The majority of the training classes will take place at the Savannah Convention Center with a few being held at the Westin Savannah Harbor Hotel attached to the Savannah Convention Center. The class locations will be published in the electronic version of the Convention program sent out in advance of the event and posted on the GMA website, on the GACities App and in the printed program available onsite. It is very important that you identify the location of your class well in advance of the start time so that you can plan accordingly to be to class on time.
Training classes on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday require a separate registration and are not included in the conference registration fee. Full Conference registration is not required to register for training classes.
* Training Class descriptions can be viewed on the Harold F. Holtz Training website.
Presentation slides and other class materials will be available on the GMA website at: Class Presentations no later than one week in advance of the class. These materials will also be available on the GACities App.
Generally, hard copies of class materials will not be provided onsite. If your preference is to have a hard copy of the class materials for reference during your class, please make plans to print your materials and bring them with you.
If you would like guidance for earning training certificates through the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, please contact Aileen Harris of the GMA staff.
If you are seeking guidance on earning certification through the Georgia Clerks Education Institute, please contact Christina Collins with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
If you're in need of accessing transcripts for yourself or for other city officials in your city (if you are the clerk or the authorized city employee), simply log into the GMA website. Once you've logged in, that link will change into a menu of links. If you've taken classes in the past, you can look up your own transcripts from the menu. If you're a city clerk or other authorized city employee, you may access transcripts of others for your city with the "View Other Transcripts" link in that same menu.
Participants must not record, live stream, or otherwise transmit video or sound from any training session without express written permission from the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government Public Service Training and Leadership Faculty and the GMA Deputy Director of Training. Participants acknowledge that any such materials, should such permission be granted, will be the exclusive intellectual property of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government or GMA, as appropriate. Any person who records, streams, or transmits material without obtaining such written permission shall be immediately asked to leave the training session and will forfeit any paid fee without obtaining training credits. The name, likeness, voice, and/or appearance of any participant or presenter will not and shall not be utilized by any party to create new works via artificial intelligence without express permission.
Once onsite, you may register for classes based on classroom space availability. To register on site or to inquire about class availability, please visit the registration desk at the Savannah Convention Center.
Please be mindful of the Training Institute’s attendance policy. To receive training credit through the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a participant must attend the entire class.
For six-hour classes, anyone arriving more than 30 minutes after the class begins, leaving class repeatedly, or leaving the class early will not receive credit.
For three-hour classes, anyone arriving more than 15 minutes after the class begins, leaving class repeatedly or leaving class early will not receive credit.
At the end of class, participants can complete the class completion form online (preferred) or on paper.
Once an online class completion form is submitted, the participant will receive a QR code that must be presented and scanned by the instructor to officially mark attendance. Paper class completion forms must be signed by the participant and the instructor and provided to the instructor at the end of the class.
Class instructors will not scan or sign class completion forms in the event the attendance criteria cited herein is not met by the participant. To receive credit, the registration fee must be paid in full.
To attend any 2025 GMA Annual Convention session or event, you will need to register for the 2025 GMA Annual Convention separately from your training classes.
The following meals and refreshment breaks will be provided.
Six-hour classes include the following: breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshment break.
Three-hour classes include the following: for Friday afternoon classes, an afternoon refreshment break; and for Saturday and Tuesday morning classes, breakfast.