Op/Ed

Value of Cities Adds Up to Real Change
Much has changed about Georgia since GMA was founded in 1933. In the 75 year time span since cities first organized as an association, city populations have grown, shrunk and grown again.

Where in Roswell is Kay Love?
When I became city administrator I quickly realized that the best way to meet employees and to find out what was going on in the City of Roswell was to get out of the office and venture into the field.

Training of the Ethics in Government Act is Important on the Local Level
It’s 9 a.m., and as usual with my morning routine, I have a growing stack of letters to sign and documents to review. Atop the stack I come across a note from Human Resources with a laundry list of training seminar descriptions attached. The note reads, “Good investment for your managers.” Not having attended much training myself as of late, I get a little sticker shock when I see the cost.

Stories

Record number seek Health Promotion Grants for 2008
The GMA/Georgia Municipal Employees Benefit System (GMEBS) Health Promotion Grant program received unprecedented interest in 2008, resulting in a 72% increase in total grant money awarded.

From Local to National: Speakers Added to Convention Line Up
The speakers at GMA’s Annual Convention June 21-24 in Savannah will cover topics from the very local, to the national level.

Roswell Gets to the CORE of Training
Recognizing that a city’s employees are its most valuable asset, the Community Information Office in the City of Roswell conducted nine focus group meetings to gain input on how employees thought the city could better communicate with them.

One Year Later: Americus Recovers from Tornado
A little more than a year ago an EF-3 tornado with 150 mile per hour winds ripped through the City of Americus leaving two people dead and a path of destruction that included several buildings in the city and the region’s only full-service acute care medical facility, Sumter Regional Hospital (SRH).

Franklin, Heard County Work Together for Emergency Services
A little cooperation has gone a long way for the City of Franklin and Heard County. The two worked together to create a two-bay fire station with plenty of living and working space for firefighters.

Griffin Addresses Water Management with Comprehensive Plans
The City of Griffin’s water and sewer system has been in the ground since the 1890s.

Historic Photos Capture Cities ‘Face’
You may have seen them on the walls of your local pharmacy, in a hometown bank or even in shoeboxes in your grandparents’ attic. They are the old photographs that document the changing face of Georgia’s downtowns though the years.

GMA Training Program Q&A
State law mandates that city officials in various elected and appointed positions are required to attend and complete training courses pertaining to the basic performance of their duties.