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$116M mixed-use project proposed at I-285 and Buford Highway (RENDERINGS)
A three-month moratorium on new vape shops may be coming to Oakwood
Americus police receive CALEA accreditation
Atlanta gets $2.8M to connect downtown streetcar to Beltline
Atlanta gets $2.8M to connect downtown streetcar to Beltline
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Cities Throughout the State Likely to Benefit from $180 Million Literacy Development Grant
Local Building Design Standards Targeted
GMA Advocates for Cities at LMIG Allocation Study Committee
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Leaders, What’s Your Evidence of Trustworthiness?
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The Art of Leadership and Always Taking the Long View
The Role of Arts-based Economic Development Strategies in Rural Georgia Communities
GMA’s Larry Hanson Named Advisory Council Member by FHL Bank of Atlanta
Restoring City Rights in the Era of Preemption: A Municipal Action Guide
Installing Free Wi-Fi To Help Count Rural Communities Of Color In 2020 Census
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New to GMA?
If you're a newly elected city official, GMA has the resources to help you get off to the right start with information on ethics filings, open meetings, government charters and much more.
Help for Newly Elected Officials
50 Survival Tips for Newly Elected Officials
covers the basics as you begin your term in elected office.
As part of GMA’s commitment to expand cost-effective learning and networking opportunities for elected officials, newly elected officials have the opportunity to obtain support, guidance, and encouragement from seasoned elected officials through the
GMA Mentoring Program
.
GMA's comprehensive online guide to municipal government,
Handbook for Georgia Mayors and Council Members
,
is specifically designed for Georgia's elected officials.
A GMA staff representative is assigned to each of GMA's
12 Districts
. Find out how the District program works and who you can call for help. And don't hesitate to contact any
GMA staff member
if you have a question that needs answering.
Learning About Your City
A city’s charter outlines its structure and form of government, administrative duties, financial procedures, judicial functions and powers, and election procedures. Many municipal charters can be found on the
Municode website
.
Although we want to be as helpful as possible, GMA staff attorneys do not have an attorney-client relationship with your city or its officials and cannot provide legal advice as a substitute for the city attorney. Because of the lack of an attorney-client relationship, your communications with GMA staff attorneys may not be confidential and you may not rely on their guidance as legal advice. Our role is to answer general municipal law questions for city officials and serve as a professional resource for your city attorney. Every city official should consult with their city attorney on specific legal issues because they are most familiar with your city’s charter, ordinances and local circumstances, and they directly represent the city in legal matters.
GMA's
Directory of Member Cities
includes links to city websites where you can find out about municipal staff, services provided, and financial data posted by each city.
Use one of GMA's
Data Tools
to find demographic data for your city and all other cities in the state.
Day-to-Day Duties of An Elected Official
The
Meetings Procedure, Organization, and Public Participation
chapter from the
Handbook for Georgia Mayors and Councilmembers
will help you learn how to run a meeting. Also, GMA's publication
Parliamentary Procedure: A Guide for City Officials
is a good resource for you to review.
In this age of increased transparency in government, it is important to know and understand Georgia's Open Meetings/Records laws. The
Open Meetings and Open Records
chapter from the
Handbook for Georgia Mayors and Councilmembers
, and the GMA publication
Government In the Sunshine
can help you navigate this increasingly important issue area for city officials.
Some other chapters from the
Handbook for Georgia Mayors and Councilmembers
that GMA recommends are:
Municipal Government Structure
to learn about more about the municipal structure and form of government
Mayors and Councilmembers: Powers and Duties and their Relationship to Other Municipal Officers, Boards, and Authorities
to learn about your powers and duties as an elected official, and
Effective Relations: Roles of Mayors, Councilmembers, and Appointed Officials
to learn
how to work effectively with other elected officials and city staff.
Ethics
Visit the
Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission
to learn how to
complete
the required campaign and financial disclosure reports and to locate the
forms
needed as a candidate and public official. Also, the
filing schedule
for campaign reports and personal financial disclosure reports, along with the information about filing late fees and fines, is also available on the site.
Ethics in Government: Charting the Right Course
is a GMA publication that takes a deep dive into state laws governing ethics and highlights issues surrounding development of local codes as well as day-to-day dilemmas you may encounter as a city officials.
Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Abuse of Office
is a chapter from the
Handbook for Georgia Mayors and Councilmembers
that can help you understand potential conflict of interest provisions for meetings and land use decisions.
Policy and Legislation
One of GMA's primary responsibilities is to advocate for Georgia's cities at the state and federal level. You can use the GMA website to
find out who your legislators are
as well as learn about GMA's
policy platform.
GMA invites you to learn about and participate in the association's
grassroots policy process
and become involved by becoming a member of one or more of GMA’s six policy committees by completing
the sign-up form
.
When the Georgia General Assembly meets in each legislative session, GMA encourages you to visit its online
Legislative Tracking
to stay on top of legislative changes during the session.
One thing every city can do each year is hold a
Hometown Connection
to build relationships with both state and federal leaders.
GMA Training
As a new elected official, you are required by state law to attend the
Newly Elected Officials Institute
to gain a better understanding of city government. GMA offers additional training opportunities through the
Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute
. Regional workshops, online webinars and videos and
publications
provide more detailed information as well.
GMA Services and Programs
GMA offers a number of service that help cities
operate more efficiently
. The association also offers a number of
revenue recovery services
to help your city recover revenues owed to it. GMA also has a number of purchasing and financing programs that make
saving money easy.
A number of
insurance and retirement
programs are also available for your city to use.
GMA Events
Held each year in Atlanta in late January,
Mayors’ Day
is actually open to all elected officials and city staff. This conference usually has an attendance of approximately 1,000 and focuses on legislative issues.
Georgia Cities Week
is an annual event held every April that is designed to raise public awareness of the services cities provide and the role they play in providing great quality of life.
The GMA
Annual Convention
is held in Savannah in late June with a variety of training sessions being offered on three days. Policy committees meet to develop the preliminary legislative platform for the following year, while other sessions allow cities to share their best practices in various areas. About 200 exhibitors showcase their programs and services in the Exhibition Hall. Attendance at this convention is typically over 2,000.
GMA began the
Mayors' Christmas Motorcade
in 1958 to provide holiday gifts for the patients of Georgia's mental health and retardation hospitals. By now, the program also seeks to raise awareness of the needs of Georgia's mental hospitals.
Partners who Support Local Government
The
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
maintains a wealth of resources for cities including research about cities, grants and loans, and planning and economic development resources.
The
Carl Vinson Institute of Government
also maintains resources for cities including videos and tutorials as well as publications and reports.