CITIES UNITED SUMMIT 2023: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The weather is getting colder, elections are over and the calendar is about to flip to a new year. You know what that means: It’s almost time for GMA’s Cities United Summit. Every year, in the first few weeks of the legislative session, city leaders and stakeholders convene in Atlanta.

For four days, attendees will have access to important advocacy tools, policy committee meetings, and unrivaled training and networking opportunities. Culminating with a visit to the Georgia Capitol by hundreds of Georgia’s local leaders and an opportunity to advocate for the priorities of Georgia’s cities, the Cities United Summit is one of GMA’s premier annual events. Registration is now open at gacities.com. As you prepare to take the trip to Georgia’s capital city, brush up on what you can expect during this four-day event.

Key Meetings

Multiple key meetings will be held throughout the duration of the Cities United Summit. Chief among them will be the Board of Directors meeting on the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 21. The Municipal Training Board will also meet on Friday, Jan. 20.

In keeping with the City United Summit’s legislative focus, both the Legislative Policy Council and the Federal Policy Council will meet on Sunday, Jan. 22. Both bodies will discuss the legislative year ahead, GMA’s policy priorities and the challenges and opportunities municipal governments may face.

GMA’s six policy committees will also meet on Sunday. The committees cover the topics of public safety, revenue and finance, environment and natural resources, municipal government, community development and transportation.

Municipal Training Institute

Training classes will be held Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21. Those who have reached significant milestones in their training hours will be honored at the Sunday awards luncheon.

Visionary City Awards

A staple of the Cities United Summit is the annual Visionary City Awards, presented by GMA and Georgia Trend magazine. These awards recognize nine cities across three categories: small (population under 5,000), medium (population 5,000 to 24,999) and large (population 25,000 or higher).

Each year, award-winning cities are honored for projects that promote civic engagement, inclusiveness, equality, collaboration, innovation and long-term value to the community. Past winners have included equity and inclusion initiatives, literacy programs, broadband expansion and assistance to local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities submit their projects for consideration by an independent panel of judges. Those judges’ evaluations determine the three winners in each category.

The nine winning cities will be recognized during the Sunday awards luncheon.

Capitol Connection Legislative Networking Breakfast

Before GMA visits the Capitol, the Capitol comes to GMA. City officials, legislators and other stakeholders will meet and chat over a buffet breakfast on the morning of Monday, Jan. 23. Invited speakers include Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov.-elect Burt Jones and the next Georgia House Speaker. Rep. Jon Burns (R-Newington) is likely to become the next speaker, as he won a House Republican Caucus vote to be nominated for the position, but the full House of Representatives will not vote to elect a speaker until Jan. 9.

Cities United Day at the Capitol

It will be a grand finale for the Cities United Summit when hundreds of city officials convene at the Georgia Capitol on Monday, Jan. 23. This is an opportunity for elected and appointed local leaders to speak with legislators face-to-face about the most pressing issues facing Georgia’s cities. Just a few weeks into the legislative session, it’s a prime opportunity to lay out GMA’s policy priorities and illustrate issues that often transcend party lines.