Seventeen cities and four organizations were recognized as a City of Civility and an Organization of Civility, respectively, by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and its nonprofit Georgia City Solutions during its annual convention in Savannah on Monday, June 24.
A 2019 poll by Weber Shandwick revealed that over 90% percent of Americans believe that incivility is a problem, with nearly 68% percent identifying it as a major problem. Civility is more than just politeness; it is about disagreeing without disrespect, seeking common ground as a starting point for dialogue about differences, listening past one’s preconceptions and teaching others to do the same.
GMA, in partnership with the Association’s nonprofit organization, Georgia City Solutions, created the Embrace Civility program to equip Georgia’s cities with resources to create more civility in their meetings and among their residents and meeting attendees. Civil behavior and speech are critically important to a healthy, functional, and respectful society. For public service to be effective, there must be an atmosphere of respect and tolerance and a commitment to a healthy public exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints.
“I commend these cities and organizations for embracing civility,” said GMA CEO and Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We believe that these Georgia’s cities and organizations have a great platform to model open, free, and vigorous debate, while maintaining the highest standards of civility, honesty, and mutual respect.”
The following cities and organizations were recognized:
Cities
Adrian
Buena Vista
Hoschton
Jefferson
Jesup
LaFayette
LaGrange
Locust Grove
Monroe
Mt. Zion
Oconee
Palmetto
Pooler
Rockmart
Rome
Temple
Walnut Grove
Organizations
Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission
LaFayette Downtown Development Authority
Northeast Georgia Regional Commission
Southern Georgia Regional Commission