2025 Cities United Summit

Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park

January 24-27, 2025

Cities United Summit

GMA’s Cities United Summit bring together Georgia city officials to advocate for municipal priorities. The summit enables attendees to engage with state leaders during Cities United Day at the Capitol. Municipal Institute training classes are also available and offered in partnership with UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

Registration Opens In...

 

November 18, 2024

Registration Planning Packet

Cities United Summit Starts in...

 

January 24, 2025

Register Online Registration Planning Packet

Online registration will close on Friday, January 17 at 5:00 p.m. Afterward, new registrations and changes must be made onsite.

Schedule of Events

Thursday

January 23

  • 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

    Registration-Welcome Center

Friday

January 24

  • 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

    Registration-Welcome Center

  • 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

    Classes

    • Data Literacy and Storytelling for Cities   
    • Downtown Development Authority Basic Training (ends at 4:30 PM) 
    • Economic Development* 
    • Harmony in Leadership: Nurturing Kindness, Civility, and Transformational Influence* (New) 
    • Planning and Zoning*

    Classes with an * are on the “required” list for the Municipal Training Institute certificate program.

  • 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM

    Classes

    • Living Beyond Expectations: The Opportunities and Challenges of the Growing Senior Population
    • Human Trafficking: Georgia’s Role and Response
    • Municipal Taxation 101 – The Basics*
    • Open Meetings*
    • Public Works Services*

    Classes with an * are on the “required” list for the Municipal Training Institute certificate program.

  • 8:30 AM - 11:30 PM

    Clerks Course

    Eternal Care: Best Practices in Cemetery Management (CEU Credit)

  • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

    Clerks Course

    Open Government: A Guide to Records, Meetings, and Attorney General's Office (CEU Credit)

  • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

    Classes

    • Economics of Education
    • Municipal Annexation: Growing Pains and Growth Spurts
    • Municipal Courts Post Ferguson I: Promoting Justice, Protecting City Assets*
    • Strengthening the Well-Being of Children and Youth
    • Current Issues Class – Understanding, Funding and Fighting the New Face of Homelessness in Georgia

    Classes with an * are on the “required” list for the Municipal Training Institute certificate program.

  • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM

    Municipal Training Board Meeting

Saturday

January 25

  • 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM

    Registration-Welcome Center

  • 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM

    Training Breakfast for 6-hour classes

  • 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

    Classes

    • Building a Hometown Connection: GMA Lobbying 101
    • Building Collaborative Relationships to Solve Community Challenges (New)
    • Community and Media Relations*
    • Creating a Downtown Renaissance: Advanced DDA Training
    • Current Issues Class – Health in All Policies: Impactful Local Decision-Making to Ensure Healthier Communities
    • Current Issues Class – Workforce Development
    • Ethics* 
    • Environmental Sustainability 
    • Human Resources*
    • Managing Growth: Economic and Natural Resource Issues
    • Municipal Finance II*
    • Municipal Law*
    • Navigating the Future: Thinking, Planning and Acting Strategically
    • Revitalizing Neighborhoods – Tools for Local Officials 
    • Water Management — An Introduction for Local Governments

    ​Classes with an * are on the “required” list for the Municipal Training Institute certificate program.

  • 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

    Clerks Course

    Athenian Dialogue: “A Chance in the World: An Orphan Boy, A Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home” written by Steve Pemberton (CEU Credit)

  • 3:45 PM - 5:30 PM

    GMA Board of Directors Meeting

Sunday

January 26

  • 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

    Registration-Welcome Center

  • 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM

    Worship Service

  • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

    Federal Policy Council Meeting

  • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

    Orientation for First-Time Attendees

  • 9:15 AM - 10:30 AM

    Policy Committee Meetings

    • Municipal Government Policy Committee Meeting
    • Community Development Policy Committee Meeting
  • 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM

    Policy Committee Meetings

    • Revenue and Finance Policy Committee Meeting
    • Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee Meeting
  • 12:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Awards Luncheon

  • 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM

    Awards photos

  • 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

    Policy Committee Meetings

    • Public Safety Policy Committee Meeting
    • Transportation Policy Committee Meeting
  • 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

    Legislative Policy Council Meeting

  • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM

    Information Session

  • 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

    Networking Reception

Monday

January 27

  • 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM

    Registration-Welcome Center

  • 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM

    Legislative Networking and Capitol Connection Breakfast Program

  • 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Cities United Day at the Capitol

Awards

  • Visionary City Award

    Visionary City Award

    The Visionary City Award is a joint award offered by Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Trend Magazine. The award is annually bestowed to nine cities—three from each population size group: under 4,999, 5,000-24,999, and over 25,000–honoring those that have created positive community change through effective civic engagement and collaboration.

  • City and Organization of Civility

    City and Organization of Civility

    The City of Civility designation is awarded to cities that adopt a resolution pledging to practice and promote civility within the governing body as a means of conducting legislative duties and responsibilities. This pledge strives to show courtesy by treating all colleagues, staff and members of the public in a professional and respectful manner whether in-person, online or in written communication, especially when we disagree. Qualified organizations are eligible to receive an Organization of Civility designation.

  • City and Organization of Ethics

    City and Organization of Ethics

    The City and Organization of Ethics program is an attempt to raise awareness about ethics issues at the local level and provide a local forum for the airing and resolution of legitimate concerns. To earn a "GMA Certified City of Ethics" designation for the first time, a city must adopt a Resolution Establishing the Five Ethics Principles for the Conduct of Your City's Officials. Counties and qualified organizations are also eligible to receive an ethics designation.

  • Georgia Economic Placemaking Collaborative

    Georgia Economic Placemaking Collaborative

    The Georgia Economic Placemaking Collaborative is a two-year place-based economic development program that provides participating communities with education, facilitation, technical assistance, networking, peer learning, and incentives to help identify their community assets and develop a locally based placemaking strategy.

  • Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificates

    Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificates

    Operated through a partnership between GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute is a continuing education program designed to help city officials enhance their knowledge and skills in municipal-related matters. The Municipal Training Institute is pleased to recognize those individuals who have recently earned one or more of the training institute’s five certificates.

Governmental Relations

Additional Resources

Resources

Contact Us

For information about registration, sponsorship opportunities or other inquiries related to the Cities United Summit not covered on this page, email registration@gacities.com.