November/December 2021

November/December 2021

ADVOCACY. SERVICE. INNOVATION.

2021 GCW Recap Inside

Columns & Features In This Issue Benefits of Public-Private Partnerships | American Rescue Plan Act Update Crowdfunding and Cities | Municipal Money Management

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WE’ RE THE November/December 2021 Volume 1 • No. 15 Editorial and Advertising Offices: 201 Pryor Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404.688.0472 Fax: 678.686.6289 E-mail: gacities@gacities.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Larry Hanson PUBLISHER Kelli Bennett

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Table of Contents FEATURES ARPA SPECIAL SECTION............................................................................. 5 CROWDFUNDING AND INNOVATIVE FINANCING....................................... 16 CITIES STRIVE FOR EQUITY IN BUDGETING................................................. 39 CITYSCAPES....................................................................................................... 8 + GMA President: Choosing Trust and Cooperation + GMA Executive Director: A Time to Lead with Civility + Expert Editorial: Five Strategies to Better Serve Unbanked Tenants CITY DESK.........................................................................................................14 + Small Town, Big Impact: Cities Celebrate Milestone Birthdays + City Spotlights: Tiger, Georgia + Strategic Planning Keeps Douglas Strong + Stockbridge and Watkinsville Invest in Public-Private Funded Projects INSIDE GMA..................................................................................................... 22 + GMA Celebrates Staff and New Leaders + Georgia Cities Week in Review + GeorgiaForward Update + Georgia City Solutions Update + Advocacy: Full Speed Ahead for Special Session + Innovation: Training Classes Help City Officials Gain Municipal Money Management Skills + Service: GMA Certificate Program Simplifies Revenue for Cities + Service: Money, Money, Money Infographic ADDITIONAL + Towns & Law: New Cyber Coverage Requirements & Available ARPA Funds Prompt Investment in Cybersecurity............................................................................ 42 + UGA’s Georgia Economic Outlook................................................................... 43 + Federal Focus: Inside Look: 2020 Census Count Question Resolution Process.......44 + ENGAGE: Engaging Our Youth to Improve Georgia’s Civic Health........................46 CITYLITES......................................................................................................... 48 + Fairs & Fests + Georgia Gem: Old Governor’s Mansion

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Cities Make Transformative Changes with ARPA Funds The American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund will deliver nearly $1.4 billion in funds directly to all cities in Georgia.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT EVERY JURISDICTION in the country, regardless of population size, has received a direct federal formula grant.

ARPA was signed into law in March, and the U.S. Department of Treasury, responsible for developing guidelines for the program, has issued Interim Final

Rules for how funds may be used as well as interim reporting guidance. All cities in Georgia have had the opportunity to receive their first round of ARPA funding, including all metropolitan cities (generally, those over 50,000 population) and Nonentitlement Units of Government, or NEUs (those under 50,000 population).

Now that funds are in the bank, many cities are continuing the process of assessing how to put these funds to work in their communities to address needs related to the public heath and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, including needs for shoring up local government operations, supporting households and businesses, and assisting disproportionately impacted populations in the city.

Cities are thinking big and looking for ways to make transformative change in their communities with this one-time influx of federal funds.

While final rules have not yet been released, Treasury is encouraging cities to begin using their ARPA funds and to rely on the interim guidance and reporting information. This flexible funding program allows cities to meet a variety of needs – cities also have until the end of 2026 to spend funds. The interim final rules provide sufficient guidance for cities to proceed in using relief funds for urgent needs, including pandemic response efforts such as COVID-19 vaccine programs; premium pay for essential workers; revenue recovery; water, sewer, stormwater and broadband infrastructure; and supporting immediate needs of households and businesses in qualified census tracts.

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A number of cities around the state including Camilla, Chattahoochee Hills, Powder Springs and Waycross have implemented ARPA-funded vaccine incentive programs for city employees. Athens-Clarke County used a portion of its ARPA funds for $100 gift cards per dose to newly vaccinated individuals who live, work or attend school in Athens-Clarke County. Many cities have approved premium pay for essential workers, including Augusta, Fitzgerald and Louisville. Peachtree Corners approved four grant programs to assist small businesses and nonprofits, covering operating, capital and emergency funding. Cedartown leaders approved the use of ARPA funds for a utility bill credit for city residents. Many cities are employing ARPA funds to address major infrastructure needs for water and sewer – including Duluth and Statesboro. Cities are thinking big and looking for ways to make transformative change in their communities with this one-time influx of federal funds.

What’s next?

CITIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE THE IFR AND interim reporting guidelines to identify ways to use ARPA funds. All cities will be required to submit an annual Project and Expenditure Report in 2022 – Metro cities reports will be due Jan. 31, and NEU city reports will be due April 30. These reports cover grant fund spending between the award date and 30 days before the report deadline. Every city will be required to provide basic information including your DUNS and SAM number. NEU cities will be required to provide an electronic copy of their total operating budget. Full guidelines for items to include in the report will be available when the Treasury issues its final user guide in the coming weeks.

As your city develops plans for using ARPA funds, GMA recommends you develop a budget spreadsheet that includes how funds will be used, matching uses to one of the more than 60 eligible use categories identified in Appendix 1 of the Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance document and identifying how much ARPA funds will be used for each project.

Keep in mind that ARPA SLFRF are intended to be used prospectively and the interim final rule precludes the use of these funds to cover the costs of debt incurred

prior to March 3, 2021. Funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024 and expended by Dec. 31, 2026.

If your city plans to expend more than $750,000 in federal grant funds, you will be subject to the single audit requirement. It’s a good idea to notify your auditor if this applies to your city. The second tranche of funding for cities will be made available during the spring of 2022 and you will not be required to reapply to receive these funds. Finally, please note that if your city plans to make subawards (e.g., to nonprofit organizations), the recipient is responsible for reporting on the use of these funds – not the subrecipient. The city will be responsible for reporting and insuring funds are used according to the law and guidelines.

GMA will be working with partner organizations including the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Audits, and the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions to develop templates for reporting, sample policies, and checklists to assist cities meet all reporting requirements. GMA and our partners will also provide training and technical assistance to ensure city officials have the information you need to succeed in using your ARPA funds.

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 7

CITYSCAPES

Choosing Trust and Cooperation

BY JIM THORNTON , GMA PRESIDENT

Establishing trust is hard work, but it is critical to everything we do as leaders in our cities.

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS know how important it is to build trust. During our campaign for office, we ask our neighbors to trust us with power. During our time in office, we ask them to trust us as we make decisions for their benefit. Trust is vital throughout the community.

I recently came across an opinion survey published by the Pew Research Center on “Trust and Distrust in America.”

Numerous studies have found that large majorities of Americans don’t trust their government. Unfortunately, that is not news; it is merely confirmation of what we all know.

The Pew survey focused on the federal government and found that 75% of Americans lacked trust in government. Local governments often fare better by comparison, but the overall trend for years has been declining levels of trust in government.

What really disturbed me in that report, however, was the finding that 64% of Americans reported declining trust in each other. That finding means nearly two out of three Americans lacks trust in their neighbors.

That’s untenable, especially for those of us on the local level working to build communities.

Not surprisingly, 70% of those surveyed reported that the declining levels of trust, especially in each other, made solving community problems harder.

The encouraging aspect of this research was the finding that 86% of those surveyed believed that trust could be improved and things could get better.

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Those surveyed suggested a variety of solutions, including increasing government transparency, improving community cooperation and performing individual acts of kindness. Those are all solutions easier to implement at the local level.

While I am encouraged at the faith Americans have in the possibility of improving levels of trust, I also recognize that doing so will require hard work. It will require our local city leaders to work harder. It will require us to get to know our neighbors and, perhaps, even those we think we don’t like. It will require us to engage each other in more meaningful ways. It will require us to find partners in the community.

There is also a leap of faith required. Sometimes, we have to choose to trust each other before that trust is truly established.

As city leaders, we have an obligation to lead and to improve the conditions of our cities, and that includes enhancing the levels of trust among our city’s residents.

If we choose to trust each other and, by doing so, get to know each other better, I believe we will find more commonality than division. We can work together to solve our communities’ issues rather than assigning blame.

When we choose to work together, we get to know each other, we establish trust and we become friends.

It’s hard work, and it’s not without risk, but it’s important work. It’s what makes our local communities thrive, and that’s what led us into public service in the beginning.

A Time to Lead With Civility

BY LARRY HANSON, GMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Local leaders have presided over a remarkable period of disruption and uncertainty, navigating their communities through a devastating pandemic that has touched every person in some way.

DECADES FROM NOW, WHEN historians document the major lessons learned, I believe that local governments and municipal officials in their hometowns will be recognized as true difference-makers who responded with extraordinary speed and innovation to save countless lives, preserve local economies and keep hope and faith alive, during the most difficult of times.

We are only beginning to understand the long-term impact that the past 20 months will have on the U.S. and the world going forward. The wounds and scars of COVID-19 will be visible for many years and will shape the way we grow and lead. For some, the tragic loss of family members, friends or loved ones will be acutely painful forever. For others, the isolation and separation required for our physical health has led to mental health struggles. Many have been forced to shutter their businesses, transition to different vocations, and face the prospect of lower incomes and fewer opportunities.

Systemic problems that persisted before the pandemic have been exacerbated. The wealth gap has increased, and the health gap has widened as well. Historically disadvantaged populations, primarily people of color who have been on the short end of the wealth and health spectrum, were hit much harder by COVID and we now find that there is much more ground to make up in the pursuit of a more equitable society.

The pandemic has caused so much pain, and yet we’ve seen so much resilience, and so much adaptation.

Science has given us vaccines and testing. Technology

has given us virtual connections. Government leaders have used these tools to create a new normal, with most of society finding more stable ground to stand on. Businesses are now reformatted and open, schools are back in person and the Braves just won the World Series.

City halls, local boards and public agencies are back to in-person engagement, following new protocols. People are finding their rhythm and moving forward.

Yet the beat is still off, for sure. Supply chains are still disrupted, inflation is rising and partisan and polarized politics have not eased. These are the more visible signs that things are still askew. Less tangible, but more insidious, is the growing sign that the uncertainty, angst and isolation of the past 20 months has emboldened a small but growing number of individuals to become more disruptive and confrontational, and less civil and tolerant in their interactions with public officials, businesses, co-workers, neighbors and strangers. Local officials, mayors and city councils, and school officials all know of colleagues who have been yelled at, interrupted and insulted—all because they were simply trying to make their best decisions on very difficult and charged issues.

Some believe that because the pandemic has reduced face-to-face personal interaction, people are out of practice in handling difficult situations or conversations.

While those with less authority are more likely to act out, this makes it critically important for those in authority to model respectful behavior, as the failure to do so allows the behavior to spread and deepens a vicious circle that becomes harder and harder to unwind. continued on next page November/December 2021 | gacities.com 9

As city leaders, we should advocate for organizational policies setting expectations for respectful interaction and civil engagement. The first step is for local leaders to model civility in all their interactions, to do their best to not respond in-kind to personal insults, to voice support for colleagues who have been the targets of rude or disruptive behavior, to actively listen to each other and to constituents during deliberations to understand everyone’s perspective.

Civility does not mean unity. There will always be policy disagreements. But that is the democratic process. If local conversations can be framed with the understanding that everyone is trying to be their best selves and do what they believe is best for their community, then perhaps that will create an environment for civility.

Rising incivility is one of the many side effects of the pandemic. Unabated, it will spread like a virus, and

make it more challenging and less rewarding for local leaders to make their cities true communities in the best sense of the word. We have too many good people leaving public service because they are tired and exhausted, not from the challenges, but from the abuse.

The good news is that you and your municipal colleagues are in the perfect position to shape local norms, to model best expectations, and to guide your neighbors in how to engage with respect and understanding. That work — fighting incivility and building inclusive communities—will make an outsized difference in the post-pandemic world.

Let’s stay strong, stay positive and stay civil in all we do and say. City officials embody leadership and I am grateful for making a difference each and every day.

Edited and revised with permission from Geoff Beckwith, Massachusetts Municipal League Executive Director & CEO

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FIVE STRATEGIES TO BETTER SERVE

UNBANKED TENANTS BY: NATASHA LEONARD, SENIOR PROGRAM SPECIALIST FOR HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TINA LEE, SENIOR RESEARCH SPECIALIST, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES

The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently released guidance explicitly allowing and encouraging direct-to-tenant payment as part of the disbursement of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds.

DESPITE THIS move to increase access to funds for highrisk tenants and tenants whose landlords are unwilling to accept ERA funds directly, cities still face significant barriers reaching tenants who are “unbanked” and do not have an account at a banking institution or are “underbanked” and may rely on alternative and often predatory financial service products such as check cashing services.

According to the 2019 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation report, 7.1 million U.S. households (5.4%) do not have bank accounts. This is particularly prevalent in low-income households, households of color and for individuals with a disability. In 2019,

16.3% of Native American households, 13.8% of Black households and 12.2% of Hispanic households were unbanked, relative to 2.5% of white households. Similarly, 16.2% of working-aged disabled households are unbanked and roughly 37% of households with an income of less than $40,000 are either unbanked or underbanked.

BIPOC and low-income households are already vulnerable and disproportionately impacted by housing instability and economic inequality. Banking inequality exacerbates these conditions by blocking access to housing, jobs, insurance and other key opportunities. Supporting unbanked tenants now means helping vulnerable households weather the pandemic and set them up for success as we look to a more equitable post-COVID era.

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 11

Unbanked tenants face unique and significant burdens in simply applying for emergency rental assistance, along with difficulty accessing financial assistance if they do receive ERA funds.

Here are five strategies cities should consider implementing to reach and serve unbanked tenants with financial assistance in both the short- and long-term: Set Flexible Application Requirements for Assistance Lengthy application processes and burdensome documentation requirements are major barriers to the swift dispersal of ERA funds, and often pose significant challenges for unbanked tenants in particular. Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky, partly attributes the city’s success in distributing funds to the fact that the Treasury allows renters to self-certify their income without extensive documentation. Louisville authorities have moved to accept just two pay stubs, or proxy documents from which prior cash income can be extrapolated, as acceptable documentation to receive ERA funds.

Treasury has compiled numerous examples of acceptable self-attestation forms for tenants to verify employment, household income, loss of income or rental obligation, which can be adapted by cities for their individual needs.

Cities can also offer targeted support to tenants with the application process itself. Some cities are allowing applications to be submitted without all required documentation and stepping in once applications are selected for review.

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Partner with Local Institutions for No- or Low-Fee Cashing of Checks Unbanked tenants may have to pay expensive fees in order to cash assistance checks before paying their landlord. For example, in metro Detroit, cashing in last year’s $1,400 federal stimulus check resulted in some 2

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tenants having to pay $60 to $100 in fees. To avoid having funds lost to fees as high as four to seven percent, ERA program administrators can include alternative means of assistance, such as by creating partnerships with check cashing facilities or local credit unions to reduce the transaction costs.

Some local businesses or institutions may already offer such services—for example, Kroger stores previously offered free cashing of government stimulus checks. When mailing direct-to-tenant assistance payments to residents, cities should include information about these partnerships and ways to take out cash without paying exorbitant fees.

Offer Alternative Methods of Payment While cutting checks may be the most common method for distributing direct financial assistance, many cities are leveraging alternatives, such as distributing pre-paid debit cards.

In 2020, the city of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization issued $500 cash cards that could be spent at grocery stores and convenience stores. Funded by the CARES Act, the cards were mailed to roughly 6,000 households that participated in the city’s Household Hardship Relief Fund or other city-sponsored financial assistance programs.

The city of Los Angeles has taken this model one step further with its new Angeleno Connect Card program, which has enabled the distribution of more than 37,000 prepaid debit cards. The prepaid debit Mastercards facilitate direct-to-tenant payments for the city’s ERAP program, along with other financial assistance initiatives, regardless of immigration status.

Further leveraging technology for innovative methods of disbursement, the city of Chicago offered payment through PayPal or CashApp as alternatives to direct deposit for its COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grants.

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Leverage a Range of Funding Streams to Provide Flexible Assistance Recognizing that individual circumstances may preclude some households from accessing certain funds, cities should also seek to integrate a range of funding sources that can meet diverse needs and eligibility specifications.

Looking beyond federal and state funding, local nonprofit partners may be able to accommodate financial support needs that municipal programs cannot, depending on local or state regulations, or due to a household lacking certain documentation or banking access. Cities should leverage partnerships with such flexible nonprofits to distribute funds quickly, as well as provide aid to individuals who would otherwise be left unserved. Whether or not an individual has a bank account should be considered through intake processes and by local resource hotlines in order to connect individuals with the support services best suited to their needs.

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Connect Unbanked Tenants to Financial Empowerment Resources In addition to supporting unbanked tenants in accessing emergency rental assistance funds, cities should use the opportunity to connect unbanked tenants with local financial empowerment resources and institutions.

This includes providing information about how tenants can establish a relationship with a banking institution. Cities should also look to facilitate a warm hand-off to any municipal financial education programs, leverage assistance payments to help residents create a checking account, and create relationships with financial service providers to minimize the barriers residents might face when they sign up for banking 5

services (i.e. waiving fees or minimum balance requirements).

As cities continue to develop emergency rental assistance programs, scale financial support initiatives and refine distribution methods, it is important for them to maintain a focus on serving the most at-risk and hard-to-reach residents. Implementing payment processes or establishing supportive partnership agreements to increase access to emergency funds during this time of crisis will set cities up for success to support all of their residents—including those who are unbanked—more equitably and effectively long after the pandemic ends.

CITY DESK

Small Town,

Big Impact Cities Celebrate Milestone Birthdays

TWIN CITY WANTED TO MAKE A BIG MOVE TO mark its hundredth year. The city’s centennial committee decided to start an annual city festival, starting a new tradition for the 100th anniversary. The festival has been in the works for more than a year, but, until September, it didn’t have a name.

The committee decided to involve Twin City residents in that decision. In early August, residents were challenged to submit names for the festival, with Historic Twin City Georgia, Inc., sponsoring a $250 prize for the winner. The Cotton Blossom Festival, submitted by resident Helen Logue, was the committee’s unanimous choice.

“If you drive to Twin City, you will see that fields of cotton surround Twin City. Agriculture is an economic driver in Emanuel County, with cotton being the primary crop,” said Mayor Matt Donaldson in a press release. “Without agriculture, Summit and Graymont and eventually Twin City would not exist. Our festival will be held annually on the first Saturday in November, which correlates to the harvesting time of cotton.”

The festival, held Nov. 6, was free to all who wished to attend and featured a 5K race, multiple local vendors and family-friendly activities including inflatables and a cornhole tournament.

The festival is only one aspect of the lasting impact the centennial will have. Twin City has established Centennial Park and Trail, which broke ground in June and will convert a former railroad bed into outdoor recreation space.

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More City Celebrations Twin City, 100 years Twin City was founded when the cities of Summit and Graymont were merged and is home to a 3.6 square mile historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rutledge, 150 years Rutledge was founded in the late 1800s, when a railroad extension started bringing more traffic to the area.

Sharpsburg, 150 years Sharpsburg’s growth was also influenced by the expansion of rail in Georgia. First founded in 1825 but incorporated in 1871, it was named for Judge Elias Sharp, one of the first residents.

Doraville, 150 years Doraville began as a small agricultural community, but over the years has seen booms in population and growth from major job sites and thriving immigrant communities.

Gainesville, 200 years Mule Camp Spring attracted many early settlers to what is now Gainesville for both camping and trading goods.

Monroe, 200 years In its early years, Monroe was Georgia’s top cotton producer, with two major mills serving as the area’s economic hub. The mills now serve as home to event spaces and retail.

Lawrenceville, 200 years Lawrenceville’s original Gwinnett County courthouse was planned in the city’s first year, 1821, and completed in 1824. It still stands in downtown Lawrenceville today as a historical site.

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City Spotlight

Tiger, Georgia

You’ll have a roaring good time if you take a trip to Tiger in Northeast Georgia. The scenic city is nestled in the Blue Ridge foothills and near Georgia’s borders with Tennessee and South Carolina. Grab an ice cream cone and hang out with some goats at Goats on the Roof, a fun roadside stop on U.S. 23. Santa will be at the attraction for photos every Saturday from Nov. 27 to Dec. 11.

POPULATION:

415

MAYOR:

Mike Carnes GMA DISTRICT:

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To make a day of it in Tiger, adults can sample some Georgia-grown wine at Tiger Mountain Vineyards and Stonewall Creek Vineyards. The whole family can take in a movie at one of Georgia’s only drive-in movie theaters, the Tiger Drive-In. While there are no easily accessible trails on Tiger Mountain itself, nearby Stonewall Mountain and Glassy Mountain offer multiple options for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts.

College Park Utilizes Crowdfunding and Innovative Financing

BY ALIA HOYT

If anything positive can be said of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that the experience forced people to pivot and think further outside the box than ever before.

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THIS WAS PARTICULARLY THE CASE FOR THE CITY “We received donations in the thousands of dollars of College Park, which has enjoyed something of a refrom business owners, and we had residents that gave naissance over the last few years and did not want to whatever they could afford,” Coakley said. “The range lose momentum. of support was tremendous.”

“Pre-COVID, College Park saw a large uptick in business, especially restaurants,” said Renée Coakley, College Park’s main street manager. “The area has become a hub of traffic on the weekends, but in a very good way.”

To generate enthusiasm and participation for the camThe pandemic threatened all of that with restricpaign, the Main Street board publicized the effort tions on indoor dining. Some spots were able to ride it through social media, their existing email list, the Colout using their own outdoor resources, but one block lege Park newsletter, and the city’s LED screen. Water of three restaurants was hit especially hard thanks to bill statements also included details, and, of course, their relatively small footprints. There simply wasn’t word of mouth was a big buzz generator. To collect anywhere for them to safely seat donations, Main Street used a customers, and so they began program designed for non-profThe crowdfunding campaign to hemorrhage money. its called GiveLively. generated a whopping $15,000 “With CDC guidelines on “The real challenge in from the immediate community spacing, they could only seat crowd models is incentivizalone. The Main Street board two or three parties at a time,” ing the crowd,” said Dr. Mona donated $10,000.

Coakley said. “That was a big Jhaveri, one of the pioneers of problem.” crowdfunding by way of her College Park’s Main Street board realized that non-profit Music Beats Cancer. something needed to be done, and quickly. The group College Park’s Main Street board took the impordecided that the best plan would be to construct a tance of incentives to heart. They encouraged particihigh-quality outdoor dining installation in a portion of pation through a series of giveaways of items and serthe parking lot of the three affected restaurants. vices donated by local businesses.

“We knew the people and the Main Street board “Those were very effective at enticing people,” wanted this upgrade, but mostly we knew it would be Coakley said. a tremendous benefit to the community if we could The crowdfunding campaign generated a whopmake it happen,” Coakley says. The powers-that-be ping $15,000 from the immediate community alone. at the city of College Park itself were supportive of the The Main Street board donated $10,000. idea, but they certainly couldn’t foot the more than “The city was so impressed that they kicked in an$50,000 bill to get it done. other $25,000,” Coakley said.

So, Coakley and her team did what more and With the financial goal met, Main Street was left to more entrepreneurs and inventors and other innovafully implement the plan, save the day for the restautive minds are doing these days—they turned to the rants and create a lovely outdoor space. people by way of a crowdfunding campaign. And oh, what a range of responses they saw.

What the Crowdfunding Campaign Looked Like

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 17

Why Does Crowdfunding Work?

Some companies and cities shy away from crowdfunding as a fundraising option. After all, why would people want to turn over more of their hard-earned cash?

Isn’t that what tax dollars and revenue are for? There’s a different way to think about it, though. There’s a lot of satisfaction to be found in participating in a successful crowdfund, Jhaveri said.

“The beauty of crowd models is that they are a way to democratize anything,” Jhaveri said, noting most private investments go to a fraction of companies that already have deep pockets. “Crowdfunding models are waiting to help people who are working on great ideas. It helps even the playing field.”

College Park’s Team Effort

The crowdfund wasn’t where the team effort ended for College Park. A group of community volunteers showed up to put the installation together, then those and more participated in the ribbon cutting.

“It has been an evolution of support from beginning to end,” Coakley said.

The affected restaurants (The Real Milk and Honey, Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar and Johnny’s Chicken and Waffles) are thrilled with the impact the outdoor dining area has made. The installation took over seven parking spots, which equaled out to 200 additional square feet of dining space per business. Wall dividers were placed between each establishment.

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The plan is to keep the outdoor dining space in place, even if the threat of COVID-19 diminishes.

“Their footprint is much improved,” Coakley said, noting that the attractively color-coded seats and umbrellas make it easy for diners to spot which tables correlate with which restaurants. As temperatures start to plummet, Main Street is looking to set up heaters to keep things comfortable.

“We’re very proud that we were able to come up with creative ways to help ours hold on during the madness,” Coakley said.

Strategic Operational Planning keeps Douglas Strong With bold leadership and a focus on the future, the city of Douglas is developing an optimized roadmap for sustainability, and Linkscape360 is on board to provide its award-winning technical planning services.

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR TONY PAULK and Douglas city commissioners, the city has initiated a Strategic Operational Planning Initiative. The initiative will include mapping strategic factors from staff succession planning to the infrastructure project development cycle. As a gem of South Georgia, the city of Douglas is preparing to continually meet the forecasted levels of service for its residential, commercial and industrial constituencies.

“Our attention to strategic planning begins with our desire to protect and build upon the assets that Douglas has to offer to its residents and businesses,” Paulk said. “We are forward thinking, and we are building plans that will meet the needs of our future growth.”

City Manager Charlie Davis tapped Linkscape360 to assist with the project due to their expertise in working with local governments and municipal project

funding. Many of the city’s current and future projects will require state and federal funding, so it was important to have a team on board that has the capacity to review the projects and provide technical planning assistance.

“We have several department heads that are within three to five years of retirement, so this is an optimal time to enhance our strategic operational plan,” Davis said. “With the increased demands on local governments, I would recommend that every city take a close look at your long-term operational plans. We are proud to have Linkscape360 on board to collaborate with us through this process.”

To learn more about innovative work in the city of Douglas, visit www.cityofdouglasga.gov, and to learn more about GMA Business Alliance Program participant, Linkscape, visit: www.linkscape360.com/.

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 19

Communities Use Partnerships To Spur Community Improvements

BY GALE HORTON GAY

Good partnerships can make all the difference in a community.

MANY LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE achieving wins that benefit community members, local government and private and nonprofit entities through partnerships. In some communities, officials are exploring and discussing whether pursuing public-private partnerships could be the answer to funding infrastructure improvements.

Ballfield Without Barriers In Watkinsville, two recreational spaces are coming to life thanks to a partnership between the city and nonprofit organization Extra Special People (ESP). ESP describes itself as existing “to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families, changing communities for the better.”

According to Watkinsville City Manager Sharyn Dickerson, ESP officials approached the city in 2018 about the possibility of working together on a ballfield that would be designed to remove barriers for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Known as a Miracle League Ballfield, the space is usually smaller in size than a normal ballfield.

“Miracle League teams play on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assertive devices while helping to prevent injuries,” according to the Miracle League’s website.

City officials had been considering how best to upgrade a playground that was 30 years old, and ESP leaders said that by working together they could possibly help with the playground improvements in addition to developing the ballfield, Dickerson said.

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ESP and the city were not strangers to one another. ESP had been involved in two lease agreements with the city, one dating back to 1992 and involving the construction of a gym on city property.

Dickerson said city and ESP officials held discussions for about a year and sought input from residents as well. Both city officials and community members were enthusiastic about the possibilities, however, they wanted specifics about how the partnership would work, features of the facilities, how many trees would be removed and more.

“Nobody was against it,” Dickerson said.

City officials committed $440,000 to the project for playground equipment funded through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and ESP raised $2 million.

“This [public-private partnership] enables the city to build an amazing outdoor recreational space that will be fully accessible to people of all physical abilities,” Dickerson said. “The playground and Miracle League Ball Field will connect directly to a proposed greenway trail with an ADA-compliant trail connecting ESP and City Hall to the greenway trailhead in [Harris Shoals Park].”

Watkinsville would have upgraded its playground without the partnership but wouldn’t have developed the Miracle ballfield, Dickerson said.

Work on the playground and the 24,000-squarefoot ballfield are currently underway and are expected to be finished in spring 2022.

Dickerson describes the partnership as a “perfect marriage” and said city officials are supportive of finding other ways to partner.

“We encourage it,” she said.

Benefits of Partnership Doraville officials put out a call for 120 volunteers to help build its city’s newest playground at Autumn Park. The build was scheduled to take place during three days in mid-November and is a partnership with the city, playground-building non-profit KABOOM! and the Major League Baseball Players Trust.

Some communities are exploring alternative funding sources to pay for community improvements and considering the possibility of public-private partnerships.

In 2017, a report, Public-Private Partnership Funding for Infrastructure in Valdosta and Lowndes County, was released by Southern Georgia Regional Commission and Valdosta-Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The report addresses community enhancements such as a trail network, green space, bike and pedestrian infrastructure and funding sources.

“Public-private partnerships, or PPPs, should be explored by civic leaders,” the report says. “This requires having a steadfast association with local businesses and industries as they could provide essential financing and a special knowledge that would benefit the proposed project and the community.”

However, the report also states that partnerships are not a panacea.

“PPPs are a promising application for infrastructure projects, but they should be handled delicately and not utilized excessively,” the report saus. “Maintaining a pragmatic approach to the establishment of partnerships and the execution of a common objective should be the primary concern for governments that choose to enter into agreements with private parties.”

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GMA Celebrates Staff and New Leaders Team GMA is ending 2021 highlighting leadership milestones for staff and Georgia city leaders. Stay tuned to our January/February 2022 issue to meet several new GMA staff members.

Former GMA President Vince Williams New President of National League of Cities On Friday, Nov. 19, Union City Mayor and former GMA President Vince Williams was sworn in as the president of the National League of Cities (NLC). With over 90 years of dedication to the strength, health and advancement of local governments, NLC has gained the trust and support of more than 2,000 cities across the nation. The mission of NLC is to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions.

Williams’ appointment to this role made him only the fifth municipal official from Georgia to serve as NLC president, and the first since 1994. Some of the roles of the NLC president include rendering overall leadership during the year by working closely with the NLC executive director; speaking on behalf of NLC on a wide range of issues; working with NLC officers and

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stakeholders to shape the league’s direction and priorities, supporting staff efforts to recruit and retain NLC direct member cities; leading NLC’s advocacy and lobbying work to achieve positive outcomes for the priorities; and appointing city officials as leaders and members of the NLC standing committees, councils and panels.

Williams was first elected to the City Council of Union City in 2007, where he served until taking office as mayor of Union City in 2013. Within GMA, Williams works tirelessly to promote the interests of cities and has been a significant leader. He was elected GMA president in June of 2020, following terms as first, second and third vice president. Williams has served or is currently serving on several of the association’s leadership bodies including, the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, COVID-19 Advisory Committee and the Georgia Municipal Employees Benefit System Board of Trustees.

During Williams’ time in Union City, he has strived to increase consensus, cooperation and partnership. His successful leadership in Union City has not gone unnoticed, Williams has been called on to serve in numerous leadership roles throughout metro Atlanta, the state of Georgia and beyond.

Williams is a recipient of the Outstanding Citizen Award given the Georgia Secretary of State and the President’s Volunteer Service Award given by President Barack Obama. He was awarded Mayor of the Year by the Georgia Minority Business Awards, and Georgia Trend magazine has honored him as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians.

GMA’s Charlotte Davis Named to ‘Top 40’ List Georgia Trend magazine recently recognized GMA’s Deputy Director of Governmental Relations Charlotte Davis as one of the state’s “best and brightest” of Georgia’s 40 Under 40. Davis was selected for her legislative work on behalf of municipalities at the state Capitol, for her volunteerism through GMA and with coaching and mentoring young women. For 25 years, Georgia Trend has celebrated those under 40 years of age who leave their editors “awed and inspired.”

According to magazine staff, this year’s selectees are “a spectacular bunch, hard workers and inspirational leaders.” Davis’ humble response to the news of her selection was, “It’s an honor to be on the 2021 Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 list. It takes a team to represent Georgia’s cities and I’m thankful to be a part of one of the best [at the Capitol].”

GMA’s Stan Brown, P.E., PWLF Sworn in as APWA President In September, the American Public Works Association (APWA) announced that Stan Brown, P.E.,

PWLF, a member services consultant for GMA, was sworn in as the association’s 2021-2022 president. This swearing in was affirmed by APWA’s more than 30,000 members.

Before joining GMA, Brown worked in local government for more than 30 years, holding various public works, engineering and management positions in Georgia, Colorado and Wyoming. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Georgia, and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve whose military service included deployments to Iraq, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan. He was awarded the U.S. Army’s Bronze Star medal for exceptional and meritorious service as a facility engineer commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brown retired in 2020 as city manager for the city of Oakwood after 16 years and worked with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia providing instruction to local government elected officials and staff members on public works-related topics.

Before his appointment as president, Brown served on the APWA Board of Directors for five years as technical director, leadership & management. In 2015, he was recognized by APWA as a Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Stan Brown, who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in not only city government, public works, leadership but also in association management,” said APWA Chief Executive Officer Scott D. Grayson, CAE. “I want to promote the profession of public works,” said Brown. “I am proud of the services we provide. I am proud of every single public works servant, supplier and support agency. It takes both public and private sector dedication to accomplish our task. Our services are so basic, so important yet so overlooked. I hope to be a voice to promote our profession and to recognize those that are in the trenches making it happen.”

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 23

Communities Look Toward the Future During 2021 Georgia Cities Week

More than 160 cities across the state participated in the 22nd annual Georgia Cities Week (GCW) from Oct. 4-9, 2021, with the theme, “Georgia’s Cities: Shaping the Future.” Sponsored by GMA, GCW is an opportunity to celebrate community achievements and recognize volunteers and city employees. Here are a few of the many celebrations that took place across the state: Jonesboro city leaders hosted a “Celebrate the City” work session, Breakfast on the Green, a city block party, interactive social media conversations and more.

The city of Canton hosted a Halloween Boofest, held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new city hall, a roving roll call with the Canton Police Department, an electronic recycling event and breast cancer awareness walk.

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City leaders in Brunswick hosted several virtual and in-person celebrations for GCW including a special on the city’s TV station, social media and web campaigns as well as passing a resolution and spreading the word for GCW through yard signs.

The city of Dallas kicked off GCW with a proclamation and continued into the week with a State of the Cities Luncheon (through the local chamber of commerce) in the Dallas Civic Center and a 5K run.

The city of Oglethorpe held a coloring contest for the children, an employee luncheon for city employees and handed out treats to residents during GCW.

Leaders in the city of Dunwoody collaborated on an art project for students with Spruill Center for the Arts.

Lake City invited the community to “Coffee with The Cops” and the grand opening for the remodeled city park. The city also hosted an Employee Appreciation Day.

North High Shoals hosted several events including an open house for their new city hall and a civic-engaged focused door prize sign up.

Thomaston city leaders showed love to youth through a kid’s fishing tournament, a touch-a-truck event and with an “If I Were Mayor” essay and art contests.

Fairburn’s Public Safety Day was popular among residents. The city’s additional GCW actives included a “Shape Up Fairburn” health event, literacy nights, a teen job fair, a coffee and jazz event and a community cleanup project.

The city of Rutledge celebrated its 150th birthday during GCW by showcasing the city’s small-town charm and services.

The city of Norcross celebrated GCW by passing out goodie bags to students at the local elementary school.

Residents gathered in unity for the city of Peachtree City’s Faith and Blue concert during GCW, which reinforced the connections between the community and law enforcement professionals.

The city of Lawrenceville went virtual this year with an online scavenger hunt and social media awareness campaign.

Doraville hosted a slew of GCW events including a sidewalk chalk competition and a Public Works Event to highlight this valuable department with an appreciation lunch.

Employees and residents in Union City enjoyed a delicious ice cream social, a celebratory ribbon cutting for the depot, a breast cancer walk and more.

The city of Douglas’ public works department offered a Tire Amnesty Week and hosted customer and staff appreciation events.

The city of Rome celebrated Rome Transit Customer Appreciation Day and the launch of free transit during Georgia Cities Week. Transit riders also received gift bags with goodies donated by local businesses.

Save The Date GEORGIA CITIES WEEK 2022 April 24-30, 2022 Sign up to participate at www.gacities.com

GeorgiaForward Prepares to Change the Game The Young Gamechangers program is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward that brings 50 young professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.

IN 2022 THE YOUNG GAMECHANGERS WILL BE hosted by Dalton-Whitfield County. Dalton leaders recently finalized their four “Challenge Questions” addressing a significant overarching need or opportunity in the community. The Young Gamechangers will spend six months developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community to address these questions.

Dalton-Whitfield County community stakeholders met on a regular basis to develop the four questions:

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#1: DESTINATION DALTON How do we leverage the uniqueness of our multi-cultural community, convenient location on Interstate 75, outdoor recreational amenities and natural beauty of the Northwest Georgia mountains to market Dalton as a destination for visitors, new residents, and businesses?

#2: REDEVELOPMENT The city of Dalton is devoting considerable resources to create a more vibrant community that attracts people (especially families) who wish to live, work and play here. How can Dalton-Whitfield County improve its ability to support neighborhood-based redevelopment in blighted or distressed areas?

majority of Hispanic residents don’t feel welcomed or included in the community. This reluctance is evident across all cultures, occupations, and socioeconomic levels. How can we engage all sectors of the community to bring everyone to the table?

Dalton-Whitfield County’s community stakeholders’ team will present the class with the above challenge questions and then they will be divided in to four teams to address each of the questions. The YG class will research, meet with local stakeholders or leadership, formulate their ideas as a team and come back together to develop the “big ideas” for the proposal presented back to the community along with timelines, potential funding sources, and prospective partners.

Previous Young Gamechangers Host Communities are Americus-Sumter County, Dublin-Laurens County, Douglasville-Douglas County, Augusta-Richmond County, LaGrange-Troup County, Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Albany-Dougherty County and Monroe-Walton County.

#3 EDUCATION In 2019, 70% of Dalton-Whitfield County’s K-12 students were considered economically disadvantaged.

How can the community better support this student population to improve educational outcomes and give them the tools they need to succeed? #4: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A significant percentage of our residents do not feel empowered or feel that their voices are being heard.

Dalton is a very diverse community, where 46.3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino. Unfortunately, the

“ “We are thrilled that Dalton will be the first city north of Atlanta to host the Young Gamechangers program, and we look forward to showing them all that makes our community special. From the beauty of the Northwest Georgia mountains, the history of our great industry, and the charm and diversity of our people, we can’t wait to showcase all that makes Dalton special. Dalton-Whitfield has great momentum on so many fronts with exciting projects that are currently underway, and we look forward to this talented group of young professionals coming into our community to give us their perspective on how we are doing and how we can continue to make Dalton a more attractive place to live, work, and play.”

-ALLYSON M. COKER, PROJECT MANAGER FOR BELIEVE GREATER DALTON

” November/December 2021 | gacities.com 29

Georgia City Solutions Sets Goals for Success It is the time of year when we review and assess accomplishments and turn our attention to goals for the year ahead.

FOR MOST NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, MONEY IS ALWAYS TOP of mind. The degree to which Georgia City Solutions is successful in reaching our fundraising goals is the degree to which we can support and amplify programs and initiatives to help cities reach their full potential.

This takes strategic collaboration and partnerships from many. GCS takes the trust our partners, funders and supporters place in us very seriously and we carefully allocate funds to three areas of focus (youth leadership development, municipal workforce and economic development and equity and inclusion) to confront critical, systemic community challenges.

It is always a plus when you can pair phenomenal weather with a fundraising event. That is exactly what happened Oct. 18 at the GMA Golf Tournament to benefit Georgia City Solutions (GCS). Hosted by the city of Sugar Hill, 96 golfers teed off at the Sugar Hill Golf Club for a fun filled day of golf raising awareness and funds for GCS. The tournament was successful in raising $37,000 for GCS programs and initiatives. Continuing with the plan to move the tournament location around the state to highlight municipal golf courses, the 2022 tournament will be held on Monday, Oct. 17 at the Country Oaks Golf Course in Thomasville.

Thank you to our 2021 golf tournament sponsors and supporters who share our belief that every city deserves the opportunity to reach its full potential. Space does not allow us to list every person and organization who made this year’s tournament successful.

EVENT SPONSORS: Drew, Eckl & Farnham; Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson, LLP; Oliver Maner LLP

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PLATINUM SPONSOR: OUTFRONT Media SILVER SPONSORS: Alexander & Vann Anthem Bennett Law Office, LLC Bradford Settlement Company Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Richardson & Davis, LLP Carothers & Mitchell, LLC CBIZ Valuation Group, LLC Chambless, Higdon, Richardson, Katz & Griggs, LLP Gallagher Bassett Services Gallagher Public Sector Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett & Brieske, LLP Keck & Wood, Inc. Lockton Companies, PlaySouth Playground Creators Quantum National Bank, Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP OTHER SPONSORS: Parker Young Construction, Georgia Beverage Association, Corvel, Young Thagard Hoffman, Georgia 811, Chick-fil-A, ESG Operations In addition to the golf tournament, GCS has other fundraising initiatives underway to include the 2021 year-end Founders Campaign and GivingTuesday on November 30th.

It’s not all about fundraising. Raising awareness is also important. We need ambassadors to help spread the word about GCS by using their influence and following to share the GCS mission. You can be an ambassador by following GCS on Facebook and LinkedIn and encouraging your colleagues, family and friends to do the same. Commenting on a post or sharing a post that interests you will help leverage our efforts.

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ADVOCACY

Full Speed Ahead For Special Session The 2022 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly begins in less than two months, in an election year, with incumbents looking to win in districts that have been reconfigured in the special redistricting session.

IN ADDITION, STATE REVENUES REMAIN STRONG, and the “rainy day” reserve is over $2 billion, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

These combinations lead to two tendencies in the actions of legislators: chalk up some legislative “wins,” and then hit the campaign trail by the time the Masters tournament begins.

Tax cuts are a typical go-to legislative win in election years, but other issues that have a balance of good policy and politics are likely too, with House Speaker David Ralston’s focus on mental health funding being an example.

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A truism that Dean of the Georgia House of Representatives Calvin Smyre has often repeated is: “It takes coal to run a train, it takes gold to run a campaign.” Along those lines, there will be a new monetary dynamic in the 2022 legislative session because of changes to the state’s ethics law which took effect in July 2021. For the first time in more than 30 years, the governor and legislative leaders can create special political action committees to raise an unlimited amount of cash from special interest groups, corporations and individuals during the legislative session.

Meanwhile, House and Senate members have been is examining the current rates and fees structure for busy in the interim focused on several issues which usage of the public rights-of-way throughout the state could impact municipal governments when the 2022 and will be making recommendations for legislation in session begins in January.

2022.

Several bills were introduced in the 2021 session Additionally, legislative study committees have of the General Assembly to either restrict the ability of been meeting and will make recommendations for the cities to annex or expand the ability of other govern2022 session, including the House Rural Development ments to block proposed annexations.

Council examining the gap between urban and rural A House Study Committee on Annexation is exGeorgia, specifically as it relates to broadband service pected to make recommendations on improving the and workforce development, and the E-Commerce & annexation arbitration process which is triggered when Freight Infrastructure and Airport Infrastructure and Ima county objects to an annexation. GMA’s governmenprovements committees. tal relations team is working “City officials need to con“Currently, there are five proposed new closely with the committee sider hosting meetings with

cities pending in the General Assembly, members to give them a mulegislators and members of nicipal perspective on the anGMA’s lobbying team prior to including one which would deannex nexation processes cities use. the start of the 2022 session. portions of GMA’s largest member, the “Cities are popular placHolding a meeting like this is city of Atlanta, to create a new es to be, and this leads to a way to make a ‘Hometown Buckhead City,” Gehl said. proposed annexation and Connection’ with members of proposals to create new cities,” said GMA Director your legislative delegation between now and the end of Governmental Relations Tom Q. Gehl. “Currently, of the year,” said Charlotte Davis, deputy director of there are five proposed new cities pending in the Gengovernmental relations. “These are vital in creating a eral Assembly, including one which would deannex partnership between you and your city, your legislators portions of GMA’s largest member, the city of Atlanta, and GMA’s advocacy goals.” to create a new Buckhead City,” Gehl said.

Gehl also pointed out that GMA’s membership adopted a guiding policy to oppose the creation of any new city using portions of an existing city, such as was proposed by the Eagles Landing referendum in 2018 and the Buckhead City referendum in 2022.

If this precedent is set by the General Assembly, one of the main concerns GMA has with this approach to creating a new city is its potential to have negative impacts on all municipal bonds and credit ratings.

The governmental relations team has also been participating in meetings with the House Study Committee on Rights-of-Way Governance. The legislative committee

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 33

INNOVATION

Training Classes Help City Officials Gain Municipal Money Management Skills Effectively managing taxpayers’ resources is one of the core duties expected of elected and senior-level city officials.

THOSE NEW TO CITY GOVERNMENT MAY FIND this to be a daunting task. That’s where the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute comes in. Operated via a partnership between GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG), the training institute offers several classes to help city officials understand municipal budgeting, finances, taxation and securing grants and loans.

The six-hour Municipal Finance I and Municipal Finance II training classes are on the required list for the training institute’s certificate program. The training institute designed the finance classes to equip those in governance with the knowledge needed to fulfill their role.

“Mayors and council members serve as the oversight body for their government,” said Tracy Arner, one of the instructors for the municipal finance classes. She also manages CVIOG’s Financial Management Training Program.

“Elected officials represent the taxpayers and hold city management accountable,” Arner said. “Part of that responsibility includes having enough knowledge to review a financial statement and ask questions.”

The municipal finance classes also cover some of the many Georgia laws about the local government budget process.

“Knowing state requirements allows municipal elected officials to understand what to expect and more fully participate in the oversight process,” Arner said.

“Many local government officials have not worked in the public sector and can benefit from learning the laws and rules that govern financial accountability.”

Officials would also do well to learn about municipal taxation.

“One of the most important decisions that elected officials make is how to allocate the ‘revenue pie’ to provide for the delivery of services to residents,” said Georgia City Solutions Managing Director and former Roswell City Administrator Kay Love, who teaches the three-hour Municipal Taxation 101: The Basics class. The class is also on the required list for training certificates.

“Every decision that city officials make somehow has a connection to the budget and funding,” Love said.

“It is imperative that city officials understand the sources of revenue that make up the city’s ‘revenue pie.’ The

more diverse the pie, the less risk or volatility the city may experience in an economic downturn or unforeseen circumstances.”

Love noted that Georgia cities have substantial taxation autonomy.

“In Municipal Taxation 101: The Basics, the class participants learn about some (not all) of the municipal taxation options available to cities. The class reviews property taxes (real and personal) and sales taxes (Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST),” Love said. “These taxes typically make up the largest percentage of a city’s revenue budget.”

The training institute also offers Taxation 102: The Basic Continued, which covers additional taxation options.

Even with fiscal management know-how, CVIOG leaders and city experts have discovered that money for projects, services and facilities may not meet all of a city’s needs.

This is where the Money, Money, Money…Money!

Funding City Projects and Programs Through Grants and Loans class comes to assist city officials identify additional funds and the important processes for accessing and utilizing them to improve communities.

For more information about these and other classes in the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Institute curriculum, visit the institute’s page on GMA’s website at: www.gacities. com/What-We-Do/Training-Education/

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 35

SERVICE

GMA Certificate Program Simplifies Revenue for Cities GMA’s Municipal Revenue Administration Certificate Program (MRAC) provides city officials with multiple classes regarding taxes and municipal revenue.

WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS, MUNICIPAL CITY managers, city clerks, finance officers, customer service staff and other municipal employees complete these courses, they are presented with an MRAC certificate and recognized at GMA’s Annual Convention in Savannah.

Past MRAC participants see significant benefits from the information they learn from GMA staff and expert presenters. In testimonials, they explain how complicated subject matter is clearly and engagingly presented: 36

“I picked up some great tips we can put to use here at the city, and I texted the unclaimed funds link to all of my friends and family! I appreciate the way you promoted an interactive environment and were open to comments.”

– KILEY FRESCO, CITY CLERK, POOLER “I was sent to GMA training because I am new to government. After your class, I had a much clearer picture of how all the pieces fit together. I was able to talk with other attendees about how things are

done in their cities. I found out about resources I didn’t know where available to me. It was extremely informative, and I am so glad I went!”

– LISA FARR, REVENUE COORDINATOR, MILTON “As a new city manager, this program was exceedingly beneficial. It provided a detailed view of subjects like municipal revenue sources, updates to legislation and best practices. I am grateful for the wealth of knowledge shared by the GMA staff and presenters. Thank you, GMA, for sponsoring such a stellar program!”

– CHERYSH GREEN-CALDWELL, CITY MANAGER, ASHBURN “I really enjoyed that we have a variety of instructors during this particular class period. I realize that some of the other MRAC information can be a bit dry and covering it all at once is necessary —if for no other reason than scheduling—but it was good to vary the subject matter and speakers during the day.”

– WARNER ROBINS MRAC CLASS PARTICIPANT

“The MRAC program was a comprehensive look at the inner workings and challenges of revenue collection and tax issues that the public generally doesn’t see. This class has trained me to be better informed and educated about these complicated processes, which will undoubtedly make me a more effective and knowledgeable public servant and council member. I highly recommend it to any elected official who wants to better serve their constituents and community.”

– STATESBORO MRAC CLASS PARTICIPANT

For more information about MRAC, contact Director of Member Services Pam Helton, phelton@gacities.com, or Training Manager Aileen Harris, aharris@gacities.com.

REGISTER TODAY:

HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION CERTIFICATE GMA also offers another certificate program, Human Resources Administration Certificate Program (HRAC). The association will host multiple training classes in the spring of 2022. The program includes five classes specifically designed to provide city elected officials and appointed staff with the tools necessary to successfully recruit, train, and retain talent to provide services to their communities. The program also addresses the expanded need from the previous service of HR Express which offered online webinars, training and access to personnel law attorneys. The HRAC

program will be delivered in locations throughout the state for easy accessibility, as well as online.

The HRAC classes will be held: March 23 | March 30 | April 6 | April 13 | April 20 For more information about MRAC, contact Director of Member Services Pam Helton, phelton@gacities.com, or Training Manager Aileen Harris, aharris@gacities.com.

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 37

GMA Financial Services Program Highlights Since 1991, GMA Financial Services have closed over 5,750 individual transactions totaling over $2.0 billion in transaction value.

GMA DIRECT LEASE PROGRAM

GMA BRICKS & MORTAR PROGRAM

PROGRAM FUNCTION:

PROGRAM FUNCTION:

Finances essential equipment including police/fire vehicles, heavy equipment, computer servers and other essential projects.

Finances qualified real estate purchases including city halls, fire/police stations, parks/theaters/greenspaces and other qualified real estate.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

Since 2017, GMA member cities have used the program to generate an estimated interest savings of over $5.6 million (340 transactions with a value of $110 million).

Since 2017, GMA member cities have used the program to generate an estimated interest savings of over $9.3 million (40 transactions with a value of $185 million).

Attractive interest rates obtained though GMA’s network of lenders.

Flexible financing terms, ranging from 5 to 20 years.

Flexible payment terms from 2 to 13 years depending on the underlying equipment being financed.

No upfront fees. No required down payments.

Usually no prepayment penalties.

No upfront fees, prepayment penalties or residual payments due at lease expiration.

Compliance with Section 36-60-13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

Dedicated GMA staff tasked to work with the city from origination to close.

Dedicated GMA staff tasked to work with the city from origination to close.

Factoring Equity into Budgeting

By Nikki Perry “Equity” in the financial world refers to fund balance or net position. In terms of the social justice movement, however, equity in budgeting has new meaning for local governments.

Equality follows a clear formula: if there are four people at the table, divide the meal into four parts. Equity is nuanced, accounting for imbalances to achieve fairness: perhaps one person missed lunch and is hungrier for dinner.

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 39

E

quity-based budgeting is a way to ensure that that guides planning and policy making to support government services are distributed in a way that specific elements of the community vision, said City meets the needs of everyone in a community.

Manager Christian Sigman. The addition of a Social “When we talk about equity, how you get to a Justice, Race and Equity Commission in 2020 highplace where you are equitable in your community, it all lights the city’s commitment to transparency in social starts with where you are allocating your resources,” justice initiatives, as well as providing oversight and said Harpreet Hora, an advocate for equity in budgetaccountability for policy makers. ing. “As the saying goes, tell Sigman said that transme how you are budgeting lating this community vision Equity-based budgeting your funds, and I’ll tell you into policy involves far more is a way to ensure that what your priorities are.” than checking off boxes and Hora, who currently overmeeting quotas. government services are sees budget services for At“It needs to be purpose distributed in a way that lanta Public Schools, formerly built and part of your larger meets the needs of led equity-based budgeting organizational structure,” everyone in a community. in Roswell and speaks on the Sigman said. “It has to be topic nationally through the the job of every employee to Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). approach decision making through the lens of social She said that the process of creating an equity-based justice, racial equity, and community engagement.” budget does not begin with the numbers, but with setThe Government Alliance on Race and Equity ting priorities as an organization.

(GARE) offers a Racial Equity Tool to guide governments The city of Brookhaven began that process in 2019 as they put ideas into actions. The tool combats sysby adopting “Sustainable Brookhaven,” a framework temic racism by institutionalizing racial equity. It helps

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governments identify how a practice, procedure or policy will achieve more racially equitable outcomes, as well as ways to measure the resulting impact, said GARE director Gordon F. Goodwin.

He gave this example: A local government designates off-street parking area for a public building.

The outcome is that fewer parking infractions are committed, and fewer fines are collected. The result is that more accessible, no-cost parking induces more people respond to family court appearances, the case backlog diminishes, more families receive important decisions in a timely manner, and respondents avoid parking fines that endanger their ability to pay other expenses.

The Racial Equity Tool leans on participation from communities that experience racial disparity to help identify causes and solutions.

“The Racial Equity Tool illustrates that when government includes participants from communities that experience racial disparity in the process of identifying root causes that contribute to racial disparities, and engineering strategies to address those racial disparities – the solutions are more likely to reflect the insights of those who are most significantly burdened by racial inequity and are much more likely to be effective,” Goodwin said. “When we focus on making government services accessible for those who have the least access to it – we will invent new ways of governing that work better for all of us.”

Gathering data is important to reveal inequities in the community. Data can be transformative by exposing implicit biases and inequities, then informing the steps necessary to move forward. The data doesn’t have to be as complex as the 25-point equity index developed by the city of Tacoma, Wash. to be effective, but a city must be open to asking the hard questions and acknowledging the answers.

“It’s a willingness to look at that data, to analyze that data, to report that data. That is refreshing for an organization,” Brookhaven’s Sigman said. Brookhaven is one of the few cities that releases use of force data on its website, a testament to the city’s dedication to transparency.

While the support of the community, elected officials and city management is crucial, Hora said that the changes required for equity-based budgeting must be embraced by the city finance department. Some may fear increased demands on staff or the need for additional positions. That is not a requirement, she said.

“It’s just about using your existing resources and bringing about the changes necessary to be able to do more important and meaningful work,” Hora said.

“We encourage using racial equity tools across all aspects of governing to advance a new standard for achieving excellence in public service delivery. Start where you can – but please do start. Staff size should not prevent using the racial equity tool to pursue a pathway for positive change,” Goodwin said.

RESOURCES Government Finance Officers Association: https://www.gfoa.org/equity Government Alliance on Race and Equity: https://www.racialequityalliance.org

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 41

TOWNS & THE LAW

New Cyber Coverage Requirements & Available ARPA Funds Prompt Investment in Cybersecurity

BY ALISON CLINE EARLES, SENIOR ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL CIPP/US GMA

UNDERWRITING CHANGES AND LIKELY AVAILABILITY OF ARPA FUNDS MAKE THE TIME RIPE FOR CITIES TO INVEST IN “MUST HAVE” CYBERSECURITY MEASURES. CITY LEADERS SHOULD REVIEW UNDERWRITING QUESTIONNAIRES WITH IT AND DEVELOP PLANS TO IMPLEMENT MISSING INFORMATION SECURITY MEASURES. Faced with ransomware and cyberattack risks, many cities depend on cyber coverage for financial protection and response services. Recently, carriers have overhauled underwriting requirements. Per Lockton, without the asterisked measures below, cities will be unable to purchase or renew cyber coverage. Moreover, coverage may be limited if the following “MUST HAVE” security controls are not in place.

• Multifactor authentication*is in place for email, privileged accounts, and remote access.

• Endpoint detection and response* has been deployed.

• Offline, offsite, current backups of critical data are available and tested.* • Workers complete user training and regular phishing tests.

• Sensitive data is encrypted.

• City employs/contracts for a skilled security team.

• City promptly updates and patches operating systems, applications, and firmware.

• City maintains and tests an incident response plan.

• A third party performs penetration tests of systems.

• City segments its networks.

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CITY LEADERS SHOULD USE AVAILABLE ARPA FUNDS. Treasury urges recipients to use State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (“SLFRF”) for eligible expenses: “Recipients can and should rely on the Interim Final Rule to determine whether uses of funds are eligible . . . .

Treasury encourages recipients to use funds . . . . Funds used in a manner consistent with [the Rule] . . . will not be subject to recoupment.” SLFRF can be used for cybersecurity investments as follows: • If a city can document revenue losses attributable to the pandemic, for “government services,” including “modernization of cybersecurity, including hardware, software, and protection of critical infrastruc ture,” up to the amount of revenue lost.

• For “cybersecurity needs to protect water or sewer infrastructure.”

• For expenses incurred in response to the pandemic or its economic fallout. Assessing whether expenses are responsive requires the recipient to, “first, identify a need or negative impact [of the pan demic]. . . and, second, identify how the . . . intervention addresses the identified need or impact.” A city implementing remote municipal courts, expanding telework, and promoting remote payments due to the pandemic might determine (with legal guidance) that related cy bersecurity costs are eligible.

• For legal opinions about expense eligibility.

For a more detailed version of this article with citations to Treasury guidance, visit gacities.com/news/the-latest.aspx.

UGA’s Economic Outlook Returns to In-person Events 2022 GEORGIA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK PROVIDES ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS FOR INFORMED DECISIONS AS GEORGIA EMERGES FROM TWO YEARS OF economic uncertainty, University of Georgia Terry College of Business experts will address Georgia’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession, the booming housing market and what to expect in the year to come at the 39th annual Georgia Economic Outlook series.

The state’s premier economic forecasting series— coming to eight Georgia cities—will return to its traditional format of luncheon programs this winter. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., and the programs begin at 12:30 p.m.

The statewide tour will kick off Dec. 13 in Atlanta. Keynote speaker Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economist at Wells Fargo, will deliver the national forecast, and Terry College of Business Dean Benjamin C. Ayers will deliver the state forecast. The tour will continue onto seven more stops in January and February, where attendees will hear forecasts from local experts. Registration is open for all dates at events.terry.uga.edu/eo/

• Albany: Jan. 26, 2022 at the Hilton Garden Inn • Columbus: Jan. 27, 2022 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center • Athens: Feb. 2, 2022 at the Classic Center • Macon: Feb. 8, 2022 at the Edgar H. Wilson Convention Center The Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business provides the forecast data and analysis. For more information and to register for the Georgia Economic Outlook, visit www.terry.uga.edu/eo.

GMA is a co-sponsor of the 2022 Georgia Economic Outlook.

PLAN TO ATTEND • Atlanta: Dec. 13 at the Georgia Aquarium • Augusta: Jan. 7, 2022 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center • Jekyll Island: Jan. 12. 2022 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center • Savannah: Jan. 2022 presented by the Savannah Chatham Chamber of Commerce, at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 43

FEDERAL FOCUS

Inside Look: 2020 Census Count Question Resolution Process

The release of 2020 Census data has allowed cities to examine population, demographic and housing changes within their jurisdictions since the last decennial survey in 2010.

While some are seeing population numbers that match their expectations, others are wondering why theirs are not quite what they anticipated.

So, if a city has cause for concern over its latest population count, what recourse is there to have it investigated and possibly revised?

The U.S. Census Bureau has set up the 2020 Count Question Resolution (CQR) Program through which local elected officials can have their numbers formally reviewed. Cases come in one of three forms: boundary, geocoding or coverage. Each requires specific documentation. Since the 2010 program, the Census Bureau has consolidated geocoding and coverage cases into one category – count cases – based on the assumption that governments might not easily distinguish the two.

A boundary case reviews legal boundaries in effect as of Jan. 1, 2020, and their associated addresses.

A count case looks at—for housing and the associated population as of April 1, 2020—errors in either their

location within a block (geocoding) or their duplication or exclusion (coverage). Any other cases, such as reviewing an address’ occupancy status, are outside the scope of CQR and will not be considered.

Following the 2010 Census, 16 CQR challenges were brought forth by cities in Georgia (about 6.7% of all cases across the country). Thirteen of them resulted in a change to jurisdiction counts. While this may seem like a high success rate, it is important to recognize the limitations of the CQR process and what to expect (and not to expect) when a case does lead to a correction.

For example, any revised counts will be used in subsequent annual population estimates and can be used by cities for future federal funding programs; however, they would not lead to updates of any 2020 Census data products, including redistricting and apportionment data. Initiating a case can require significant resources that your city must be prepared to expend until the case is closed.

If your city decides to forge ahead with a CQR challenge, act now: • Consider the parameters that might’ve contributed to an unexpected Census result, such as reference dates, where people are counted, and year-to-year population changes.

• Gather detailed data down to the census block to document a potential miscount. At a minimum, boundary cases must be supported by county block maps depicting the potentially correct and incorrect boundaries and the residential addresses affected by the boundary. For count cases, cities must provide a block count list with housing unit and group quarter counts.

• Review and stay updated on all available information about the 2020 program, including key dates.

The circumstances in which the 2020 Census was conducted were less than ideal. The results do largely align with overall benchmarks, but pandemic-induced delays and other barriers could have impacted data quality in non-trivial ways.

When population is under- or over-counted, it’s not simply an accounting issue. Applications of Census data are far-reaching: it feeds into the redistricting process, which impacts voting power and electoral outcomes; federal funding distributions for programs like Medicare and SNAP; and a variety of policy and business decisions that impact cities and their residents.

A 2019 report by the George Washington Institute of Public Policy found that in FY2016, Georgia received over $23.8 billion in federal spending across 55 programs guided by 2010 Census data.

CQR cases that present compelling, well-founded evidence to amend official data can have a meaningful impact on underlying communities. The Census Bureau will accept cases beginning Jan. 3, 2022, through June 30, 2023 and seeks to respond to each case within 90 days of receipt.

For questions about CQR or the Census, please contact Claire Chan at cchan@gacities.com.

Resources for CQR: Overview and Key Dates: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ decennial-census/ Factsheet: www.census.gov/library/fact-sheets/ 2021/2020-census-cqr.html FAQs: www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ decennial-census/ 2010 program: www.census.gov/programs-surveys/

Connecting with Georgia’s

Children

Youth

By Rebecca Rice and Elizabeth Turner

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.

Engaging Our Youth to Improve Georgia’s Civic Health

What do young people need from their communities?

How can decision-makers change local systems to better support younger constituents? What can adults do to ensure youth have the desire and information they need to become active, contributing members of their communities now—and in the future?

To answer these questions, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) went straight to the source in spring 2021. We can learn a lot from our next generation of leaders if we take the time to ask and listen.

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Through a joint effort, GMA, GaFCP and our networks aim to allow teen voices to help shape the way local elected officials and other community leaders operate—from day-to-day activities to system-level policies and procedures. We hope needs are better known and met, and that ultimately young people feel more empowered to become active and productive participants in their communities.

Building on our partnership to produce the 2019 Georgia Civic Health Index, GMA and GaFCP worked with an evaluator to design a survey aimed at assessing teens’ needs, their ability to access services to meet those needs, and help them become more engaged.

The survey was tested with members of city-sponsored youth councils. In April, a pilot was launched

in Dahlonega, Macon-Bibb County, and Washington County (Sandersville). The local city government and Georgia Family Connection partners tapped into existing local relationships with youth-serving organizations. Using varying methods of data collection, all three communities achieved a statistically significant, representative sample of high-school-aged youth.

The results revealed that young Georgians have unmet needs, with a recurring theme of lack of transportation, especially to and from jobs and after-school activities. Data disaggregated by race and ethnicity showed significant disparities with 81% of white, 50% of Black or Latino males, and 36% of Black or Latina females reporting adequate transportation.

When asked what they need help with, 41% said assistance with finding or applying for a job. Other top responses were help graduating from high school and help participating in after-school activities. Multiple respondents also reported needing help getting enough food to eat, staying safe from gangs and feeling safe in their neighborhood.

The most common form of civic engagement is visiting local parks, followed by contact with school board members and attending local community events. Some teens identified contact with law enforcement as their experience with civic institutions and some follow local government or an elected official on social media.

Overall, the youth reported more positive experiences with institutions than negative experiences; however, Black and Latino respondents reported fewer positive experiences with local institutions than

white respondents. The survey also revealed little direct engagement between local elected officials and their youth populations, with the least common response regarding engagement being contact with a mayor, city council member or county commissioner.

When asked what would make youth more likely to engage, the most common response was more activities available to the community. Others said safety and security, community service and breaking down racial barriers.

The top change respondents would like to see in their communities is reducing violence and improving safety, indicating a need for youth to feel more secure in their communities. Black and Latinx respondents were more than four times as likely as white respondents to seek improvement in safety and security.

We will implement the survey in five more communities this fall—and hopefully even more in 2022. The 2019 Georgia Civic Health Index revealed that Georgians have opportunities to improve civic engagement. By listening to our young people and working to meet their needs now, we can help ensure that the next generation of adults are engaged, informed, contributing members of our communities — an outcome that will benefit us all.

To read the full article visit the Reference Articles section at www.gacities.com

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 47

CITYLITES

Fairs and Festivals December 3-January 21, 2022 Skate the Station Atlanta

December 3-4 Conyers Christmas Party & Parade Conyers

December 3 Christmas Fest & Courthouse Wonderland Toccoa

December 4 Winterfest Conyers

First Friday Sip & Shop Featuring the Lauren Mitchell Band Thomasville Christmas Tree Lighting Hiram Christmas on Main Savannah Santa’s Arrival Acworth Jingle & Mingle Dublin Christmas Tree Lighting Kennesaw Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Brunswick 48

Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Lilburn Jingle Market Dawsonville

Alamo Christmas in the City Parade Alamo

December 5 Star Light, Star Bright Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Watkinsville

Festival of Lights Douglas

Christmas in Grayson Grayson

Fainting Goat Vineyards 5K Jasper

December 6 Christmas on the Square Adairsville

Hometown Holiday Celebration Tifton The Bowl at Sugar Hill Sugar Hill Deck the Hall Duluth Christmas Parade Cumming

Christmas on the Square Adairsville December 9 Hahira Christmas Tree Lighting Hahira Christmas in Kingsland Kingsland

December 9-10 Victorian Christmas Thomasville December 11 Breakfast with Santa Hoschton December 9-11 Sip & Shop Holiday Family Movie Night Thomasville December 30 – January 2 New Year’s Bluegrass Festival 2021 Brunswick December 30 – January 1 Jekyll Island Bluegrass Festival Jekyll Island December 31 First Night Dahlonega Dahlonega New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration Tybee Island

New Year’s Eve in Savannah Savannah January 1 Polar Plunge Tybee Island January 6-9 Atlanta Boat Show Atlanta January 15 Model Train Show Atlanta January 17 MLK Day March & Rally Atlanta

January 22 Phoenix Pass Frosty 5K Conyers February 4-6 Jugglers Festival Atlanta Brasstown Sweetheart Arts & Crafts Show Young Harris February 11 Georgia History Festivals Georgia Day Parade Savannah

MLK Day Roswell Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Service Day Thomasville

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

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

November/December 2021 | gacities.com 49

GEORGIA GEMS OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION

EXPERIENCE “CHRISTMAS PAST” AT GEORGIA’S Old Governor’s Mansion this holiday season. The antebellum home is decorated to reflect its peak in the 1850s, with a showstopping 30-foot tree in the rotunda. Visitors will see how Gov. Howell Cobb, and all who called the mansion home, celebrated Christmas in Milledgeville.

Guided daytime tours take in the history and beautiful décor, starting Nov. 21 through the end of the year during regular operating hours. Candlelight tours are a real treat, available on the first three Saturdays in December. Angelic voices bring the house to life with music around the Christmas tree, creating a moving, memorable experience.

“Hands down my favorite part of the tour is the tree in the rotunda and the live music,” said Haley Stodart, curator of education and public engagement.

“The tree is just stunning. I enjoy seeing the guests’ reactions.”

The mansion served as the governor’s home for more than 30 years, until the state capital was moved to Atlanta after the Civil War. The building then became the founding home of Georgia College, which continues to care for the mansion today as a museum.

An extensive restoration begun in the 1990s, funded by the Georgia General Assembly and the Woodruff Foundation, restored the mansion to its original layout and appearance. It is known nationwide as a model of High Green Revival architecture. In-person and virtual history tours are available year-round, focusing on both the free and enslaved occupants in the mansion’s storied past.

CHRISTMAS AT GEORGIA’S OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION CANDLELIGHT TOURS: Dec. 4, 11, 18 6 or 7 p.m. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $2 students, free under age 6 Reservations required. 478-445-4545 or haley.stodart@gcsu.edu

DAYTIME TOURS: Nov. 21-Dec. 31 Closed for holidays: Nov. 25-28, Dec. 24-26 Mondays closed Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $2 students, free under age 6 Tickets available at the door. www.gcsu.edu/mansion

2021 BUSINESS ALLIANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER Alston & Bird

eCycle Atlanta

Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett & Brieske

Precision Planning, Inc.

Ameresco

Elarbee Thompson

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Publiq Software

ATLAS

Energy Systems Group

IUC - Interactive Utility Communications

Republic Services, Inc.

Avenu Insights & Analytics

Engineering Management, Inc.

Jacobs

RMA - Rindt McDuff

AVR

Environmental Corporation of America (ECA)

Keck & Wood

Rushton & Company

Linkscape 360

Seyfarth Shaw, LLP

Manley Spangler Smith Architects, P.C.

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

McGuireWoods Consulting LLC

SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson

McKinstry

Stifel

Bates Carter Belfor Black Mountain Software Cadence Group Charles Abbott Associates Clark Patterson Lee Coca Cola UNITED Bottling Comcast Business Comprehensive Program Services Crews & Associates, Inc. Davenport Public Finance

EnviroTron Falcon Design Consultants First Billing Services – A Paya Company Gallagher Bassett Georgia 811 Georgia Transmission GFL Environmental Inc GMC Government Window Granicus

Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia

SUEZ

Municipal Revenue Services

The Shpigler Group

Municode

US Bank

Murray Barnes Finister, LLP

Verra Mobility

Nichols, Cauley & Associates

Volkert, Inc.

OptoTraffic

World Scapes, LLC

Parker Young Construction, Inc.

NONPROFIT Alliance for Innovation Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission Georgia Economic Developers Association Georgia Equality

Georgia Manufactured Housing Association Georgia Mountains Regional Commission Georgia Public Web Georgia Restaurant Association Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission

MEAG Power

Southern Georgia Regional Commission

Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission

Middle Georgia Regional Commission Northeast Georgia Regional Commission Northwest Georgia Regional Commission

The Brick Industry Association Three Rivers Regional Commission

201 Pryor Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303

CITIES

UNITED SUMMIT JANUARY 21-24, 2022

Invited special guests including Georgia’s top leaders

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

SAVE THE DATE:

2022 CITIES UNITED SUMMIT JANUARY 21-24, 2022 | ATLANTA HILTON AND TOWERS

More than six opportunities to engage directly with Georgia legislators

The Capitol Connection Breakfast followed by a “Cities United” trip to the Gold Dome*

*If Covid-19 protocols at the State Capitol permit

Register today at: www.gacities.com Contact Erica Grier for questions regarding Cities United Summit at epowell@gacities.com

Unmatched training opportunities offered by the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute