November/December 2019

November/December 2019

ADVOCACY. SERVICE. INNOVATION.

Columns & Features In This Issue Public Art: An Economic Catalyst for Cities | City Helps Business Thrive Af ter Fire Staff Fosters Community Development | Cities United Summit Schedule

Page 34

Douglasville recently adopted the new motto, “Impact That Matters,” and is making good on it through a new program that encourages and rewards employee volunteerism.

November/December 2019 Volume 1 • No. 3

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Table of Contents FEATURES PUBLIC ART: AN ECONOMIC CATALYST FOR CITIES...................................... 05 FROM THE ASHES: CITY HELPS BUSINESS THRIVE AFTER DEVASTATING FIRE... 14 CITY STAFF FOSTERS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT..................................... 34 INCUBATORS POPPING UP THROUGHOUT GEORGIA TO SPUR GROWTH....... 38 CITYSCAPES..................................................................................................... 08 + Take Time to Reflect on the Value of Georgia’s Cities + Economic Development: A Part of the GMA Mission + The Next Urban Comeback + GICH Celebrates 15 Years of Housing Stability

CITY DESK.........................................................................................................16 + How One Year Changed the City of Louisville’s Future + Small Town,Big Impact: Oxford Opens First Active Park + City Spotlight: Fort Gaines + A Quick Guide to Federal Opportunity Zones + Q&A: Bo Chance Answers Call to Small Town Development

INSIDE GMA..................................................................................................... 24 + Innovation: New Publication Focuses on the Arts and Economic Development + Dates Announced for 2020 Newly Elected Officials Institute + How It Works: Hotel & Motel Tax Recovery Service + Dedicated Leaders Honored for Their Lifetime of Service + Cities United Summit Overview

ADDITIONAL + GMA’s Local Government Practicum Seeks New Project Proposals.......................40 + 2020 Census................................................................................................ 42 + Downtown Developments..............................................................................44 + Federal Focus: NLC Releases Cybersecurity Report............................................46 + Towns & Law: Social Media as the Modern Town Square.....................................48

CITYLITES......................................................................................................... 49 + Fairs and Festivals + Georgia Gems: Claxton Fruit Cake Traditions

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

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Public Art:

An Economic Catalyst for Cities

BY NIKKI PERRY

Even with a $100,000 corporate sponsorship, public art projects aren’t easy. Yet, cities across Georgia have used creativity, resourcefulness and collaboration to create inexpensive but impactful public art including leaders in the city of Monroe who used paint and string lighting to solve their “walking problem” in downtown.

“THERE WERE 900 PARKING SPACES within the downtown boundaries. That’s what made us realize that we don’t have a parking problem, we have a walking problem and a problem activating the parking that is not on the main street,” said Sadie Krawczyk, economic development director for the Monroe Downtown Development Authority.

First, the city identified businesses open from 9-5 that would allow public use of their parking lots after hours. Then, city leaders worked to make the walk to Broad Street more enjoyable. Starting with a city-owned alley next to the police department, Krawczyk said they hung string lighting and hired a local window artist to paint a colorful mural. Funding came from a Georgia Council for the Arts Vibrant Communities Grant, which is available for up to $5,000.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 5

For the second mural off E. Washington Street, Krawczyk and Monroe Main Street Coordinator Leigh Ann Walker painted it themselves. The piano-key crosswalk was completed in an afternoon with the help of Hope Reece, director of the Monroe Art Guild, who joined Krawczyk painting after she saw the project in progress.

“You don’t have to be an artist. We asked the local sign shop to print some stencils. We splattered some paint on the wall, peeled it off, and we had a mural. It was that easy,” Krawczyk said.

“If you get something simple enough that people can jump into together, you can have a very big impact.”

A new restaurant quickly moved into the building adjacent to the police department alley and two other retail spaces have found a home next to the painted alleys.

“Part of their excitement for investing in that space was what we were doing behind it,” Krawczyk said. Since then, Monroe has installed more alley murals, a musical instrument alley, sculpture garden, seasonal painted windows, painted hydrant art and even painted dumpsters.

Local businesses have contributed instruments, plants and planters, benches and their own time to the cause of sprucing up downtown. Peyton Pettus, a State Farm agent whose office is in a historic building on N. Broad Street, was one of those contributors.

“We have several outdoor events throughout the year including farm to table events, outdoor concerts, parades and festivals, which bring thousands of people to the downtown area,” Pettus said. “A little bit of sweat equity and care on behalf of the DDA, and you provide an upgraded experience to those families as they walk in from their parking spaces.”

Creativity in Gainesville Drives Engagement In Gainesville, local business owners initiated the transformation of one downtown parking area. After the Royal Theater closed in 1979, the property became a parking lot to serve office tenants in the renovated Dixie Hunt Hotel. Last year, the lot was transformed again, this time into a 24/7 outdoor art gallery with huge paintings, steel “trees” with colored glass bottles for “leaves,” grass and string lighting.

Frank Norton Jr. manages the Hunt Tower property and happens to be chairman of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s Vision 2030 Public Art Committee. The committee holds an annual event in the Royal Space, as the parking lot is now known, to raise money for public art projects all over Hall County.

“Public art sharpens the visual landscape, enriches culture and community connectivity with all demographic segments,” Norton said. “Art can also transform visually bland spaces in urban cores, creating event spaces and energy.

For a small investment, we helped create an event space for our tenants and a focal point,” Norton said.

Notice what both stories from Monroe and Gainesville have in common? Community involvement.

Stephanie Aylworth, Downtown Development Manager for the Georgia Cities Foundation, said “placemaking” projects like these are an economic catalyst. Aylworth manages the Georgia Placemaking Collaborative, a program to help selected cities develop local partnerships to address economic and quality of life issues.

“Whenever you add those types of things into your recruitment strategy, you’re going to have a higher success rate” she said.

And it’s not just local businesses that are seeking a sense of place.

“Even large companies are looking for that,” Aylworth said. “It’s not just, ‘How are the school systems?’ It’s, ‘How is the community? Is there a place for me to hang out, or take my kids, or get a beer and meet other people?’ A lot of companies

“Public art sharpens the visual landscape, enriches culture and community connectivity with all demographic segments”

are valuing that. People want to feel like they belong to the community.”

Community participation in the creation of these spaces is essential, she said, if public art is to be a true reflection of the city.

“Elected officials come and go. City staff comes and goes. But your residents stay there and own property there—it’s their tax dollars and their community,” Aylworth said.

CITYSCAPES

Take Time to Reflect on the Value of Georgia’s Cities

BY DUBLIN MAYOR PHIL BEST, GMA PRESIDENT

As the 1980s icon and philosopher Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

RIGHT. IF YOU’RE HE’S anything like me, life does move fast, too fast at times. Between my two day jobs—you know, the one that pays the bills and the other one as an elected official (along with church activities, various civic responsibilities, GMA duties and events and time with family and friends) there’s always something going on.

So, as we come to the end of 2019 and look to the New Year, I decided to take Mr. Bueller’s advice to stop and look around to make sure I know what Georgia’s cities are doing. What I see is amazing.

Cities across Georgia are actively working to remove blight in their communities. Other cities, both large and small, are grappling with affordable housing issues. Two metro-Atlanta cities are dealing with toxic emissions from local facilities. Cities across Georgia continue to work on regulating vacation and shortterm rentals.

Investments in parks and recreation facilities continue to be a priority for many cities. Other communities are in the midst of water and sewer upgrades.

Gangs, youth violence, parking, technology and innovation, planning and development concerns, new city halls, youth focused projects, visioning efforts, city workforce development struggles, homelessness and quality-of-life efforts of every kind are all being tackled

by Georgia’s cities.

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I don’t mention these things to brag about cities, although they certainly deserve it. Rather, I’ve listed these efforts for two reasons. The first is to highlight the value cities bring to Georgia’s economic prosperity and quality-of-life. The second and more important reason is to remind us why we collectively believe in and work to fight to maintain home rule.

As we approach the 2020 Legislative Session, it’s time to look around and be aware that the idea of home rule will sometimes conflict with the desires of a legislator. The differences in governance between a top-down approach to decision making and one where residents and their local officials make decisions to meet local needs and desires is quite stark.

To put it another way, it essentially boils down to a question of statewide uniformity versus local autonomy and decision making. I tend to lean toward the local decision-making side of the equation, as I feel that in most situations, it is the best approach to take in addressing the needs and challenges of our local communities. Too often the supposed need for a statewide mandate or limitation on local decision making doesn’t antici-pate or respect differing local needs and situations.

City leaders are meeting head-on the challenges and opportunities facing their communities. Let’s continue to work together to protect the ability of residents and elected officials to address those issues as they see fit.

Economic Development: A Part of the GMA Mission

BY LARRY HANSON, GMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

At GMA, we take seriously the words “Advocacy,” “Service” and “Innovation.”

OUR TRAINING PROGRAM IN partnership with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and advocacy efforts are well known and often mentioned by members when discussing the value of GMA. But central to the mission of cities is economic development—creating job opportunities and growth that enhances the well-being of the community. Economic development is also central to the mission of GMA in support of member cities.

As one example of this impact and a result of visionary leadership, GMA created the Georgia Cities Foundation (GCF) in 1999. This year we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the foundation. Since its inception, the foundation’s Revolving Loan Fund programs have provided nearly $29M in low-interest loans for 165 projects in 60 cities. On the surface, that is impressive, but what’s even more impressive is the return on investment from private funding, the nearly 1,800 jobs created, 300 new downtown businesses opened, nearly 1.4 million square feet of downtown redevelopment and over 200,000 square feet of new construction. The total project investment from the GCF loans is nearly $168M—translating to approximately $147M in private investment. The loans have also supported the development of 300 housing units, 157 lodging units and eight cultural facilities. This year alone, the foundation has provided over $2M in loans with 14 pending loan commitments totaling $3M.

In addition to GCF and our Placemaking Collaborative, which is helping cities attract and retain vibrant residents, GMA’s financing programs have also spurred economic development. Since 1990, we’ve provided more than $1.8 billion in low-costs financing for equipment and real estate projects. These programs include Bricks and Mortar financing and Equipment financing.

So, whether your city is building or renovating a city hall, community center or park or planning to purchase a public safety vehicle, our low-cost, long-term financing services will meet your needs. Private investment follows public investment and we are pleased that GMA’s programs support both.

It’s important to appreciate the role and value that cities play in the state’s economy. While Georgia’s 538 cities comprise only 9.2 percent of the state’s land area, they provide 68 percent of the state’s jobs. In fact, 91.6 percent of the gross domestic product in the state of Georgia is derived from cities. In addition, 43.1 percent of the state’s population resides in the land area that cities comprise. It’s true, cities are the economic engines of the state’s economy, and while the state’s overall population grew by a healthy 9.3 percent over the last decade, the population of cities grew by 17.4 percent.

As your partners in economic development, GMA is here to support your city in achieving growth and prosperity. Give us the opportunity to earn your business.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 9

THE NEXT URBAN COMEBACK

BY OTIS WHITE, PRESIDENT, CIVIC STRATEGIES, INC.

WITH DOWNTOWNS REVIVING, the next challenge for cities will be to turn around declining neighborhoods. The playbook hasn’t been written yet, but we know who its authors will be: the residents.

I was fortunate to have a front-row seat for the greatest urban story of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the revival of America’s downtowns. A few scenes from that story: When I started paying attention in the mid-1970s, downtowns were at their lowest point. With the rise of the automobile, families started moving away from downtowns in the 1920s, followed by retail in the 1950s and offices in the 1960s.

By the 1970s, what was left in many downtowns was government, the courts, law offices, a few office towers and a handful of once-grand churches struggling to hold on to their congregations. Some had a historic theater, a civic center or a stadium that drew crowds a few nights a week. But main streets were pockmarked with empty storefronts, and on most evenings the sidewalks were deserted.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that downtowns found the keys to success: adaptive reuse of old buildings, housing, wider sidewalks, streetscaping, transit, density, waterfront access, mixed uses, business improvement districts, sidewalk dining, activities and concerts and a dozen other New Urbanist-inspired strategies.

Today, downtowns are being revived everywhere in Georgia, from Savannah to Columbus, Augusta to Atlanta. And in new cities like Sandy Springs and Johns

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Creek, downtowns are being created where none existed before.

The comeback of downtowns isn’t complete, but the goal line is in sight. So, it’s time to consider: Where will the next great urban revival take place? My guess: in neighborhoods.

You can see neighborhood revival in some cities.

In Atlanta, the Beltline is fueling a rush of development into nearby neighborhoods. In other cities, neighborhoods with historic homes and traditional street grids attract outsiders. As a result, you might think cities’ greatest problem is gentrification.

Gentrification is a serious issue, but decay and abandonment are even greater problems for most cities. So how do we turn around declining places and do so in ways that include those living there now?

It gets complicated because, when it comes to reversing neighborhood decline, we’re in the same place as downtowns in the 1970s. We don’t have a playbook.

Parts of the downtown playbook might work in some neighborhoods: walkability, mixed uses, transit and so on. But much of it won’t.

Even more complicating, we had help from big commercial interests in downtowns. We won’t have their support in neighborhoods. And taxpayers will be even less supportive of spending money in other people’s neighborhoods than they were of investing in downtowns. After all, downtowns are used by everyone. Neighborhoods are mostly for residents.

So, whom do we turn to in reviving neighborhoods? Who will write the playbook of neighborhood revitalization? And where do we get started?

My suggestion: Begin with the only genuine asset that neighborhoods have—their residents. Get them involved and organized, help them to learn about positive neighborhood change, then let them share in decision making and provide some of the effort. In other words, create partners so that the city government is no longer doing things for neighborhoods, but doing things with neighborhoods.

Where will these partners come from? From strong, representative neighborhood associations, along with crime-watch groups, friends of neighborhood parks, community-garden groups, PTAs, small-business associations. Really, any group focused on making a neighborhood—or even a single block—better.

In some neighborhoods, such groups do not exist.

That’s why city governments from Riverside, Calif. to Longmont, Colo., Phoenix to Philadelphia are helping residents organize them. There’s no reason we can’t do the same in Georgia.

But for this to work, city leaders must practice restraint. In the case of neighborhoods, a wise approach is to help residents organize, learn, discuss and come to consensus on a short list of achievable projects before the government makes its commitments. Oh, and be sure the neighbors contribute something to the effort, even if it’s just working alongside city crews or offering the proceeds from a bake sale.

After all, groups that have helped scrub graffiti from buildings, sold cakes to turn a vacant lot into a community garden or worked with police to shut down a drug house won’t let the graffiti come back, the garden fall into disuse or the drug dealers return. Not without a fight. And that is what cities need if we’re going to turn around troubled neighborhoods: committed, effective partners willing to fight for the places they live.

Quotable

“One of the most important issues facing cities new and old is economic development. The process of building an economic foundation for the city of South Fulton, begins with shaping the Economic Development Narrative to attract businesses, investors and entrepreneurs. One way we’re working to accomplish our goals and objectives is through Specialized Economic Development Tours.” ­— Christopher G. Pike, EDFP, city of South Fulton’s economic development director, shares the impact of the city’s industry-specific economic development tours, which help familiarize different businesses with the city. Tour attendees include professionals in real estate, retail and restaurants, developers, and residential builders, bankers and state project managers. To date, the tours have produced four major projects in the city of South Fulton.

GICH Celebrates 15 Years of Housing Stability SINCE THE PROGRAM’S FOUNDING IN 2004, THE GEORGIA INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING (GICH) HAS FACILITATED PROGRESS TOWARD HOUSING STABILITY IN 76 COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT GEORGIA. COMMUNITIES SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE three-year program receive technical assistance from state practitioners and academic experts, as well as a competitive advantage in applications for state community development and affordable housing funding. Upon graduating, GICH communities are encouraged to continue to work toward local housing goals and utilize the GICH network of state agencies, academic experts and other teams, many of which have addressed similar housing issues.

GICH is a collaboration between the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA); the University of Georgia’s Housing and Demographics Research Center, a unit of the Department of Financial Planning,

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Housing, and Consumer Economics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences; University of Georgia’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach; and the Georgia Municipal Association.

GICH’s founding partner, Georgia Power, and its ongoing retreat sponsor, Wells Fargo, continue to support the initiative’s ability to reach diverse communities across Georgia.

In 2018, the freshman, sophomore and junior classes of GICH continued their efforts to revitalize neighborhoods, create new affordable housing options, and provide financial and homebuyer education to their residents.

IN 2018, ACROSS ALL CURRENT AND FORMER GICH COMMUNITIES, DCA INVESTED: $5.51 million in Community HOME Investment Program grants for rehabilitation and construction of owner-occupied, single-family homes $14.43 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit financing for the development of affordable rental housing $8.86 million in Georgia Dream down payment assistance and affordable mortgages supporting 453 first-time homebuyers $8.45 million in Community Development Block Grant funds for local housing and community development initiatives

OUTCOMES INCLUDE: Over 131 blighted properties were removed from GICH communities as a result of local blight reduction initiatives.

+ Strong Relationships

Eight GICH communities were able to complete comprehensive housing needs assessments.

Make All the Difference

A total of $1,176,000 federal/state dollars were awarded specifically for housing related initiatives in GICH communities.

Keck & Wood’s mission is to collaborate with you every step of the way.

From initial concept through project delivery, your voice is heard, your needs are understood, and your vision is brought to life – all with an eye not just on quality and budget, but also on your larger program.

NUMBER OF COLLABORATIONS/PARTNERSHIPS: The GICH collaboration includes nine partner organizations and 76 local community housing teams.

DOLLAR AMOUNT OF IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS/MATCH: $50,000 for facilitation services

+ Industrial Park Planning & Design + Transportation + Water & Wastewater + Stormwater + Landscape Architecture

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FROM THE ASHES City Helps Business Thrive After Devastating Fire

By Chris Obenschain

By the end of the day on July 5, 2018, Jonathan Hardesty, Superior Recreation’s vice president and general manager, was exhausted. The day before, the company had lost $1.4 million worth of product in a fire at a shipping fulfillment center in Fort Payne, Ala. He’d barely slept and had been on the phone all day, explaining what happened to every affected client.

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AFTER HE LEFT HIS GEORGIA BASED-FACILITY IN the city of Carrolton that evening, all Hardesty could think about was getting some rest. But just as he made it home, he was welcomed with a call.

“Your facility is on fire,” said the manager of a neighboring business.

Hardesty sighed, assuming that the fire at the Alabama facility had made the news.

“That was Fort Payne [Alabama], and it happened yesterday.”

“No, I’m talking about the one here in Carrolton.

I’m looking at it now.”

By the time Hardesty was halfway back to his office,

Not surprisingly, after two fires, Superior’s need was great.

Most immediately, the Superior team had to find space and materials to get the company’s approximately 200 employees back to work and manufacturing product again.

“Superior runs a big operation, so they need a lot of room,” said Carrolton Mayor Walt Hollingsworth.

“Big Lots had just moved out of a retail space, so I suggested, ‘Why don’t you all just move in there?’”

Of course, Hollingsworth’s proposed location wasn’t zoned for manufacturing, so the city council called a special session to fix that.

“Our goal was to remove any obstacles we could and get those people working again,” Carrolton City Manager Tim Grizzard said. he could see a telltale orange glow coming from the direction of the facility and large bellows of black smoke staining the night sky. That’s when he realized his day was far from over. In fact, it was just beginning.

“It was catastrophic,” Hardesty said. “We couldn’t ship the product that we built, and we couldn’t replace the product we had lost.”

The Carrolton facility was a total loss. Despite the efforts of dozens of city and county firefighters as well as those from neighboring areas and volunteers, the blaze wasn’t completely extinguished for six-and-ahalf days. Luckily, it took less time for city and county officials to help Hardesty and his team develop a plan to recover their business.

The fire at Superior’s Carrolton facility began on Thursday night. By Monday afternoon, dozens of city and county officials, as well as vendors and others, were gathered in a local event space to speak with Hardesty and his team to see how they could help.

“Our goal was to remove any obstacles we could and get those people working again,” Carrolton City Manager Tim Grizzard said. “We certainly didn’t want that industry to leave town, and I told [Hardesty] we’d be there for them, whatever the need.”

They granted us a 24-month special-use zoning permit,” Hardesty said, “and the next day, we shipped our first post-fire product.”

In total, Superior spread out across six different temporary locations in and around Carrolton.

“The city helped us locate usable temporary facilities and moved the process along at lightning speed, so we were able to quickly regain our full capabilities,” Hardesty said. “We were shipping orders just 17 days after the fire. We didn’t lose one employee.”

By mid-January 2019, a mere six months after the fire, the company had filled all its backorders and was up to date on current shipments.

At the beginning of next year, Superior is set to move into a newly constructed facility, built in the same spot as the old. The new building is 20 percent larger than the original to allow for new capabilities and room to grow.

“The main driving factor for us staying in Carrolton was probably the way the city and the chamber reacted to the situation and helped us get back up to speed so quickly,” Hardesty said. “There are also great people here who happen to be a perfect mix of professional and skilled labor. We’re not going anywhere. This is home.”

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 15

CITY DESK

How One Year Changed the City of Louisville’s Future

BY ALIA HOYT

2015 was an uncharacteristically busy year for the city of Louisville, a normally quiet Middle Georgia town about halfway between Atlanta and Savannah.

THAT’S BECAUSE THE CITY ENGAGED IN A massive economic development project, which start to finish took only the calendar year.Nearly every local was touched by this initiative. But even Louisville residents who weren’t involved in the project will reap the benefits, a vision that City Administrator Richard Sapp had from the get-go.

It all started in January of 2015, when local employer Coastal Processing approached the city about their desire to expand, thus adding several jobs and economic stability to the area. The only thing standing in the way of Louisville being able to accommodate the processor were the utilities. Fortunately, a piece of property that once housed a wastewater treatment facility and an old textile mill was up for grabs. To get it all in working order, however, would take a lot of elbow grease and some serious financial backing…and it all had to be done by the end of that same year.

The task was daunting, but Sapp knew that it would be beneficial to the area to make it happen.

“At that time Jefferson County had around 14 percent unemployment,” he recalled, noting that two major area employers had closed in recent years. “So, this opportunity came up and it was a tall order to say the least, but we knew the impact this could have on us now and in the future was significant.”

It took from January to June to iron out the kinks, at which time the project went before the city council for

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approval. At that time, the city’s long-term debt was $25,000. This project would incur $10 million, which included the purchasing of the land, water system buildout and sewer.

“But our city council knew the importance of this, and we refer to it as our ‘1954 moment’,” Sapp said, adding, “In 1954 the group agreed to run natural gas without the commitment of one customer, and that has provided stability for our community since then.”

Following the council’s approval vote, Sapp and his team hit the ground running. The purchase of the old textile plant was finalized. They also had to design the new wastewater plant and water treatment facility and bid it out to contractors. According to Sapp, funding was obtained from a variety of sources and permits were pulled, sometimes in an atypically expedited fashion because so many agencies understood the project’s potential. Then, the actual construction had to be completed, and a brand-new 3.5 mile water main was run into town.

In addition to all of this planning, there were also some serious environmental considerations to be made, as the facility discharges into the Ogeechee River.

“One of the very first things we did was reach out to the riverkeepers,” said Louisville Mayor Larry Morgan, adding, “We wanted to make the water even better, which we did.”

Although the new facility missed the December deadline, it came pretty close, with the site up and running in mid-January of 2016.

Over the past three years of the facility being in operation, the list of benefits enjoyed by Louisville residents get longer every day, and includes: + The creation of 240 jobs and counting, more than double the initially projected 115 jobs + Even more jobs, since the Economic Development authority has since built a truck maintenance facility for Coastal Processing’s supplier + Massively improved utility infrastructure: Prior to the project, Louisville sported only a lagoon waste treatment facility with no industrial treatment ca pability. Today, they enjoy a state-of-the-art me chanical plant with a million gallons of excess ca pacity. This will help Coastal Processing continue to grow but will also attract future industries.

In addition, it’s also been a major win for the environment.

“The riverkeepers were very pleased because in the lagoon system we had some really high limits grandfathered in regarding what we could discharge,” said Sapp. “The new permit went way down. We’ve done testing on the river that the water downstream is cleaner than upstream.”

Despite the city’s evident role in this success story, Sapp is quick to point out that several entities were invested and involved.

“It takes a village to raise a kid. Well it took a world to move this mountain,” he said, adding that none of it would have been possible without support from Coastal Processing, Louisville mayor and city council, city of Louisville Utility Department, Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, Turnipseed Engineers, Jefferson County Economic Development Authority, Georgia Power, the United States Department of Agriculture, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, First State Bank, Georgia Environmental Financing Authority, Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Ogeechee Riverkeepers, Jefferson County Board of Education and contractors like P.F. Moon, Y-Delta Construction, Blair Construction and All South Construction.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 17

Small Town,

Big Impact

Oxford Leaders Call on Community for First Active Park THE CITY OF OXFORD, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR its trail system and lush tree canopy, recently added an “active park” to its list of amenities. As defined by city leaders, an “active park” is one where all ages and abilities are served. Though Asbury Street Park is not the city’s only park, it’s the only one with an area of land suitable for play equipment and includes a large, open field for activities, a walking track, a natural water feature and a section of the trails through the park’s wooded area.

In 2015, four years before the park’s July 2019 opening, Oxford city leaders called on members of the community to lend their ideas and community expertise to the Asbury Street Park Citizens Advisory Committee. Comprised of 20 plus residents, this committee helped plan from the ground up.

“The park was requested by citizens, would be used by citizens, paid for by citizens; therefore, their role was essential [to planning],” said Cheryl Ready, chair of the Asbury Street Park Citizens Advisory Committee. “The committee wanted to do all it could to clean up, beautify and preserve the wooded area at the north end of the four acres that had been acquired [for the park].”

Oxford Mayor Jerry Roseberry describes the new Asbury Street Park as an “introduction place” for residents and visitors who may never meet without it. This spoke to another planning committee goal of heightened connectivity and appeal.

“We wanted the park to appeal to as many residents as possible and it was encouraging to see the number of people volunteering—especially young

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couples with children—to serve on the committee,” said Roseberry.

In addition to individual community members, Oxford also included the local 4-H and Lions Club chapters, Oxford College of Emory University, which is three blocks away from the park, and the Newton County School System, a public school one block away from the park, as partners. The city received funding from Newton County to assist with construction costs.

Two-thirds of the Asbury Street Park showcase Oxford’s classification as a Tree City and meets the city’s goal of highlighting its natural assets.

“We’ve been a Tree City for 20 consecutive years as proud members of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program,” said Oxford City Manager Matt Pepper as he pointed to Oxford College joining community efforts and becoming a Tree Campus.

“Preserving the natural landscape for the park is an extension of what we try to do throughout the city.”

Since the park’s grand opening, Newton County residents and visitors have a new-found sense of place and are renting the pavilion for birthdays, barbeques and outreach meetings. To date, more than 18 groups have hosted events at the park.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium / Northside Drive Pedestrian Bridge

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City Spotlight

Fort Gaines

HISTORY: Incorporated in 1873, the city of Fort Gaines is a small community favored by hunters and

POPULATION:

1,107

MAYOR:

Barry Waters GMA DISTRICT:

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fishing enthusiasts for its weather, surrounding acres of rich timber and proximity to Lake Walter F. George. This county seat of Clay County, recently spearheaded efforts for the creation of an Arts and Recreation Commission (ARC). City leaders saw the need for a resurgence in recreation for the community and formed the commission to include not only sports but the arts. This project also consisted of the redevelopment of a former emergency management ambulance bay to a meeting room and kitchen for community use. The ARC is supported by local government funds and partnerships with several entities including Family Connections, Clay County Health Initiative, the Downtown Development Authority and community organizations.

EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS: Visit the recently revitalized histor-

ical homes and monuments in the city or spend a day at the Meadow Links 18-Hole Championship Golf Course.

A Quick Guide to Federal Opportunity Zones Federal Opportunity Zones are a new community and economic development tool that aims to drive long-term private investment into low-income communities throughout the country.

THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and encourages investors with recently realized capital gains to invest in local businesses, real estate or development projects in exchange for a reduction in their tax obligations. The program went into effect on June 14, 2018 and will remain effective until Dec. 31, 2028.

How Does the Program Work?

Opportunity zones are designed to provide tax benefits to investors. First, investors can defer tax on any prior gains invested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) until the earlier of the date on which the investment in a QOF is sold or exchanged or Dec. 31, 2026. If the QOF investment is held for longer than five years, there is a ten percent exclusion of the deferred gain. If held for more than seven years, the ten percent becomes 15 percent. Second, if the investor holds the investment in the Opportunity Fund for at least ten years, the investor is eligible for an increase in basis of the QOF investment equal to its fair market value on the date that the QOF investment is sold or exchanged.

GMA’s Stephanie Aylworth pointed to the city of Albany’s recent Opportunity Zone project, the Hotel Gordon. This project is a $13.5 million multiuse downtown project that is utilizing a QOF. The historic six-story building will be a boutique hotel with 88 rooms under a major flag and will include a restaurant, bar and meeting space. Included in this project is a state-of-the-art blockchain data center which will partner with Albany State University and provide valuable experiences for technology students.

What Resources are Available for Cities?

Department of Community Affairs, www. dca.ga.gov: Here you’ll find resources for cities and counties including maps, FAQs, links and other resources and tools.

Georgia Cities Foundation’s Development Series: How are Cities Taking Advantage of this Incentive?

While investors are the ones applying for these incentives, GMA urges city officials and economic development professionals to familiarize themselves with the program.

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Created in conjunction with GMA and DCA, this series includes a Federal Opportunity Zone webinar that can be found at: www.georgiacitiesfoundation.org

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Q&A: Bo Chance Answers Call to Small Town Development While working in a men’s clothing store as a college student in Athens, Bo Chance gained an interest in the charm and possibilities of historic downtowns.

AFTER GRADUATING, CHANCE moved back to his home city of Atlanta to work in the corporate sector. It was during this time that he took a trip to Blue Ridge, where his interest in downtown development piqued and he was on his way to being known as one of the most active

entrepreneurs in Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Chance found years ago—home to boarded buildings and little activity—is much different than the one that tourists and residents enjoy today. Many credit Chance for contributing to this development success. Chance sat down with Georgia’s Cities to share his journey as a developer and tips for cities seeking economic prosperity.

GC: What changes have you seen in Blue Ridge since you were first introduced to the community more than 20 years ago?

BC: Now, there's probably 200 shops, galleries, breweries, restaurants and in-town housing in Downtown Blue Ridge and a scenic railway. The first phase of that area was people redeveloping or restoring older homes, and now there's a whole wave of folks that are interested in the walkability of the town. Whether or not they’re weekend warriors or overnight guests, it's created an environment that fosters a viable merchant base.

out by buying a building downtown. It was just a cinder block building right in the middle of everything that cost less than the cars that my sales reps were driving in the Atlanta-based software business where I was working at the time. I knew that I couldn't go wrong.

My wife and I were the first tenants of this building.

We didn't really know what to do with it, so we started a company called “High Country Art and Antique,” which is still there today after 25 years of success.

GC: Can you share more about your first project in Blue Ridge?

BC: While traveling all over the United States, I always felt myself kind of drawn to the small, historic downtowns. I was bullish on Blue Ridge in that it had the raw ingredients to be a successful destination. It was one of those things where I had to take a leap of faith. I started 22

GC: What role have you seen tenants and investors play in downtown development?

BC: One of the top things that makes historic downtowns viable are the types of businesses [business owners]. Many of these owners are trying to reinvent themselves, and they can literally live their dream in a little town—open a shop, a gallery or a restaurant and create their own path. That creates a steady stream of ideal folks.

Because we [my wife and I] poured so much of our own capital and sweat equity into these projects, we were very, very careful about the tenants we placed because we wanted good people with great business ideas that would work well in a little historic downtown, and treat the visitors, other merchants and the municipality with respect. You must have a person who appreciates the history and the past business climate of a small town and values teamwork to get these projects off the ground.

I’ve also seen the benefit of downtown business associations. The business association drove a lot of the festivals and recurring annual events that got people to come to Blue Ridge and dip their toe in the water and go, "Wow, that was cool. Let's go back."

I have a good sense when I can look into somebody's eyes and talk to them on whether they're going to be a good fit. I'd rather have a building empty, than make a mistake and have somebody come in and do some-thing that's inappropriate or have someone that's not wired to be an entrepreneur in a small historic down-town. We're trying to create a family, “Mayberry-type” environment, because that's what I think the masses are drawn to.

GC: What trends are you seeing communities use to attract businesses?

BC: One thing that I’ve seen in small town development is when leaders have a brewery on their radar.

When you see a microbrewery or a craft brewery pop up, stay tuned because good things generally follow.

Working on the board for the Georgia Cities Foundation, when I see [an application] for a brewery through our Revolving Loan Programs, I smile because I see that as a net positive.

GC: What role has partnership played in your career?

BC: Partnership played a huge role. In the Blue Ridge community, we were really blessed with a rock star chamber of commerce presence. Led by Jan Hackett, the chamber did some targeted and thoughtful advertising and campaigns to put Blue Ridge on the radar screen. It was a good symbiotic relationship between what I was doing and what others were doing.

In addition, a viable Downtown Development Authority is unbelievably critical in today's environment. It’s a planning tool and an economic funnel for money to revitalize historic downtowns.

Downtown Blue Ri dge

Aerial shot of Blue Ridge

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 23

INSIDE GMA

INSIDE GMA GMA is rounding out 2019 by uncovering new ways to serve cities, prepare city leaders for the 2020 legislative session and more. From welcoming new RMEBS Board members to GMA’s Property Damage Revenue Recovery program meeting a total recovered value of more than $100,000 for eight cities, 2020 is setting up to be a record-breaking year for the association and all of its 538 member cities.

The new GMEBS, WCSIF, GIRMA, DC officers to its Boards of Trustees are Camilla Councilmember Danny Palmer as the chairman, and Centerville City Attorney Becky Tydings as the vice chairman. These boards provide policy direction and oversight to GMA’s risk management and employee benefit services programs and monitor the investment of over $2.8 billion in combined assets for these funds.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES GMA’s Hub Cities Initiative met at the GMA offices on Sep. 30. The meeting focused on legislative issues, and attendees heard from Georgia Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), who provided a preview of the 2020 Legislative Session. They also heard from House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Kevin Tanner (R- Dawsonville), who discussed his statewide transit legislation, HB 511, which passed the House in 2019 and is now pending in the Senate Transportation Committee. Meeting participants also heard from Tom Gehl, GMA Director of Governmental Relations, on efforts to limit the ability of local government to regulate local building design standards.

GMA participated in a Government to University (G2U) Initiative Regional Council Implementation Meeting on Oct. 8. The G2U Initiative is an effort by the Volcker Alliance to build regional networks of governments (state, federal, local) and universities, specifically to better prepare and strengthen the pipeline of talent from local universities

into government and increase the number and relevance of university research projects to advance government effectiveness. The Volcker Alliance wants to create up to five regional councils in cities across the country, including one in Atlanta.

On Oct. 11, GMA held a workshop for the three cities participating in the pilot launch of GMA’s municipal workforce development recruiting and branding campaign, “Starts with Me!” Staff from Cedartown, Griffin and Hogansville met with representatives of Mopdog Creative + Strategy, who created the strategy for GMA, to review and learn ways to implement the marketing resources available to them. As part of the pilot, the three cities will have additional one-on-one time with Mopdog as they move forward with their individual city efforts and will report back to GMA on their successes and lessons learned.

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Your City

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HANSON APPOINTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COUNCIL PROTECTION In mid-November the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta appointed GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson to the Bank's Affordable Housing Advisory Council for a three-year term effective Jan. 1, 2020 and ending Dec. 31, 2022.

The council meets quarterly to advise the bank on ways it may better carry out its housing finance and community lending mission.

This includes providing a review of existing products and programs such as the Affordable Housing Program as well as advice on development of new initiatives.

“This appointment will allow me to assist all of the 538 cities that GMA serves by providing resources to address affordable housing,” said Hanson. “This will also demonstrate our association’s commitment to work on the real issues related to affordable housing.”

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November/December 2019 | gacities.com 25

GOVERNMENTAL AND FEDERAL RELATIONS GMA continues to focus on relationship building by engaging with legislators attending Hometown Connections recently hosted by cities including Atlanta, Auburn, Baconton, Douglasville, Columbus, East Point and Stockbridge. GMA applauds those city officials who have planned and participated in Hometown Connection meetings as these gatherings allow cities time to connect with their legislators on important legislative matters anticipated to be discussed during the next session.

GMA’s advocacy efforts will be focused on fighting preemption of locally established residential building design standards, ensuring shortterm rental regulations and pursuing proper tax compliance of various

industries in the evolving marketplace. Local officials are key in educating state legislators on why home rule and local decision making should be maintained.

GMA encourages all cities to meet with their legislative delegations prior to the beginning of the 2020 Session of the General Assembly. Hometown Connections build momentum for municipal success during the 2020 legislative session. For more information and tips for planning one for your community and representatives, contact GMA Governmental Relations Associate Charlotte Davis at 678-686-6291 or cdavis@gacities.com.

Columbus Hometown Connection

FEDERAL FLY-INS From Sept. 16-18, Fairburn Councilmember Hattie Portis-Jones, GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson and GMA Director of Federal Relations and Research Becky Taylor participated in the National League of Cities’ 2019 Local Leaders Fly-In. Here, more than 20 local officials from several states met with staffers and members of Congress in over 40 meetings on Capitol Hill. Local officials and GMA and NLC staff urged the federal government to take action on issues that matter most to residents.

The Federal Relations & Research Department also coordinated and hosted GMA’s Second Annual Rural Broadband Summit in Warner Robins on Oct. 2. Over 100 city officials, regional commission staff and 26

providers attended the summit, which was a collaboration between GMA and the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration agency (NTIA). U.S. Congressman Austin Scott delivered opening remarks and attendees received insight to providing broadband service. They also heard presentations about Smart City solutions in metro and rural cities and learned about federal funding opportunities for assistance with broadband planning and infrastructure. Video presentations from the summit can be found on GMA’s website.

INNOVATION

New Publication Focuses on the Arts and Economic Development A new publication from GMA and the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) focuses on how rural cities have used the arts as an economic development tool.

“IT’S A FOLLOW-UP TO THE REPORT GMA AND GCA published in 2015 on how cities have leveraged public investment in the arts as an effective economic development strategy,” said Brian Wallace, GMA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives. “The earlier publication looked at the efforts of seven cities across the state. This new publication is a continuation of that effort, but with a focus on rural communities.”

The first three case studies focus on how each city capitalized on one thing in their community. In Statesboro, it was how the city transformed an old bank building into an arts center, making it the focal point of its downtown. In Pike County, a group of women started a photography festival that showcases the rural south, bringing visitors to the small cities across the county, with the proceeds used to help preserve historic structures throughout the county. The Cuthbert case study looks at how the city and Andrew College have partnered together by using the arts to revitalize the city’s downtown.

The fourth case study examines how two communities have begun to leverage the unique, one-of-a-kind experiences artists Howard Finster and Eddie Owen Martin created at their homes. Paradise Garden, outside of Summerville, and Pasaquan, located outside of Buena Vista, are key ingredients in each community’s revitalization efforts.

To fund the project, GMA received a $9,000 grant from GCA, which receives its funding from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Find these case studies on the GMA website at www.gacities.com.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 27

Dates Announced for 2020 Newly Elected Officials Institute GMA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA’S CARL VINSON OF INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT WILL OFFER THE STATE-MANDATED NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS INSTITUTE TWICE IN 2020: Feb.10-12, 2020: At the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton.

March 4-6, 2020: At the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel in Athens.

The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation (O.C.G.A. 36-45-1) requiring all persons elected as members of a municipal governing authority who were not serving as members of a municipal governing authority on July 1, 1990 to attend and satisfactorily complete a training program specifically designed for newly elected municipal officials.

The institute provides an opportunity for mayors and councilmembers to increase their knowledge and understanding of city government, especially as it relates to the role and responsibility of the elected official. The training provides information designed to increase the awareness of the legal, financial and ethical responsibilities of city officials. A resource fair is also 28

included. Municipal elected officials who complete the training program will receive six hours of credit toward the voluntary training certificate program available through the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute.

Those municipal elected officials who have served before and have been reelected are required to take the Newly Elected Officials Institute again if they have been out of office for more than four years.

Newly Elected Officials are invited to attend either the Tifton or Athens location. GMA encourages early registration. Registration is processed on a first come, first served basis and classes and hotels are expected to fill up quickly.

For more information including a tentative agenda and to register, please visit the GMA website events page at: www.gacities.com/Events/Calendar-Of-Events.aspx.

Contact GMA’s training team at training@gacities.com with any questions.

Lodging Information TIFTON GMA HAS A RESERVED BLOCK OF ROOMS AT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES/RATES IN TIFTON:

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Hilton Garden Inn: $109 per night: Call 229-382-8484 and ask for the GMA rate Holiday Inn Express: $109 per night: Call 229-382-3300 and ask for the GMA rate

DIGGING CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS Contact 811 before you dig to have utility lines marked AND help protect yourself from injury and expense.

Comfort Inn & Suites: $94 per night: Call 229-382-8250 and ask for the GMA rate ATHENS GMA HAS A RESERVED BLOCK OF ROOMS AT THE UGA CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND HOTEL IN ATHENS AT THE FOLLOWING RATES:

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$ 104 for a Classic Room with one queen or one king bed

$ 154 for a Select Room with two queen or two double beds Reserve by telephone at 1-800-884-1381 or 706-542-2134, or through the Georgia Center website (www.UGAHotel.com) using the Group code 90556.

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How It Works: Hotel-Motel Tax Recovery Service Many cities undergo a one-time hotel-motel tax recovery audit in order to ensure that lodging providers collected and remitted the correct amount of tax over the past 36 months.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THESE AUDITS?

GMA offers the Hotel-Motel Tax Recovery service to participants to answer this question by improving a city’s tax administration and establishing compliance between that city and hotel-motel operators.

Thanks to this service, participants in GMA’s Hotel-Motel Tax Recovery service have seen a collection totaling more than $46,000 in late charges in 2019 alone.

Properly collecting and enforcing hotel-motel tax payments solidifies the city’s relationships with local groups that support tourism. By making sure they have the financial resources to improve tourism in their community.

HERE’S HOW THE HOTEL-MOTEL TAX RECOVERY SERVICE WORKS:

STEP 1: Gather and submit at least the last 12 months of hotel-motel tax returns.

Collecting the last 36 months of returns is best, but at the very least the city needs to gather the last 12 months of returns for each hotel. This information helps GMA build its database of the city’s hotel-motel tax experience.

STEP 2: Gather information about the lodging providers. Detailed information about lodging providers is usually available from either the city’s hotel-motel tax registration process or a business license application. If the city does not have this information, GMA will ask the city to register the lodging providers through a form created by the association.

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STEP 3: Address hotels and motels that have not paid the city. Once GMA collects and organizes the hotel-motel return information in its database, a GMA team member will first address hotels that have not paid the city over the last year. GMA provides the city with a collection letter that outlines what months the hotel did not pay, the estimated payments owed and a demand for payment.

STEP 4: Update the city’s hotel motel ordinance (if needed). In order to properly administer the city’s hotel-motel tax, GMA must get the city’s hotel-motel ordinance in compliance with current law. The association provides cities with an up-to-date model hotel-motel ordinance. A city must adopt this ordinance before GMA can start receiving payments on the city’s behalf.

STEP 5: Meet with lodging providers to discuss the new process. Once the city adopts the updated ordinance, GMA works with the city to schedule a meeting with all lodging providers. Here, GMA educates them on the proper administration of the tax and explains to them that they are no longer paying the city directly. Instead, they are submitting payment to GMA as part of the city’s use of the association’s Revenue Management service.

STEP 6: Remind lodging providers about payment rules and law. GMA trains lodging providers about the payment rules and how

it collects the tax. While cities are usually willing to talk with lodging providers about late payments, GMA regularly reminds hotels and motels of the consequences of delinquent or deficient remittances.

Once GMA sets up this revenue management process, the city receives a check and reports every month. GMA service experts use knowledge developed over the past two decades to provide ongoing service including collecting payments on the city’s behalf, following up with lodging providers about delinquent payments, informing the city in case enforcement mechanisms are needed to collect payment, performing targeted auditing as needed and providing updates to the city’s ordinance as laws and best practices change.

GMA reminds cities that its hotel-motel tax collection team can only “encourage” that lodging provider to a certain extent. While GMA can remind lodging

providers about potential enforcement action from the city, it’s up to the city to then initiate the appropriate enforcement action, which can range from a citation to a court order to close the business, depending upon the circumstances.

GMA’s revenue management process now offers an online system where the lodging providers file their returns and make payments online. This online system will also allow the city to view hotel-motel tax return data in real time, run reports and build an electronic record of all returns and payments.

To find out how your city can benefit from GMA’s Hotel-Motel Tax Recovery services email services@gacities.com.

F O X T H E AT R E I N S T I T U T E

EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN GEORGIA CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 GRANT RECIPIENTS ART Station | Stone Mountain, GA Grove Theatre | Atlanta, GA Pex Theatre | Eatonton, GA Plaza Theatre | Atlanta, GA Roosevelt Theatre | Jefferson, GA Rose Theatre | Forsyth, GA Rylander Theatre | Americus, GA

Southside Theatre Guild | Fairburn, GA Winterville Auditorium | Winterville, GA Sandersville School Building Authority | Sandersville, GA Earl & Rachel Smith Strand Theatre | Marietta, GA Holly Theatre Community Center | Dahlonega, GA Liberty Theatre Cultural Center | Columbus, GA

$500,000 IN GRANTS The Fox Theatre Institute is a catalyst for positive change in the community as it pays it forward, helping other artistic and cultural institutes renew, reinvigorate, and restore. Offering financial, operations, and restoration mentoring is at the heart of our efforts to stimulate Georgia and the region’s local economies.

For more information visit

foxtheatre.org/foxtheatreinstitute

Dedicated Leaders Honored for Their Lifetime of Service GMA’s Lifetime of Service Award honors city officials and staff from across the state who have devoted more than 35 years of their life to servant leadership.

David L. Aldrich,

Philip M. Goldstein,

former city manager for the cities of Bainbridge, LaFayette, Hogansville, Garden City and Hartwell, 37 years of service

former Marietta Councilmember, 37 years of service

In June of 1980, serial city manager David Aldrich started his career in local government in the city of Bainbridge. Over the years he’s served the cities of Lafayette, Hogansville, Garden City and now Hartwell since 2006.

Not only did Philip Goldstein take part in a vast array of initiatives in Marietta, he was also very involved with GMA and played an active role in helping to develop key legislation during his tenure in office.

Additionally, he served on the GMA Board of Directors as the GMA District 3 West President and held an at-large seat on the GMA Board.

He was a member of each of GMA’s Legislative Policy Committees and served on several special committees including the GMA-ACCG Annexation Committee, Ethics Committee and GMA’s Property Committee.

One of Aldrich’s greatest contributions is overseeing Hartwell’s new city hall project. He also spearheaded a $5 million upgrade to the city’s water treatment plant. City leaders believe Aldrich will be most remembered for guiding the city through the Great Recession and preparing the community for the future.

On the national level, Goldstein was involved with the National League of Cities, serving as Vice Chair of the Information Technology and Communications Committee. He also served on the NLC Leadership Fellows committee.

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“We admire these esteemed 2019 recipients for the love they’ve shown through their generous service,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. “The communities that these leaders have served so diligently, along with all of Georgia’s cities, are fortunate to have this kind of dedicated leadership as examples.”

Dent Jackson, Jr.,

Carolyn Lee,

former East Dublin Councilmember, 39 years of service

former Cairo City Clerk, 46 years of service

Former East Dublin Councilmember Dent Jackson, Jr. was the first African American councilmember elected in East Dublin, as well as the first African American police officer for the cities of Dublin and East Dublin and first African American firefighter for East Dublin. A natural public servant, Jackson also served on the Hospitality Authority Board. The city’s housing authority homes were named in his honor.

Jackson posthumously received the Lifetime Service Award from GMA, which was presented to Jackson’s wife, Mildred.

Former Cairo City Clerk Carolyn Lee began her career with Cairo in July 1973 when she served as clerical help. Lee worked her way up to the position of city clerk in August 2004, the position she held until her retirement in August.

GMA encourages members aware of any elected officials not seeking re-election and who have 35 years or more of public service to contact Pam Helton at phelton@gacities.com.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 33

Douglasville encourages community development.

City Staff Fosters Community Development

BY ALIA HOYT

For some people, a job is just a way to pay the bills. But several of Georgia’s cities, including Canton and Douglasville, are doing their part to ensure that employees feel valued by and connected to the communities they serve. This is a win-win not only for city employees who feel like their careers truly matter, but also the communities who enjoy a ripple effect related to job satisfaction.

WHAT’S MORE, THESE INITIATIVES AREN’T breaking the budget or taking a considerable amount of time to implement while proving that a little coordination and communication go a long way.

Douglasville recently adopted the new motto, “Impact That Matters,” and is making good on it through a new program that encourages and rewards employee volunteerism.

Developed at the mayoral and council level, the employee service program is designed to better engage all city employees in the community they serve.

“They wanted to see city staff get out in the community a little more outside of their job duties, because a lot of times we as staff get focused on what we’re doing and aren’t actually interacting,” said Aaron Szarowicz, 34

Douglasville’s community outreach coordinator. “What better way to accomplish this than to get more people plugged in through a service/volunteer sort of way?”

The program launched just in time for National Volunteer Week in May of this year. Employees are provided monthly information about upcoming service opportunities and can pick and choose those that suit their goals, skills and schedule. Volunteer work can even be done during office hours, up to four hours per month.

Employees are also encouraged to go above and beyond that goal, as their personal schedule allows. At the end of the year, the top performing employee volunteer will receive the coveted “Impact Award” during the city’s Employee Service Awards Ceremony.

Although still in relative infancy, the program has made a serious impact on the city already. So far, some of the activity has included the beautification of the nearby Helping Hands Ministry property, volunteer fire-fighting and staffing the United Way’s “Gift in Kind” truck.

One of the greatest indications of impact thus far was the surprise bike-build for 13 local elementary school students, who won a writing contest as part of a 21st Century Grant program. City volunteers built the bikes and presented them to the astonished students.

“This event was put on by the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Cobb-Douglas Public Health, who also donated bike helmets for the students,” said Szarowicz.

Feedback from city employees has so far been overwhelmingly positive.

“The chatter and conversations back in the office afterward are uplifting,” Szarowicz said. “Everyone’s happy and has a sense of pride. Having an employer that allows them to go out and make a difference during work hours is something they feel very fortunate to be a part of.”

Canton Puts Employees on the Road to Success Everyone knows that a happy employee is a productive employee. Unfortunately, there was a time when employees of the city of Canton were decidedly unhappy with the dreaded annual evaluation process.

“We heard many complaints about the evaluation process we used,” said Canton’s Human Resources Director Lorrie Waters, noting that employees felt dispirited after hearing negative comments, which in turn put a significant burden on supervisors.

“The previous employee evaluation system did not adequately convey the feedback that employees need to succeed and complete their jobs to the best of their abilities,” explained Bethany Watson, the city’s development services manager. “Rating an employee on a number scale is just hard to completely understand, it's inconsistent and biased to certain character traits and work ethics, when sometimes a certain trait might be better suited for one job over another.”

“Comments were often generic, and it was common to not receive feedback on how to do better or suggestions on how to overcome the areas of concern.”

City Manager Billy Peppers got wind of this feedback and decided to completely re-work the evaluation process to be more empowering. The new Employee Roadmap is a one-page form that is both simple and powerful, as it gives employees and supervisors the opportunity to set attainable goals and discuss how to meet them. There is an opportunity to list concerns, as well, but the tone is different.

“Instead of giving someone a ‘needs improvement’ or ‘unsatisfactory,’ it changes the context, and gives guidance to reach goals,” Waters said, “We want to better our employees, to take what we have and build on it in a positive, rather than a negative way.”

The Employee Roadmap also facilitates communication about stretch goals and training requests.

“Maybe someone in public works is interested in building inspections,” Waters said. “The Employee Roadmap opens the door for them to be able to discuss it.”

Employees can also offer their own feedback, which helps them to feel valued.

Most of Canton’s employees turn in their roadmap at the end of the fiscal year (some complete them on the anniversary of their hire date), so training requests and other expenses can be factored into the next years’ budget. Six months later, department heads check in for a status update, and to find out if the employee needs any guidance or training to meet goals by the one-year mark. New hires are also welcomed with a 90-120-day roadmap.

Recent hire and Downtown Development Manager Velinda Hardy appreciates the guidance the Employee Roadmap affords, “There has never been a moment when I wondered if I was going in the right direction.”

To implement such a system, Waters recommends starting with management to get them on board, explain the process and why it’s beneficial, then address questions. Ideally, other cities can experience similar success to Canton’s.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 35

GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

January 24-27, 2020 Atlanta Hilton & Towers January 24-27, 2020

GMA has rebranded its annual Mayors' Day Conference to the "Cities United Summit," which better represents the event's evolution and target audience. Mayors, councilmembers, city staff and special guests will still enjoy the same four days of access to advocacy tools, policy committee meetings, unrivaled training and networking as offered in years past.

CITIES UNITED SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE

Invited special guests including Georgia’s top leaders

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More than six opportunities to engage directly with Georgia legislators

The Capitol Connection Breakfast followed by a "Cities United" trip to the Gold Dome

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

CITIES UNITED SUMMIT VENUES The 2020 GMA Cities United Summit will take place at the Atlanta Hilton and Towers.

The 2020 Capitol Connection Breakfast will be held at the Georgia Freight Depot. In 2019, the Capitol Connection Breakfast was relocated to the depot, which is located directly across the street from the Capitol. This location change was well received and made it easy for members to walk across the street to visit the Capitol after the breakfast program.

The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House have been invited to address attendees and, as usual, all members of the Georgia General Assembly will be invited to attend, providing a great opportunity for networking with state leaders. Shuttle service from the Atlanta Hilton to the Georgia Freight Depot for the Capitol Connection Breakfast will be available from 7 a.m. through the lunch hour.

Email conference@gacities.com with any questions or for more information.

CITIES UNITED SUMMIT SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute classes (6-hour classes) 3:45-5:30 p.m.

GMA Board of Directors Meeting

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 7:30-8 a.m.

Devotional service 8-9 a.m.

Federal Policy Council Meeting 8-9 a.m.

Orientation for First-Time Attendees 9:15-10:30 a.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 10:45 a.m.-12 p.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 12:15-2:15 p.m.

Awards Luncheon 2:45-4 p.m.

Policy Committee Meetings 4:15 -5 p.m.

Legislative Policy Council Meeting 4:15-5 p.m.

Census Meeting 5-6 p.m.

Networking Reception

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute classes (6-hour classes) 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute classes (3-hour classes)

MONDAY, JANUARY 27 7:30 a.m.-8:15 a.m.

Buffet Breakfast

2-5 p.m.

Municipal Training Institute classes (3-hour classes)

8:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

Capitol Connection Legislative Networking Breakfast Program

5:15-6:15 p.m.

Municipal Training Board Meeting

9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Cities United Day at the Capitol

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 37

INCUBATORS POPPING UP THROUGHOUT GEORGIA TO SPUR GROWTH

BY GALE HORTON GAY

When a new business incubator opens in the city of Metter early next year, city officials and their incubator project partners, Georgia Southern University (GSU), expect it will create win-win opportunities for all.

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ACCORDING TO HEIDI JEFFERS, METTER’S director of tourism and business development, GSU performed a study in 2018 on the feasibility of creating a business incubator for the area at the request of Metter officials. When favorable results came back, the university and city officials decided to form a partnership to make it happen.

The city secured a $325,000 One Georgia grant (given by the Georgia Depart of Community Affairs to help encourage economic development in rural communities) to renovate a former public works building into a space suitable for businesses launching in Metter to establish themselves.

Through the incubator, which is being called the Business Innovation Center, start-ups will be provided with shared office sp ace, a ma iling ad dress, me eting rooms, printers and audio/visual equipment, as well as access to workshops and resources from the universi-ty. The goal is to have 15 businesses operating from the center at a time.

“We are really going after agriculture-related business, but any businesses can go in there,” said Metter Mayor Ed Boyd.

One business signed up to be a part of the incubator well before it was up and running. Better Fresh Farms produces lettuce, greens and herbs through a hydroponic system and is set to move its operation from Guyton in Effingham County to Metter.

Better Fresh Farms plans to develop a workforce of about 20 during the next three years and is moving $2 million in equipment to the city of 4,500, according to city officials.

Grant Anderson, founder and operations manager of Better Fresh Farms, said his interest in expanding his

business and the incubator’s offerings paired perfectly and created a cost-effective way for him to expand.

“I am excited,” said Anderson of the move and partnership. He added that one of the biggest barriers for start-up business is cost and that Metter and GSU have found a way to help minimize costs as well as provide additional resources. Internships and analysis from GSU are other “layers of development” he foresees in the future.

Anderson said he expects his business’ production to more than quadruple in the first quarter of 2020, thanks to the addition of new equipment and the move.

“We recognize the future growth in our state will be influenced by happenings in the rural region,” said Dominique Halaby, director of Georgia Southern University’s business innovation group.

He said he expects the incubator to create “new jobs and new business in agriculture in exciting new ways.”

Halaby said the center will be a “win-win” for all involved, creating new opportunities for students and faculty and “leading to new jobs and resources for the entire state.”

This is the second GSU incubator in Georgia. The school opened one in Statesboro in collaboration with the city in 2015. This incubator has reached capacity with 26 businesses and a waiting list. GSU is also working with the city of Hinesville to construct a new incubator facility across from the school’s Liberty Campus.

“It’s really helped to develop downtown’s marketplace,” said Halaby, pointing out that the Statesboro incubator operates from an underutilized building.

HALABY SAID THE CENTER WILL BE A “WIN-WIN” FOR ALL INVOLVED, CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTYAND LEADING TO NEW JOBS AND RESOURCES FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 39

Help Wanted:

GMA’s Local Government Practicum Seeks New Project Proposals Since 2007, GMA has been partnering with several universities in Georgia to bring together Master of Public Administration students looking for practical experience and cities that need help with research-driven projects.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRACTICUM IS A service at no cost to cities that delivers objective analysis and recommendations to help guide decision-making.

Any city in need of assistance can visit the GMA website to fill out a brief application that describes the scope of work and provides a point of contact who will coordinate the project with the student. There is no deadline to apply, and the program guidelines are minimal. Since most students participate in the Practicum for a single semester, the timeframe of a project should not exceed four months.

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Students will select projects according to their educational background, expertise and academic/professional goals. They are also expected to visit the city at least two or three times during the semester to familiarize themselves with the location and staff. Unlike an internship, the student works independently on a single project so there is no need for a manager to provide day-to-day supervision.

At the end of the semester, the city will receive a report, usually delivered in a formal presentation before council. Throughout the project, GMA serves as

a liaison between the city, the student and university faculty and remains in contact with each participant to provide assistance as needed.

This year, students from Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University and the University of Georgia created a public arts toolkit, collected best practices on workforce development, drafted a downtown business development plan, developed a citizen’s academy curriculum, built a digital badge program, and evaluated economic development activities.

Beyond the Practicum, GMA is conducting outreach by organizing and participating in university career fairs and panels on professional development. These events help students build relationships with local officials while providing a platform for cities to present local government employment as a viable and desirable career option.

For more information contact Holger Loewendorf at hloewendorf@gacities.com.

2020 CENSUS RECRUITMENT:

Nice Work If You Can Get It… And You Can Get It by Applying Online The U.S. Census Bureau launched its nationwide 2020 Census recruitment campaign in October to recruit temporary workers for positions beginning in spring 2020.

APPLYING AS A CENSUS TAKER IS A GREAT WAY for seasonal workers, students, retirees and workers in the “gig economy” to line up spring and summer employment opportunities. To be eligible for a 2020 Census job, potential applicants must: + Be at least 18 years old + Have a valid Social Security number + Have a valid email address + Complete an application and answer assessment questions + Pass a Census-performed criminal background check + Commit to completing training + Be available to work flexible hours Applicants who are bilingual in English and other languages are encouraged to apply.

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A strong economy with low unemployment rates poses a significant challenge for the Census Bureau as it creates a temporary workforce of hundreds of thousands of individuals over the next six months to reach those who do not respond online or belong to hard-to-count populations. But cities can help by using the 2020 Census Recruitment Toolkit to communicate with their residents and increase awareness of census-related job opportunities. The toolkit includes social media guidelines, tips, sample posts and sample e-mail messages in English and Spanish.

PUBLIC DATA FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR:

The 2020 Census and Economic Development

It is not an exaggeration to call the Census a cornerstone of American democracy, because it determines federal funding levels and political representation.

LESS WELL KNOWN IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE decennial count for the economy, although it represents the single largest source of data for businesses about local markets, demographics and growth potentials.

When deciding what kind of product to make and sell, whether to invest in a new downtown location or hire more staff, the private sector relies on an accurate and complete 2020 Census.

In addition to the numbers that will be generated next year, the U.S. Census Bureau is responsible for other products that inform business decisions, such as the annual American Community Survey, the Economic Census that is conducted every five years and the Census Business Builder. The latter is an interactive data tool, which is available for small businesses as well as regional analysis. In the highly unlikely event that GMA decided to open a restaurant in its office building, this tool would allow the association to determine its potential

customer base, consumer spending, or competition across a range of geographies.

Whether used in isolation or complemented by privately generated data, this is very powerful information.

City officials can familiarize themselves with these products to support local economic development efforts and the local business community more generally. In turn, the private sector can be an important partner for marketing and outreach activities as Census Day 2020 nears. The fact that both sides depend on reliable public data to make well-informed decisions should be incentive enough for collaboration.

Visit the GMA website, www.gacities.com, to access the 2020 Census Recruitment Toolkit and start promoting the Census and job recruitment today.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 43

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS ALPHARETTA SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF TARGETED INDUSTRY

BY MATTHEW A. THOMAS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, ALPHARETTA

BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND ATTRACTION come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. For some communities, it’s organically grown local entrepreneurship, for others it’s locational, asset-driven site selection or a result of community-driven marketing.

Progress in any combination of these areas can accelerate long-lasting gains in business growth and attracting industries.

Alpharetta is home to a robust fiber optic network and over 700 technology companies, and one of the hubs of innovation in north metro Atlanta.

Given the prevalence of tech and white-collar operations in our city, we target to these strengths.

This knowledge is one of the main drivers behind our award-winning video marketing campaign Alpharetta360 (visit Alpharetta360.com). This collection of over 70 videos highlights CEO testimonials of doing business in Alpharetta. Alpharetta360 also spotlights

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videos of marquee events and quality of life attributes (in partnership with the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau) so viewers can get a holistic view of Alpharetta before ever moving, investing or visiting.

In the digital age, the Internet is the virtual front door to our communities. Often, companies “Google” us before they choose to do business with us.

The video series is still only an element of our market outreach. In 2012, we established the Alpharetta Technology Commission, known today as Tech Alpharetta, the city’s own sponsored innovation center and incubator. Tech Alpharetta was created to develop and cultivate our tech ecosystem and provide resources to tech-based companies of all sizes.

One residual effect of Tech Alpharetta is the attraction that small businesses have toward it. Tech Alpharetta also sends a message to mid-size and big business that we are serious in our efforts to be a destination of private sector, technological growth.

Between Alpharetta360 and Tech Alpharetta, we continue improving our city in such a way that boosts our strengths. Of course, no attraction efforts can replace the necessities of top-performing schools, a highly skilled workforce and investment in public safety and infrastructure, that also helps set us apart.

The collective results are that the messaging in our marketing reaches its intended results proven by technology companies and corporate headquarters continue investing in our city.

In economic development, sharing all our community offers is always in high demand. One of the best things we can do is know our community, know our target industries and identify creative ways to speak their language.

From Left: Tifton Mayor Julie Smith, Bruce Green giving a tour of downtown Tifton,

workshop participants

HEART & SOUL ATTENDEES EXPLORE THE ‘FRIENDLY CITY’

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR PLACEMAKING COLLABORATIVE

Georgia Cities Foundation (GCF) and GMA recently hosted the Fall 2019 Heart & Soul Downtown Workshop in Tifton. The six-hour workshop targets municipal officials and key city staff that are interested in downtown revitalization. Workshop participants receive opportunities to view actual plans and projects with officials from the host city discussing their downtown and neighborhood strategies, their success stories and their lessons learned.

The workshop also includes tours of downtown projects.

GCF and GMA thank Tifton Mayor Julie Smith and downtown staff, Bruce Green and Abbey McLaren, for hosting such a successful workshop.

GMA staff attended the International Placemaking Week in Chattanooga on Oct. 1-4 and presented an overview of the Georgia Placemaking Collaborative during the Short Talk Sessions. In addition, the Collaborative officially launched in August and is currently taking 2020 community team applications. This three-year facilitated program assists cities in developing locally based strategies to address their most pressing economic development and quality of life issues.

For more information about the Georgia Placemaking Collaborative or to apply contact Stephanie Aylworth at saylworth@gacities.com.

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 45

FEDERAL FOCUS

NLC Releases Cybersecurity Report The National League of Cities (NLC) has released a new publication, “Protecting Our Data: What Cities Should Know About Cybersecurity,” in collaboration with the Public Technology Institute (PTI).

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“We wrote this report for local elected and appointed officials, especially those who may not have a background in cybersecurity or network management,” said Angelina Panettieri, NLC Principal Associate for Technology and Communications. “The guide outlines 10 recommended first steps for city officials hoping to improve cybersecurity, includes a few really interesting case studies of local security breaches, and includes a checklist that local IT directors can use to get started.”

The NLC guide examines the state of cybersecurity in local governments and includes policy recommendations for local leaders to implement to keep their residents and their own data safe. To get a clearer picture of the state of cybersecurity in local governments today, NLC and PTI conducted a survey of IT officials representing local governments from across the United States. They found that while local governments are making improvements, they still lack support from elected leaders and face budget constraints that limit their abilities to further improve.

NLC RECOMMENDS A NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE STEPS CITIES CAN TAKE TO AVOID VULNERABILITIES AND REINFORCE CYBERSECURITY BEST PRACTICES: + Identify one individual to be responsible for cybersecurity programs in that jurisdiction + Make digital hygiene an institutional priority

+ Conduct an analysis of local government vulnerabilities + Ensure your data is properly backed up + Implement multi-factor authentication + Create policies or plans to manage potential attacks + Ensure public communication is part of your attack response plan + Adopt a dot gov (.gov) address to reduce risk of fraudulent municipal websites + Work with educational partners to create a cybersecurity talent pool No network can be 100 percent secure, but by following the recommendations in this guide, local government leaders can reduce the risk of a cyber-attack and be more resilient when one does occur.

“Local elected officials owe it to their residents to protect their most valuable data—it is their responsibility, their duty of care,” said Clarence Anthony, NLC Executive Director. “The National League of Cities and the Public Technology Institute stand ready to help the nation’s local

governments

strengthen

their

cybersecurity efforts.”

Access the full cybersecurity report at www.gacities.com

+ Educate the local workforce, elected leaders and residents about cybersecurity

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 47

TOWNS & THE LAW

Social Media as the Modern Town Square

BY CAROLINE DORSEY, ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL, GMA

Does your city use Facebook, Twitter or another social media platform to share information with the public? As a councilmember do you use social media to interact with your constituents?

SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDES A QUICK and easy form of communication, especially for governments and government officials. A growing number of cities, police departments and public officials are using a variety of social media platforms to engage with the public. Many do not realize that the First Amendment protections that apply to traditional public forums such as the town square may also apply to these social media pages.

While it may seem harmless to hide or delete negative comments about an ordinance the city adopted or blocking a user who regularly disagrees with a councilmember’s position, this could result in legal consequences.

When the government provides a forum for speech, viewpoint discrimination is prohibited. The Second, Third and Fifth Circuits have analyzed social media use by public officials and have found that actions such as deleting critical comments can be violations of the First Amendment.

IF YOUR CITY OR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE ARE A FEW STEPS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING: Consult with your city attorney to determine which social media 1 pages, if any, would be classified as a limited public forum or 48

a public forum. It’s important to note that not all forms of social media operated by a public official will be classified as a public forum subject to First Amendment protections. This is determined on a case-by-case basis and will involve an analysis of the information that is being shared, who has access to the site and what features are used.

It is possible for a personal account to remain personal, but others may become public forums simply based on official content being shared.

A social media page that is solely used to provide information with no user having the ability to post comments will likely not be considered a public forum, but the ability to limit posting of comments is something that could be outside of the control of the local government and could be governed by the social media platform itself.

Cities should work with their city attorney to develop a content-neutral social media policy. It should include guidelines for when a comment may be deleted and when an individual may be blocked from the site. The policy should be made widely available and included on the social media page. This will help to ensure the public is made aware of what will and will not be tolerated.

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Provide the employee or official who will be monitoring the social media page with adequate training. Encourage him or her to consult with the city attorney if he or she has any doubt about whether a violation of the social media policy has occurred before deleting a comment or blocking a user.

GEORGIA GEMS Claxton Fruit Cakes: A Georgia Holiday Legend TIS THE SEASON FOR TRADITIONS! TAKE A TRIP taste of an authentic Claxton Fruit Cake. The Parker famto the city of Claxton where you’ll experience your own ily has also taken advantage of other innovative ways piece of South Georgia with a slice of fruit cake from of marketing this unique product, such as sponsoring the Claxton Bakery, Inc. Thanks to this southern delicaelaborate floats in the nationally televised Orange Bowl cy, Claxton is known as the Fruit Jamboree Parades in Miami, Fl. and the Cherry Blossom Cake Capital of the World.

Festival Parade in Washington, “Every community needs D.C. something to bring people Branch believes the desire together, and the cake has alfor this beloved delicacy has a lowed the city to be known nasignificant economic impact on tionwide by something everythe city, particularly during the one loves and adores,” said holidays, when demand is the Claxton Mayor Terry Branch. greatest. According to Parker, The Claxton Bakery was the company produces 86,000 founded in the mid-1900s by pounds a day so its fruit cakes Savino Tos, who stumbled on can hit grocery stores in October. the friendly city of Claxton In addition to an economic imPhoto credit: Claxt on Bakery, Inc. while traveling to Savannah. pact, the Claxton Bakery services Seeing the city needed a the fundraising needs of several bakery of its own Tos decided to open the shop. With groups and organizations. the help of a young baker named Albert Parker, Tos Baking season is September through Decemtook his business to the next level. In 1940, he retired ber. During their visits, customers are encouraged to leaving the operation in Parker's hands. sample the fruit cakes and view the bakery's massive The bakery’s global exposure includes an exhibit at ovens from the storefront. Visit claxtonfruitcake.com the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and 1965. This exhibit for more information. gave people a unique South Georgia experience—the

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 49

CITYLITES

Fairs and Festivals December 1-31 Lights Along the River Bainbridge December 1 Sounding Off the Christmas Season Auburn December 2 Candy Land Christmas Extravaganza Festival Sylvania

Holiday Celebration Statesboro Christmas Parade McRae-Helena

Christmas at the Gorge Tallulah Falls Greater Valdosta Community Christmas Parade Valdosta Lighted Chrsitmas Parade Hawkinsville

Festival Of Lights Christmas Parade Douglas

Rutledge Christmas Festival Santa and Parade Rutledge

Community Christmas Parade Valdosta

Downtown Holiday Parade Madison

Christmas Night Out & Parade McRae-Helena

Christmas Parade Covington

Christmas Rush Classic Madison

Christmas Parade Monroe

Christmas Parade Dublin

Colonial Christmas at Fort Morris Midway

December 6-8 Christmas on the River Savannah

Holiday on the Square & Christmas Parade Blairsville

Holiday Festival & Parade Buford

December 6 Christmas Parade Tybee Island

Christmas in the Mountains Festival Cleveland

December 5 Hometown Holiday Christmas Parade Conyers

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December 7 A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas & Parade Clarkesville

70th Annual Christmas Parade Winder

tybeeisland.com/calendar-of-events

Downtown in December Holiday Festival Jefferson

Holiday Festival Stockbridge

December 8 Christmas Festival and Parade Fort Oglethorpe

Christmas Parade Lilburn

Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Douglasville

Hometown Christmas Warrenton

Christmas Tree Lighting & Parade McDonough

Christmas Parade Summerville

December 9 Christmas Parade Royston-Franklin Springs

December 14-15 Indie South Fair Holiday Hooray!

Athens

February 1-22 Black Heritage Festival Savannah

December 10 Lighted Christmas Parade Tallapoosa

December 31 Up The Cup New Year’s Celebration & Fireworks Savannah

February 1 Winter Beer Festival Atlanta

Festival of Lights Christmas Parade Moultrie

First Night Dahlonega Dahlonega

The Ultimate Live Tribute Concert Elberton

December 12 Victorian Christmas Festival Thomasville

New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration Tybee Island

February 7-9 Jugglers Festival Atlanta

December 13-14 Christmas by Candlelight Chatsworth

January 2-4 New Year’s Bluegrass Festival Jekyll Island

February 24 Jewish Film Festival Atlanta

December 13 Christmas Parade & Festival Statham

January 21 MLK Day March & Rally Atlanta

December 14 Christmas Parade Loganville

February 1 Festival of Camellias Fort Valley

Christmas Parade Helen

Georgia History Festivals Georgia Day Parade Savannah

Christmas Parade Cornelia Candlelight Christmas Juliette Christmas on the Pond Nicholls

February 1-2 Rubber Stamp Festival Lawrenceville

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

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

Athens Wine Weekend Athens

November/December 2019 | gacities.com 51

201 Pryor Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303

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

GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

PLAN AHEAD FOR CITIES UNITED DAY ON JANUARY 27 January 24-27, 2020

GMA invites city officials and staff attending the Cities United Summit* to participate in the Cities United Day of events set to culminate the 2020 Summit. This day is already a part of the summit registration and includes the Capitol Connection Breakfast and a brief walk to the Gold Dome for Cities United Day at the Capitol. Here, attendees are encouraged to meet with their legislators.

More than 200 city leaders attended the 2019 Cities United Day at the Capitol and made a strong statement to members of the Georgia General Assembly. Join GMA and fellow city leaders again in 2020 to show the power of Cities United and Home Rule!

For more information visit www.gacities.com or email conference@gacities.com. Please remember that shuttle service from the Atlanta Hilton to the Georgia Freight Depot for the Capitol Connection Day will be available from 7 a.m. through the lunch hour. *Formerly known as Mayors’ Day