The following is Madison Mayor Fred Perriman's prepared remarks after being sworn in as GMA President during GMA's 2024 Annual Convention.
Thank you.
I am honored to serve as the next president of the Georgia Municipal Association. I’m humbled and deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me.
I thank God for placing me here at this time, in this place, with the best team around.
It is truly an honor.
I would like to extend my heartfelt and personal thanks to our outgoing GMA president, Perry Mayor Randall Walker. Mayor Walker, thank you for your dedication and leadership. I am honored to follow in your footsteps.
I also want to recognize and congratulate the other GMA officers:
- College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom;
- Young Harris Mayor Andrea Gibby; and
- Suwanee Mayor Jimmy Burnette.
To the rest of the GMA Board of Directors, congratulations.
Together, we start this journey with a shared commitment and purpose. We are united by common goals, dedication to our communities, and our commitment to each other through GMA. We are one GMA, united in our mission to serve our communities.
I look forward to working with each of you.
I’d also like to thank my lovely wife Marie, who is my biggest supporter and has been by my side from the beginning, my three daughters…Angela, Phalandra, and Crystal, and their families…for their love and support.
And my City of Madison family…the elected officials and staff…thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am blessed to be part of a great team.
To the state elected officials, fellow ministers from Madison, and other special guests, thank you for being here.
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This year’s convention theme, “Imagine the Possible,” is more than just a slogan to me. It’s personal. Let me explain.
I strongly support the youth in our community. I believe any child can become the next mayor or achieve even greater things. We must nurture them and engage them with care. Why? It’s simple, for the health of our cities. Investing in our kids lays the groundwork for a brighter future.
I’m very pleased that Georgia City Solutions, one of GMA’s non-profits, started the Mayor’s Reading Club initiative. I jumped at the chance to participate once it was established. This initiative allows us to engage with our young people. It provides us with an opportunity to show them that their leaders are committed to their success.
Literacy is an issue we need to be aware of and support. I strongly encourage every mayor in Georgia to get involved in this program.
Reading transformed my life. I still recall Mrs. Stinson, my first-grade teacher, handing me my first book in a small, segregated church school. That simple gesture changed my life. Reading unlocked countless opportunities for me. And I'm committed to ensuring every child in Madison has those same opportunities.
Through the Mayor's Reading Club, we are putting books into our children’s hands, nurturing a love for reading that will lead to lifelong learning. Reading builds empathy, creativity, and self-confidence in the child.
For cities, literacy is an investment in economic strength, workforce development, and overall quality-of-life. Or in other words, literacy lays the foundation for a brighter future, for people and for our communities.
Mrs. Stinson imagined the possible when it came to me and the other children she loved and supported. Her dreams laid the foundation for a brighter future for the lives she touched. We owe the same to the children in our communities.
Tomorrow we’re going to learn about a new statewide literacy effort. It is a partnership between the state, Malcolm Mitchell and his Share the Magic Foundation, GMA, and Georgia City Solutions. It’s a partnership with big dreams. I’m excited and proud that state officials looked to GMA and GCS as partners and wanted to announce it here at our convention.
We’ll have a number of special guests tomorrow for the announcement. I encourage you to attend Monday morning’s General Session to learn more about it.
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“Imagine the Possible” also reflects the unlimited potential within our cities. Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, "When you look at the possibilities instead of the problems, the future is filled with endless opportunities." I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.
By dreaming big and harnessing our collective power, we can achieve remarkable things together. Imagining the possible is just the beginning. There’s another side to that coin. As our keynote speaker made clear this morning, we must make plans and take concrete steps to turn our dreams into reality.
It's not enough to imagine and dream. We…must…do.
“Imagine the Possible” is a call to action:
- for us to put our minds together,
- to think deeply and to strategize,
- and to commit to the hard work necessary to achieve our goals.
That’s what we do back in my hometown of Madison. By addressing the specific needs of our community, we work to create an environment where everyone can thrive. When we embrace the entire community and focus on our future, much can be achieved.
In Madison, we have made significant strides in bridging racial divides, creating a more inclusive and vibrant community. This work started before my time in office and will continue long after. It is a testament to the enduring power of collective action and shared vision.
One of the most important aspects of our work in Madison is creating a sense of unity and collaboration. To be a healthy city, we need a healthy council. We don't always have to agree, but allowing anger to dominate is a waste of energy. Instead, let's channel our passion into constructive dialogue and action.
When we work hand-in-hand, we all benefit. This principle extends beyond our councils and into every corner of our communities. As someone once said, "When you focus on possibilities, you'll have more opportunities." That’s what we try to do in Madison.
What we do in our hometowns is strengthened by our collaboration through GMA. Together, we tackle challenges too big for any one city to handle alone. The work done through GMA is important in fostering the development and success of every city in Georgia.
GMA is committed to helping cities dream big and create places where every citizen can thrive. It does this by providing services, programs, initiatives, and guidance that help us address the unique challenges cities face.
Just as importantly, GMA is where we come together to share best practices and resources to lift each other up. By working together and forging friendships, we leverage our collective experience and knowledge to drive meaningful change.
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As we move forward, let us remember that the possibilities we imagine are only as real as the actions we take to achieve them. It is our responsibility to develop plans, to work together, and to remain steadfast in our commitment to our communities.
In closing, I urge you all to “Imagine the Possible."
Together, let's pledge to transform our visions into tangible actions, creating a future where:
- every community thrives,
- every child has a chance to succeed, and
- our collective efforts lead to a better tomorrow for all.
Thank you, and God bless.