The GMA Golf Tournament to benefit Georgia City Solutions (GCS) took place on Oct. 19 in Dublin. The tournament was hosted by the cities of Dublin and Vidalia. Seventy-nine golfers and a host of volunteers enjoyed the sensational weather and camaraderie to raise $32,000 to support GCS programs and initiatives across the focus areas of youth leadership development, workforce and economic development and equity and inclusion.
GCS is a new non-profit organization managed by the Georgia Municipal Association, which was established for the purpose of providing the association with a vehicle to receive tax- deductible donations that can be used to fund initiatives and innovative programs aimed at building vibrant, economically prosperous and well-managed cities.
The GCS Board of Directors held a virtual meeting on Oct. 20 and elected Kirby Thompson, senior vice president of Community and Government Affairs at Truist, to serve as chair. The board also elected Yvette Pugh, director of external affairs at AT&T, Georgia, to serve as Vice-Chair. In January 2021, a change of one municipal official board position will occur.
“GCS has been fortunate to benefit from the leadership of Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert, who chaired the GCS Task Force,” said Georgia City Solutions Managing Director Kay Love. “His appointment to a one-year transitional term was by design to coincide with his mayoral term of office ending. Mayor Reichert will truly be missed, and we are grateful for his visionary commitment to the task force and for his contributions in seeing GCS come to fruition.”
On Oct. 9, the GMA Board of Directors appointed Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson II, to the GCS Board of Directors effective Jan. 1, 2021 to fill the municipal elected official board position to be vacated by Reichert.
Additionally, the GCS Board of Directors adopted a strategic plan with the objective to develop and implement programs and initiatives that attract funding and collaboration partners to make a positive impact on Georgia’s cities.
2021 GCS Goals Include:
- Deploy at least one program or initiative in each of three areas of focus—Workforce & Economic Development; Youth Leadership; and Equity and Inclusion.
- Secure funding from at least one donor in support of the initial feasibility study results.
- Identify and convene partners in at least one area of focus to discuss how to leverage the impact of GCS programs and initiatives.