,900 for the city of Albany. GMA’s partners performed an in-depth review of all accidents going back to 2015. We are pleased with this service in that it has built a continuous revenue stream for our community, all while requiring very little work from our staff.

- SHARON SUBADAN, ALBANY CITY MANAGER

For More Information:

www.peachtreers.com

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Barriers Cities face three barriers to high recoveries: • Decentralized process • Too few resources • Limited tools

Avg Increase in Quality of Claims Filed:

94.5% Avg Percentage of Recovered Invoiced Amount:

98.3%

What to Expect ACCIDENTS PER YEAR

AVG MONTHLY RECOVERY

Up to 2000

$3,041.70

2000 to 5000

$3,703.64

5000 to 7000

$6,726.52

7500 to 10000

$7,933.16

Up to 2000

$26,977.51

Darin Jenkins Phone: 678-686-6264 Email: djenkins@gacities.com

Todd Rhoad Phone: 678-230-7594 Email: todd.rhaod@peachtreers.com

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICES SINCE 1984

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INNOVATION

The Value of Cities Data Dive:

Population Growth

Georgia is by all accounts a growing state. But like an awkward teenager, this growth is not evenly distributed. While the aggregate population of Georgia’s cities increased by more than 20% over the last 10 years (compared to about 10% for the entire state), a closer look at the data shows some divergent —and familiar—patterns.

“Population growth in metro counties, in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, far outstripped incorporated and unincorporated areas in micropolitan and rural areas” in the last decade, said Jim Skinner, senior principal planner for the Atlanta Regional Commission. And there are stark differences even within metro counties, as the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area alone accounted for 79% of the state’s growth.

2010-2019 Percent Change in Population in Georgia Metropolitan: 11.1% Micropolitan: 2.5% Rural: 0.4% Why is this growth happening, and what is the outlook for Georgia’s cities?

Even though the domestic migration rate is at an all-time low, Georgia is ranked sixth in the country (and one of five southern states in the top ten)

for absolute population gains between 2010 and 2020, according to a recent Brookings Institution analysis. In other words, those Americans who are moving are heading south and, to a lesser extent, west. This group includes many African Americans from cities in the Northeast and Midwest in a reversal of the Great Migration. Georgia also continues to attract immigrants. Based on American Community Survey data, the share of foreign-born persons in the state was 10.3% in 2019, up from 9.7% in 2010. Population projections by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget show a consistent upward trend as well: Georgia could have 11 million residents as early as 2023 and may reach 12 million by 2031.

There have been numerous alarming or alarmist reports on the decline of cities whose amenities and density are perceived as liabilities rather than attractions during the ongoing pandemic. A study by the Cleveland Federal Reserve calculated net out-migration flows from urban neighborhoods in the past year, but these findings do not apply to any large city or MSA in Georgia. As a second caveat, this research can only show that people who would have moved into an urban neighborhood in a typical year were unwilling or unable to do so in 2020.

Given the increasingly likely scenario that our lives return to normal, we will soon know whether we witnessed a hiccup or a more significant disturbance in the evolution of Georgia’s cities.

Thank You Cities United Summit Sponsors!

GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION January 24-27, 2020

GMA is proud to recognize the valued sponsors that supported GMA’s virtual Cities United Summit. These sponsors help to strengthen cities and share a commitment to impacting a wide variety of critical issues in local governments across Georgia.

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CITIES FURTHER INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY

BY AMANDA COYNE

Georgia’s cities aren’t sitting on the sidelines when it comes to innovation. Across the state, local leaders are welcoming new technology to help boost their economies and add in-demand resources.

Whether it’s using city resources to foster innovation that could have a global impact or providing a solution to a problem caused by new technology, cities are working to stay a step ahead.

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE About 20 miles outside of Atlanta, you’ll find a one-ofa-kind technology incubator. It wasn’t launched by a major corporation or as part of a tech start-up, but with an act of local government.

The city of Peachtree Corners launched plans for an autonomous vehicle test track and research facility in 2016, committing $500,000 in seed funding and annual financial contributions to follow. By the time the 1.5-mile, $2 million test track officially opened in 2019, the city had established partnerships with Sprint (now T-Mobile), Delta Airlines, Georgia Tech and multiple start-ups, all seeking to use the state-of-the-art facility to further research on self-driving cars and wireless communication.

“Curiosity Lab serves a purpose for all levels of companies, from start-ups all the way to Fortune 100 companies, providing that environment where you can test and validate technology in the real world,” said Brandon Branham, Peachtree Corners assistant city manager.

The latest partnership, announced in mid-February, brings Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center and T-Mobile together to create an accelerator

program for mobility technology working with a 5G wireless network.

Projects previously tested on the track have included an autonomous shuttle, e-scooters remotely controlled by operators thousands of miles away and software allowing vehicles and traffic signals to “talk” to each other to time stop signs with traffic needs.

Peachtree Corners has taken some technology and implemented it into their own city operations, including license plate cameras that allow police to identify vehicles connected to crime.

The unique program was launched not only to help further innovations in transportation and technology, but to be an engine for economic development.

“We built it to be a magnet for activity because we know activity begets activity,” City Manager Brian Johnson said.

Start-ups have rented office space in Prototype Prime, the tech incubator connected to Curiosity Lab, and the testing facilities are available to companies regardless of whether they’re based in the Atlanta area. Curiosity Lab has attracted visitors and new businesses, boosting the local economy, Johnson said.

According to Johnson, Curiosity Lab’s partnerships have also created new opportunities for Peachtree Corners.

Charging Stations in Tifton

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Peachtree Corners’ test track

“We were in the first phase of 5G deployment of all of Georgia because of Curiosity Lab and our partnership with Sprint, now T-Mobile,” Johnson said. “We have partnerships with Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies, with academic institutions, that we would never have had otherwise.”

The progress hasn’t gone unnoticed; many Georgia city leaders have visited Curiosity Lab or spoken to Peachtree Corners officials about the work they’re doing. Johnson hopes more cities can launch similar projects in the future and establish Georgia as a hotspot for autonomous vehicle technology.

“A rising tide lifts all boats. We’re not the only one that could or should do this,” he said. “Our environment is not an environment that offers something for everybody, so there are other environments that could offer another setting, another roadway, another way to test vehicles.”

CHARGING THE LOCAL ECONOMY On a long drive down Interstate 75, you’ll probably have to make a pit stop for gas. But if you’re driving an electric vehicle, it might not be as easy to fuel up as keeping a lookout for a QuikTrip sign.

Electric cars are growing in popularity, but they’re still vastly outnumbered by traditional gas-powered vehicles. Charging stations can be hard to come by, especially in rural areas where the number of electric vehicle owners may be low. This problem for electric car drivers has become an opportunity for cities like Tifton, which has the only Tesla Supercharger station between Macon and Valdosta.

Located right off I-75, the charging station can accommodate eight cars at a time and is open 24/7. It can take as little as 15 minutes for a Tesla vehicle to get a charge that will last another 200 miles, according to the company.

That’s enough time for many travelers, bored or tired from hours on the road, to stretch their legs and visit nearby businesses.

“They are in a location where the cars can be parked and people can easily walk to several restaurants, so that helps to keep them here a while,” said Andrea Elder, assistant tourism coordinator for the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association.

The Supercharger site has been in Tifton for more than five years, and it gets steady traffic, Elder said.

“Anytime you drive by there, at least 50% are being used,” she said.

Because charging an electric vehicle takes longer than filling up a gas tank, drivers have time to kill. In Tifton, they have a plethora of options, including more than 10 restaurants and a dog park within a mile of the charging station.

“Having the EV (electric vehicle) stations in Tifton has been a tremendous asset to our community and travelers,” said Tifton Mayor Julie Smith.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 39

Normalizing Virtual Volunteerism Volunteering looks a little different now than it did a year ago.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations across Georgia to rethink how they could continue operating—if at all—and how to safely welcome volunteers eager to lend a hand.

IN HONOR OF APRIL BEING NATIONAL Volunteer Month, Georgia’s Cities caught up with Tim Adkins from HandsOn Atlanta, an organization that connects volunteers with events and non-profit groups in the greater Atlanta area.

How has the pandemic changed how HandsOn and partner organizations attract and coordinate volunteers?

Early in the pandemic, the shift was dramatic.

TA Most of our non-profit partners paused their volunteer programs or shut their doors altogether, with exception to our partners addressing food insecurity.

It was the focus on safely getting volunteer projects up and running for meal distributions that helped shape how we could re-engage the community to support all of our partners and to tackle metro Atlanta’s most pressing needs. Some of the pivots we made include requiring COVID safety guidelines for all projects and limiting the number of volunteers that can serve at a project,

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while encouraging more frequency in the number of projects. We’ve also encouraged more of our partners to think creatively for how they can use volunteers at their organization, going beyond the typical labor or function aspect and lean into more skills-based volunteers. Leveraging platforms like Zoom, we can eliminate the barriers of confined walls and access to physical locations, creating more ways for people to do something good. Non-profits like CareerVillage.org, Civic Dinners and Mind Bubble have been great partners and platforms for our community to volunteer virtually.

Have there been new ways of volunteering remotely that have emerged in the past year?

At the height of the pandemic, what we experiTA enced here in Atlanta was not a lack of interest or demand to volunteer, in fact more people than ever wanted to find safe ways to help others in need, it was purely a lack of safe opportunities. We strategically set out to partner with “digital” non-profits and those

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offering virtual opportunities. Apps like Be My Eyes, Tarjimly and Purposity have also provided unique ways for people to safely volunteer. Virtually, we offer letter writing parties for healthcare workers, seniors and teachers, we have partners that provide virtual tutoring and homework support for students. “Drives” from home have also been really popular, allowing people to collect donations and make items needed for specific partners and their clients. The light of the pandemic has been forcing us to think differently about how we can help, and it’s led to all kinds of fun, innovative and impactful projects and development.

Another thing to note is our focus on making Atlanta the most civically engaged and equitable community in the world. This goes beyond volunteering.

Attending a Civic Dinner or watching a film from Morehouse’s Human Rights Film Festival aren’t traditional volunteer opportunities, but we believe promoting these kinds of events leads to a more engaged and hopefully equitable community. The normalizing of “virtual” events really opened the door for these and other kinds of conversations and experiences to the greater community, removing the traditional/physical barriers to entry.

GC How has the volume of volunteers changed?

Some organizations have had a higher need for TA volunteers, like food banks, while others, like theaters, have stopped completely.

As mentioned, the volume per project or opportunity has significantly decreased, but the frequency of projects and unique ways we’re helping our non-profit partners engage volunteers have both increased. Our mission is to mobilize the Atlanta community to tackle our city’s most pressing needs, so focus areas tend to shift based on the needs we see. Currently a majority of partners are focused on fighting food insecurity. We have a great partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and we support a ton of their partner food pantries with volunteers and general capacity building services. Environmental organizations like Truly Living Well, Piedmont Park Conservancy and the Wylde Center are back to providing safe, outdoor volunteer opportunities after being paused earlier in the pandemic.

Has HandsOn worked with any local city governments on volunteer efforts or opportunities?

AgLanta, a program of the city of Atlanta DepartTA ment of City Planning, regularly posts projects on our calendar, and earlier in the pandemic I worked with the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District to help provide and distribute masks to people experiencing homelessness in the downtown areas. Through a partnership with Sock Fancy, we’ve helped to distribute over 100,000 free masks to communities in need across metro Atlanta.

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March/April 2021 | gacities.com 41

TOWNS & THE LAW

Cybersecurity: Keep Your City Safe from Hackers

BY GWIN HALL, GMA SENIOR ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL

In early February, a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Fla. was hacked by cybercriminals in a frightening reminder of the vulnerability of public technology infrastructure.

THE ATTACKER USED REMOTE access to the system to change the programmed level of lye for the water from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million. Luckily, this change was detected immediately by a plant operator, who was able to change the lye level back to normal before the hack affected the water supply.

The hackers apparently accessed the plant’s controls through a remote access software that had been installed on the plant’s computers by the water treatment plant. The initial investigation suggests they got credentials to access the computers through a leaked database. While the “who” and “how” of the attack are still under investigation, the hack reminds us of the constant need to safeguard public technology infrastructure from those with ill intent.

It is a reminder that cities across the country, including here in Georgia, would do well to heed. In the past few years many Georgia cities have been victims of hacking or ransomware attacks, which have in some cases caused complete work stoppage and cost the affected cities thousands of dollars. The recent attack in Florida, had it not been caught, could have been much worse and created a public health crisis.

Acknowledging this growing threat, the Georgia General Assembly has introduced at least two bills which aim to address government issues with cyber security. HB 134, by Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia), 42

was introduced to allow city councils (and other “agencies” as defined in the Open Meetings Act) to discuss cybersecurity plans and contracts for cybersecurity services in executive session.

Votes would not be binding until the city council voted in an open meeting to approve the contract, but, at the time of the writing of this article, the bill would allow the details of the cybersecurity planning to be kept from the public. Also at the time of this writing, the bill contains provisions that would allow certain records relating to cybersecurity devices, or systems designed to protect against attacks, to be exempt from public disclosure under the Open Records Act. As introduced, HB 156 by Rep. Don Parsons (R-Marietta) required local governments to report cyberattacks or significant cyber incidents to the state director of emergency management and homeland security (GEMA). The bill also contained similar language to HB 134 concerning executive sessions and the Open Records Act. As both HB 134 and HB 156 are active at the time of this publication, GMA’s support for both bills as well as the content of the bills could have changed. We recommend that city officials follow the GMA legislative tracker and communications on these and other bills.

Additionally, city officials should be vigilant about their public technology infrastructure and work to ensure that safeguards are in place to prevent attacks that could be damaging to your communities.

FEDERAL FOCUS

GMA Federal Focus: FCC Announces New Low-Income Emergency Broadband Benefit

BY ANGELINA PANETTIERI, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR Information Technology and Communications, Federal Advocacy, National League of Cities

ON FEB. 26, THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS Commission (FCC) announced the rules for a new Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), funded for a onetime amount of $3.2 billion, which will be available until expended or until six months after the COVID-19 emergency declaration expires. The EBB provides eligible low-income households with a monthly $50 discount for broadband service from participating providers, as well as a one-time $100 discount on an internet-enabled device. This includes any household with a resident who currently receives the federal Lifeline telephone benefit, is approved for the free or reduced-price school program, experienced a substantial job or income loss since Feb. 29, 2020, or received a Pell grant in the current academic year.

Cities in Georgia will have a key role to play in the implementation of this emergency program. While cities without broadband utilities will not be directly eligible for funding, local leaders can and should work with local internet service providers, community organizations, and local and regional government agencies to make sure that all potential participants are aware and able to take advantage of the program.

Cities should work with their local ISPs, particularly those that may not already be participating in the federal Lifeline telephone subsidy, to make sure they are encouraged to opt-in and are able to access training and information about how to enroll in necessary federal systems.

Georgia local leaders must also serve as trusted providers of information for residents who may benefit from the program, and the organizations that serve them.

While the FCC has been charged with developing educational materials and resources in a variety of formats and languages to inform the public about the broadband benefit and how to access it, local leaders know their communities and residents best.

Cities should plan to communicate closely with housing agencies, schools, food banks, faith-based organizations, clinics and other organizations providing services to low-income residents to ensure that they have timely, useful information about how to enroll in the EBB, how to assist residents and their broadband providers with providing any necessary documentation to verify eligibility, and how to identify and avoid scams.

The National League of Cities and numerous local governments and locally focused organizations participated in the accelerated comment period in January and early February and the FCC has recognized that local governments are a critical partner for the EBB’s success. For the latest updates from the FCC, including an informational listserv, past and upcoming educational events, and documentation, visit fcc.gov/ broadbandbenefit.

Contact Angelina at 202-626-3196 or panettieri@nlc.org with questions or for more information.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 43

Georgia Department of Community Affairs:

Georgia Rental Assistance Program A total of $25 billion in federal appropriations was provided directly to states, U.S. territories, local governments over 200,000 population and Indian tribes and is being administered through the U.S. Department of Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance program.

THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY Affairs (DCA) began administering the State of Georgia Rental Assistance Program (GRA) in early March 2021.

GRA can help renters with past due rent obtain assistance for rental arrears and utilities. Payment will be made directly to landlords and utility providers. To learn more, visit GeorgiaRentalAssistance.ga.gov.

Which jurisdictions in Georgia does GRA include?

During the initial rollout of this program, GRA will provide assistance to residents in all jurisdictions with the exception of jurisdictions that received their own funding: the city of Atlanta, Augusta-Richmond County Consolidated Government, Chatham County, Cherokee County, Clayton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Forsyth County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Hall County and Henry County. Due to their population thresholds, these jurisdictions received direct allocations from the Treasury. DCA anticipates providing rental assistance in these areas later.

Who can apply for assistance through GRA? Tenants or landlords can initiate an application. GRA can serve renter households with rental arrears who meet the following conditions: • Qualified for unemployment benefits or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19; AND • Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; AND • Has a combined household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

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Households with incomes that fall below 50% AMI will be prioritized. Households are also prioritized where one or more household members are unemployed and have been unemployed for 90 days.

What is the process to apply for assistance?

Applications are accepted through the portal at GeorgiaRentalAssistance.ga.gov.

Can cities apply for funds directly from GRA to recover unpaid utility bills or help residents with rent?

No. DCA is not providing subgrants to communities that did not receive a direct allocation. However, DCA welcomes the opportunity to work with cities in the initial rollout area (all cities except those in the 12 jurisdictions receiving direct aid) to inform residents and customers about the availability of this program.

What is the deadline to request assistance?

Program funds are anticipated to be spent by the end of the calendar year and may be spent sooner. This is a short time frame to apply for relief, and cities are encouraged to assist DCA in getting information out to your residents.

What is the best way my city can take advantage of this program for our community and households having trouble paying rent and utilities?

Your city can help share the word about the availability of these funds by: • Partnering with DCA to create a plan to spread the word • Printing information on your utility bills that

includes the website or link for customers to apply for assistance • Posting notices on social media, the city’s website, and including in all city newsletters to customers • Reaching out to chamber of commerce, Realtors, landlords, homeowners associations and other groups to share information about the GRA program • Coordinating with your county government to make sure you are getting consistent and complete information to residents

• Coordinating rental assistance funds with their local eviction courts, as some communities are doing.

Questions?

For any questions or updates on this program, government officials can contact GaERASupport@ dca.ga.gov. Landlords or tenants should visit GeorgiaRentalAssistance.ga.gov.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS

LOOK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR:

HOW GEORGIA’S CITIES ARE ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH HOUSING CHOICE

BY NICK JOHNSON, SR. PLANNER, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY

Through the course of my work at Georgia Conservancy, I am often asked a question that goes something like this: Why does a conservation-focused non profit care so much about housing?

TO ANSWER THAT, LET’S ZOOM out before zooming very close in.

Georgia is a land-rich state, and we rely on that land and what grows on it for much of our economic output.

Our agriculture and forestry sectors are responsible for billions in revenue every year, and they employ hundreds of thousands of residents across the state. Then there’s the massive impact of outdoor recreation, a $27-billion industry.

These industries are supported by hundreds of small and mid-sized cities across our state, all of which are passionate about creating livable, vibrant communities for their residents and those they hope to attract.

That intersection—between preserving our state’s natural resources and fostering thriving communities—is where Georgia Conservancy seeks to make an impact.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 45

Housing choice is imperative for our communities’ long-term economic and environmental sustainability, especially those beyond the borders of our biggest cities. It is tempting to think of growth simply as new jobs and revenue, yet behind every new job is a household in need of a place to live. Built the right way, housing can form the backbone of a strong and prosperous economic development strategy.

So, what is the right way?

The short answer is, we’re still learning. Different communities need different things, just as people need and want different types of housing. One thing is undeniable: In the past few decades, we have perfected and institutionalized housing types that consume increasingly large amounts of land far away from our historic and vibrant city centers, placing undue burdens on city resources.

In this article we’ve highlighted five examples of Georgia cities that have tried something “new” by drawing on our historical approach to housing. Each one has focused on bringing housing closer to downtown through policy, design and sometimes resident organizing. Each one has something to teach us about turning our gaze inward, to look at our cities’ downtowns and their historical development with fresh eyes. By learning from our history, we can advance sustainable housing as the driving force behind improving our quality of life.

their Rural Zone designation through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the town has invested in new loft apartments that will be completed this year. The town took advantage of a public-private partnership model to house the units in a building owned by its Downtown Development Authority.

COVINGTON Nicknamed the Hollywood of the South, Covington’s historic downtown features a majestic courthouse and picturesque storefronts, some of which have appeared on TV. In recent years, citizen leaders have walked the walk of downtown development by opening new retail establishments and advocating for the Cricket Frog Trail, a rails-totrails project finishing this year. Housing is also top of mind for residents and city leaders. The mixed-use neighborhood of Clark’s Grove provided a prototype for how varied housing options can strengthen Covington’s charming community character. Now, the city is empowering several housing influencers, including private developers and its own Covington Housing Authority, to bring varied housing types closer to downtown.

Photo: The mixed-use neighborhood of Clark’s Grove uses specified zoning to achieve housing diversity from block to block. Townhomes and above-retail condos sit side by side with cottage courts and single-family homes on small

WOODBURY

lots to create a walkable district and positive example of housing innovation. (Photos of Clark’s Grove provided by

Towns of all sizes are contemplating how to make their downtowns more vibrant through housing. The town of Woodbury is a great example. Shortly after receiving

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Fuel Films Co.)

BRUNSWICK

while upholding Brunswick’s coastal Southern style. In this

Several innovative projects have popped up in Brunswick in the past few years, all of which show how unique housing solutions can drive good urban design and ultimately build a more vibrant downtown. Utilizing Brunswick’s network of streets and alleys, developers have experimented with small-footprint housing types that pay homage to Brunswick’s coastal aesthetic. Some have even explored repurposing vacant commercial properties to bring residents closer to downtown.

with duplexes and converted manors. (Photo provided by

neighborhood, smaller footprint single-family intermingles

Photo Top: City leaders have welcomed

a

redevelop-

ment project that retrofits Brunswick’s old Kress & Co. department store into a mixed-use building with re-

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.)

PERRY A new project in Perry demonstrates two important lessons for sustainable housing development: use what you have and start small. The retrofit project, located on Perry’s “main street,” will convert a vacant, two-story restaurant space into a mixeduse building. The first floor will remain for dining, while the upper floor will include two apartments and a balcony event space.

Though the footprint is small, the project holds great potential for the city as a proof of concept for one-of-a-kind developments that could lend vibrancy to Perry’s downtown.

tail space on the ground floor and lofts above.

Photo: The Orleans on Carroll Street project coming to Perry is a great example of a small-scale project that could

Photo Bottom: Some developers in

catalyze other developments in downtown.

Brunswick are experimenting with old forms and types

GMA NOW OFFERS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CONSULTATION This new program provides city leaders, authority members, development staff and community stakeholders with development methodologies strategies, and best practices tailored for their individual vision and goals. The focus of the program is authority-led development project design, funding and implementation. For more information or to schedule a consultation meeting, contact Stephanie Russell at srussell@gacities.com or 678-244-0511.

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 47

Connecting with Georgia’s

Children

By Sara Baxter

Youth

ENGAGE is a series of stories by GMA and Georgia City Solutions that highlights how cities and city officials are engaging and connecting with children and youth in their communities and addressing the issues they face. Each issue will feature excerpts from the ENGAGE stories. To read the full features, visit www.gacities.com.

Reaping the Benefits of a Youth Commission

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson has worked with young people and led the Chatham County Youth Commission for more than 25 years. Here he shares some advice for other communities.

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Johnson considered himself an “at-risk” youth and has seen firsthand the effects that positive role models and caring adults can have on the success of young people.

When looking to start a youth commission, Johnson offers this advice to communities: 1. Start a conversation. Johnson says the first step is to have a conversation with city officials and community leaders to make sure everyone is on board. It’s also helpful to talk to other communities that have existing youth commissions.

2. Be committed. “It’s easy to say you want a youth commission, but you have to be serious about it

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because creating one can be hard work,” Johnson says.

He points out these efforts are more successful if the entire community is involved, which includes local organizations, city officials and other stakeholders.

3. Find a champion. Whether it’s the mayor, the city commission/council or another individual, cities need someone who can see the process through from start to finish.

4. Hire a dedicated staff person. Once up and running, Johnson recommends the city hire someone to oversee the commission, and preferably not a politician.

“It’s easier for one person to be in charge and dedicated so that’s all they do, and not worry about the politics,” he says.

5. Commit funds. To help keep the program running consistently, most youth commissions have a budget that is provided by city funds. This pays for the staff member, student activities, travel and anything else that might come up.

“Young people are ‘walking possibilities,’” he says.

“If you educate, expose and empower them, you can expect great things from them. You need to give them opportunities to succeed. If we don’t take an active role in investing in young people, we are jeopardizing the future of our communities.”

To read the full article on reaping the benefits of a youth commission, visit the Reference Articles section at www.gacities.com

Grooming Employees for the Future

Plagued by the challenges of looming retirements, a competitive job market and compensation issues, city governments are finding ways to cultivate their own employees.

Public sector jobs are becoming harder and harder to fill. Reasons for this include the “Silver Tsunami” in which baby boomers retiring in large numbers, a competitive job market and compensation issues.

What can cities do? One solution is to start grooming the future workforce early. Through a variety of programs, cities are partnering with the local school systems to recruit and train future employees.

The city of Hartwell faces a challenge that many municipalities would like to have: large companies moving into the area and boosting employment opportunities.

While beneficial to the economy, it has stretched the workforce thin and made the job market in Hartwell highly competitive. To help fill vacancies, Hartwell City Manager Jon Herschell solicited help from the Hart County High School College and Career Academy.

Swainsboro has taken the same approach in a more formal way by working with the Great Promise Partnership (GPP), a public private partnership that helps place atrisk kids in city positions, giving them the opportunity to learn valuable job skills.

Police and Fire Explorer programs provide handson training for high school students who think they might want to go into public safety. Leesburg started its Police Explorers program 10 years ago, and the city of Covington introduced a Fire Explorers program in 2019.

“Having a teen and young adult-based cadet program allows us to identify young people within our community that may have an interest in public safety,” says Leesburg Police Chief Chris Prokesh. “By having the cadet program at the fire station, the students were learning hands-on every day the life of a firefighter,” says Chief Jeremy Holmes.

Chances are most young people don’t think about a future at the local water company. In fact, most kids don’t know much about water beyond it coming out of the tap.

The Marietta City Water Department wanted to change that. For the last several years, they have visited elementary schools on “Career Days,” educating students on the water treatment process and also sharing the kinds of jobs that are available in the industry. They also participate in H2Opportunity, a workforce recruitment initiative from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals established in 2007.

To read the full article on grooming employees for the future, visit the Reference Articles section at www.gacities.com

March/April 2021 | gacities.com 49

CITYLITES

Fairs and Festivals April 2-11 Rincon’s 4th Annual Spring Fair Rincon

April 18-24 Celebrate Spring with Sacred Heart Augusta

May 2 El Senor Taco Festival Duluth

April 3 East Egg Hunt Extravaganza Grayson

April 21 Virtual Adult Sensory Storytime Peachtree City

April 3-4 Festival on Ponce Atlanta

April 22-24 Thomasville Rose Show & Festival Thomasville

May 6 – 27 What’s on Jill’s Nightstand Book Talk, Facebook Live Every Thursday Peachtree City

April 10 Railwatch 2021 Folkston

April 22- 25 Vidalia Onion Festival Vidalia

Spring Tour of Homes Washington

April 23-25 Antique & Artisan Festival Braselton

April 10-11 Acworth Art Fest Acworth April 13 Crafting at the Library Peachtree City April 14 OB the Storytelling Dog Peachtree City April 16 Barnesville BBQ and Blues Festival Barnesville April 17-18 DockDogs in Monroe Monroe Big Shanty Festival Kennesaw Artsapalooza Sandy Springs

April 24 Dallas 5K Race for a Cure Dallas Grayson Day Festival Grayson West Georgia Jazz Festival Villa Rica April 24-25 Pan African Festival Macon April 24-June 26 Georgia Renaissance Festival Fairburn April 26 Cozy Talk Book Club Peachtree City May 1-2 May-Retta Daze Marietta

May 7 First Friday Brunswick May 7-8 North Cobb Rotary Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival Acworth Pine Tree Festival & Southeast Timber Expo Swainsboro May 8 83rd Annual Blessing of the Fleet Brunswick May 15 Taste of Douglasville Douglasville May 19 Virtual Adult Sensory Storytime Peachtree City May 24 Cozy Talk Book Club Peachtree City May 28-29 1890 Days Festival Ringgold

To place a free Fairs & Festival listing contact gacities@gacities.com. Please submit listings at least eight to ten weeks ahead of publication date.

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GEORGIA GEMS TYBEE ISLAND RECOGNIZED FOR COASTAL RESILIENCE THE CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND HAS BECOME A national model community for flood mitigation, recently winning the 2020 Best Restored Beach award.

Only six U.S. beaches earn this annual distinction from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association for innovative solutions to unique problems.

In 2017, Tybee Island undertook a four-year, $18-million effort to restore its coastal resilience following damage from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Expanding on the US Army Corps of Engineers’ beach nourishment project, the city constructed and restored the dunes. Funding was provided by a OneGeorgia Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs in 2018.

The restoration included 1.3 million cubic yards of sand pumped ashore to expand the coastline, including 70,000 cubic yards of sand for building dunes, installing 271,000 plants to preserve the dunes and constructing 12 beach crossovers. The efforts will enable the beach to better absorb the effects of hurricanes, recover faster and adapt to environmental changes, while at the same time enhancing the natural habitat

of the island’s sea turtle nesting sites and endangered bird species.

Alan Robertson with AWR Strategic Consulting LLC managed the project for the city of Tybee Island.

He said that planning began after Hurricane Sandy damaged the island in 2012, which was a wake-up call for a city that had not seen significant hurricane activity in 30 years. The subsequent preparation was critical, because the city was ready to take advantage of state and federal funding when it became available.

As climate change-related flooding is a growing concern, Tybee participates in conversations at a state and national level to share the city’s success and learn about new innovations.

“Everyone is facing these issues and trying to learn from each other to see what we can do individually and together to improve our coastal resilience,” Robertson said.

Robertson encourages visitors to take a vacation and see the work in person.

“The beach and the dunes have never been in better shape,” he said.

201 Pryor Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 1959

Save the Date:

GMA’s 2021 Annual Convention, August 6-10 Mark your calendars for the 2021 GMA Annual Convention in Savannah, which is scheduled for Aug. 6-10. The thought of being together in person again is exciting, and the GMA staff has missed the personal contact and opportunities to celebrate with Georgia’s cities! We are hopeful that this convention can include sessions and events that will give several opportunities for Connecting, Collaborating and Caring.

Registration At the time of print, GMA will open registration on June 8.

In-Person Meeting Decision GMA staff will be closely monitoring the status of the pandemic in the coming months.

If it is determined that it is not safe to hold an in-person event, GMA will notify the membership in early June with plans for a virtual convention. This virtual convention would begin on Monday, Aug. 9. In the meantime, please visit the GMA website for more convention information, including a tentative schedule of events!