Rockmart getting ready for GMA 2016 in Savannah
Rockmart council members plan to attend the 2016 annual Georgia Municipal Convention in Savannah June 24 – 28.
This group will include Joe Henderson, Sherman Ross, Lucille Harris and Rick Stone, council members, Manager Jeff Ellis and Pam Herring, financial officer/city clerk.
Local elected officials emphasize that the convention offers many educational opportunities, including new ideas on how to improve services within the community. There is also networking with other communities and hearing about programs that have proven successful across Georgia.
An example will be the presentation of two rapid- fire sessions scheduled from 8:15 to 10:15 a.m. on Monday, June 27. Each session will provide elected officials opportunity to hear fast-paced presentations followed by a brief question and answer period.
Session 1 will include:
Decatur - Walking Your Way to a Healthy Community
Duluth - Hispanic Citizen’s Policy Academy
Gainesville - Midtown Greenway
Rome - Tennis Community - increasing facilities to become top destination in the southeast for tennis.
Savannah - Summer Internship Program
Statesboro - Blue Mile and Homes for Heroes Session 2 will offer: Donaldsonville - Rural Broadband
Hapeville - The Citizens Chalkboard Fort Valley - Front Porch Roll Call Forsyth - Operation All Aboard Powder Springs - Tourism Campaign Watkinsville - Downtown Art Ellis said past networking and presentations given during the event have proved successful for Rockmart.
One of these is the GICH (RICH) program, which is in its first year in Rockmart. Currently, volunteers are holding meetings to discuss a planned survey that will lay groundwork for improvements in residential housing.
Another idea shared during a GMA Convention is the pedestrian corridor from the downtown area to Rockmart’s Government Building on Piedmont Avenue. Completion of the recent sidewalk project is part of this current plan.
“We hope the 2016 convention will prove as fruitful for us as those in the past,” Ellis said. “Each individual attending the convention may attend a different event or session, according to their interest and/or expertise. These will be shared and decisions made if we wish to become involved in similar projects or ideas.”
Courses available to elected officials include:
Beyond the Beltway: Influencing Federal Policy through Grassroots Engagement - This course provides information about Congress, Federal agencies and how municipal officials can engage most effectively with leaders at the federal level to advocate for municipal priorities. Participants will obtain tips for communicating with members of Congress and engage in role-playing exercises to hone their negotiating skills.
Changing Demographics and Best Practices - Georgia’s demographics are constantly shifting, impacting cities. Georgia’s population is getting older and increasingly representing the cultures of many nationalities and many interests. This course examines the cultural and aging trends in Georgia and explores the implications of these changing demographics for cities, both in terms of challenges and opportunities.
Creating a Downtown Renaissance - Advanced DDA Training - This course builds on the Basic Downtown Development Authority training course with an emphasis on applying downtown development tools. The importance of developing a downtown vision and a plan are discussed.
Critical Issues Course – Be a Bike Friendly Community: Benefits and Best Practices - This course is designed for municipal officials interested in creating safe, family-friendly streets and paved trails to encourage bicycle travel for short errands, commuting, sightseeing and recreation. The course will review the economic benefits of increased bicycle ridership, safety statistics, best practices in street and trail design, policies and ordinances that improve bicycling conditions, as well as an overview of the Bicycle Friendly Community designation and how to obtain it.
Critical Issues Course – How to Spark Your City’s Economy with Historic Preservation - Historic Preservation can save city money and add tremendous value to a downtown or other commercial districts. Participants will hear from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Historic Preservation Division, which plays a key role in heritage conservation and economic development. Under both federal and state laws, the division administers the Certified Local Program; several tax incentive programs to promote the rehabilitation and use of historic buildings and the National Register of Historic Places.
The annual business and installation program will be held on Sunday afternoon, June 26. During the business meeting, GMA’s 2017 Legislative Polices will be voted – yes or no.