2017 Annual Convention RegistrationONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS AT 9:00 AM MARCH 7

Note: Registration and housing forms faxed early will not be entered until March 7

June 23–27, Savannah

Friday, June 232:00 pm – 5:00 pmMunicipal Training Classes3:00 pm – 4:30 pmRegistration opens5:15 pm – 6:30 pmBoard of Directors’ Meeting

Saturday, June 247:30 am-5:00 pmRegistration8:15 am-11:15 am Municipal Training Classes11:30 am -12:30 pmPolicy Committee Meetings12:45 pm – 1:45 pmPolicy Committee Meetings2:00 pm – 3:00 pmPolicy Committee Meetings3:30 pm-5:00 pmOpening General Session5:00 pm – 6:30 pmOpening Reception in Exhibit Hall

Sunday, June 257:00 am-12:00 pmCity Attorneys’ Session and Breakfast7:30 am – 8:15 amWorship Service8:00 am-9:30 amCity Managers’ Session and Breakfast8:30 am – 1:30 pmExhibit Hall (light breakfast and lunch served 11:15 am – 1:15 pm)

9:45 am -10:45 amDistrict Caucuses11:00 am -12:30 pmLegislative Policy Council Meeting12:30 pm – 1:30 pmMunicipal Training Board Meeting1:45 pm – 2:45 pmConcurrent Sessions2:45 pm – 3:15 pmVoting Credential Pickup3:15 pm – 3:50 pmBusiness Meeting4:00 pm – 5:00 pmTraining Certificate Reception/ Presentations (By Invitation Only)

Monday, June 267:00 am-8:00 amHealth Walk8:00 am – 10:00 amRMEBS Annual Meeting and Board of Trustees Meeting9:15 am – 10:15 amRapid Fire Sessions10:30 am-11:30 amConcurrent Sessions11:45 am-1:45 pmAwards and Installation Luncheon (ticket required)

2:15 pm-5:15 pmMunicipal Training Classes6:30 pm-10:00 pmClosing Event

Tuesday, June 278:15 am-11:15 amMunicipal Training Classes

8:15 am-3:15 pmMunicipal Training Classes

u Training Certificate Recipients’ Reception: A special reception and presentation ceremony will be held on Sunday afternoon for training certificate recipients and their guests. This event is by invitation only.

u Awards and Installation Luncheon will be held on Monday. A separate ticket must be purchased for this event. GMA Officers and Board of Directors will be installed during the Monday Luncheon.

Tentative Schedule

NEW Program Enhancements

2017 GMA ANNUAL CONVENTION (June 23–27) Tentative Schedule and GMA 2017 Annual Convention Registration and Housing Form.For Faster Registration and Housing Reservations, register on-line https://show.jspargo.com/gma17No registration will be processed without payment. Advance Registration ends May 26.

u Registration Packets: Registration packets will be mailed to all attendees two weeks before the con-vention.

u Green Meeting: We will continue our green meeting initiatives. You will find recycle bins throughout the Trade Center. Handouts and session notes will be posted on the GMA website. We will not serve bot-tled water, but will provide water tanks throughout the building. You may bring your own water bottle.

u Exhibit Hall: The Exhibit Hall will be open on Satur-day from 5:00 pm-6:30 pm and on Sunday from

8:30 am-1:30 pm. Please visit the exhibitors and tell them how much you appreciate their atten-dance. Light breakfast and lunch will be served in the Exhibit Hall on Sunday.

u Annual Business Meeting: The Business Meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon. During the Business Meeting, GMA’s 2018 Legislative Policies will be vot-ed on and the Board of Directors and district officers will be elected. (Installation of Officers and Board will be during the Monday Awards and Installation Luncheon.) Voting delegate forms will be mailed in late April.

Reminders

Name:____________________________________________ Title:_____________________________________________________

City/Company:______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address:_____________________________________________ City:__________________ State:____ Zip Code:__________

Email: _______________________________ Phone( )___________________ Fax: ( )______________________

Spouse/Chaperone name required, if registering:______________________

Child #1 __________________________________________Age________

Child #2 __________________________________________Age________

Child #3 __________________________________________Age________

Registration Fees (convention registration fee includes all Saturday-Monday events, except special events listed below) Early Advance Late/Onsite By 4/1 4/1 to 5/26 After 5/26 q GMA Members $350 $380 $410 $____ q Business Alliance $390 $420 $450 $____ q Spouse (List name above) $130 $135 $135 $____ q Children ___ x $60 $65 $65 $____ q Non-Member $500 $530 $560 $____

Special Event Registrationq SE1 City Attorneys’ Session/Breakfast $150 $195 $____q SE2 City Managers’ Session/Breakfast $60 $65 $____q SE4 Awards & Installation Luncheon $50 $60 $____

Municipal Training Institute Registration This fee covers training sessions only. Please mark 3 choices in case your first choice is full (1, 2, 3). Courses marked with * are on the required list. CI=Critical Issues.

Friday, June 23 2:00 PM – 5:00 PMThis fee covers training sessions only. Please mark 3 choices in case your first choice is full (1, 2, 3). Courses marked with * are on the required list. CI=Critical Issues.

M00 ___Civics for Local Government $140 $150 $165 $____M01 ___CI: Bike Friendly Community $140 $150 $165 $____M02 ___CI: Entrepreneur Friendly Cities $140 $150 $165 $____M03 ___CI: Municipal Law Update $140 $150 $165 $____M04 ___CI: New Technology $140 $150 $165 $____M05 ___Economics of Education $140 $150 $165 $____M06 ___Excellence in Customer Service $140 $150 $165 $____M07 ___Workshop: Port of Savannah $140 $150 $165 $____M08 ___Roles and Responsibilities of Council and Staff* $140 $150 $165 $____ Saturday, June 24 8:15 AM – 11:15 AMM09 ___CI: Arts & Economic Development $140 $150 $165 $____M10 ___CI: Effectively Brand Your City $140 $150 $165 $____M11 ___CI: Environmental Awareness $140 $150 $165 $____M12 ___CI: Trend in Urban Design $140 $150 $165 $____M13 ___CI: New Technology $140 $150 $165 $____M14 ___CI: Living Beyond Expectations $140 $150 $165 $____M15 ___Let’s Get Social $140 $150 $165 $____M16 ___Workshop: Downtown Preservation $140 $150 $165 $____M17 ___Workshop: Small Town Redevelopment $140 $150 $165 $____M18 ___Open Meetings* $140 $150 $165 $____M19 ___Practices for Successful Meetings* $140 $150 $165 $____M20 ___Public Policy and Implementation* $140 $150 $165 $____M21 ___Roles and Responsibilities of Council/Staff* $140 $150 $165 $____M22 ___Risk and Insurance $140 $150 $165 $____M23 ___Strong Communities-Strong Families $140 $150 $165 $____

Monday, June 26 2:15 PM – 5:15 PMM24 ___Beyond the Beltway $140 $150 $165 $____M25 ___Changing Demographics $140 $150 $165 $____M26 ___Effective Practices for Municipal Operations $140 $150 $165 $____M27 ___Excellence in Customer Service $140 $150 $165 $____M28 ___Local Government Debt Methods $140 $150 $165 $____M29 ___Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems* (new) $140 $150 $165 $____M30 ___Municipal Electric Systems $140 $150 $165 $____M31 ___Municipal Gas Systems $140 $150 $165 $____M32 ___Municipal Law Update $140 $150 $165 $____M33 ___Open Records* $140 $150 $165 $____M34 ___Recreation and Parks: Building Communities $140 $150 $165 $____M35 ___Public Policy and Implementation* $140 $150 $165 $____M36 ___Taxation 101: The Basics* $140 $150 $165 $____

Tuesday, June 27 8:15 AM – 11:15 AM (3 Hours)M37 ___CI:: Clean Energy Roadshow $140 $150 $165 $____M38 ___Municipal Courts: Post Ferguson* $140 $150 $165 $____M39 ___Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems* (new) $140 $150 $165 $____M40 ___Taxation 102 (new) $140 $150 $165 $____

Tuesday, June 27 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM (6 Hours)M41 ___Creating a Downtown Renaissance: Advanced DDA $255 $270 $295 $____M42 ___Economic Development* $255 $270 $295 $____M43 ___Municipal Finance I* $255 $270 $295 $____M44 ___Water Management – An Introduction $255 $270 $295 $____

*This course is on the “required” list for the Municipal Training Institute certificate program.

Grand Total $_________

q Check attached (made to GMA) or Credit Card q Visa q MC q AMEX

Credit Card Number:_________________________________Exp.Date:_________

Name on Card: __________________________________________________

Changes/Cancellations: All registration changes and cancellations must be made in writing via e-mail at: gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com or fax to (703) 631-6288 by June 1, 2017. There will be a $50 fee for convention registration cancellations after April 10, 2017 and no refunds after May 26, 2017.

Return Conference Registration and Housing Form to:Fax: (703) 631-6288 (Credit Card Only)Mail: GMA Registration and Housing Center 11208 Waples Mill Road, Suite 112 Fairfax, VA 22030

E-Mail Format: q HTML q Text

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) For Faster Registration and Housing Reservations, register on-line https://show.jspargo.com/gma17No registration will be processed without payment. Advance Registration ends May 26.

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)GMA 2017 Annual Convention Housing Form (June 23-27)

For Faster Registration and Housing Reservation, register on-line https://show.jspargo.com/gma17

You MUST register for the Convention before requesting a hotel reservation.

I am on the GMA Board of Directors/GMEBS Board of Trustees.

Name:_____________________________________________________Title: _______________________________________________________

City/Company:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: _____________________________________ State: ______Zip Code: _____________ Email:_____ __________________________

Hotels Rate Parking Andaz $229 $23 (valet) ____B Historic Savannah $209 $12 (self) _The Brice (Kimpton property $223 $18 (self)

_Doubletree $181 $12 (self) ____Embassy Suites $199 $13 (self) Hampton Inn (Bay St.) $191 $12 (valet) ____Hampton Inn (Oglethorpe St.) $184 $13 (self) ____Hilton Garden Inn $172 $12 (self)

Guarantee Method Visa MC AMEX CHECK (see “Payment by Check” information below)

Number:_________________________________________ __ Exp. Date:_____

Name on Card: ____________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________ The credit card must not expire prior to June 2017. The credit card information above will be provided to the hotel to guarantee your hotel reservation.

Payment by Check: Check deposits for hotel room guarantee must be mailed directly to the hotel stated on your e-mail confirmation after June 2, 2017 and before June 16, 2017. Please be sure to include a copy of your e-mail confirmation along with the check for proper application of funds. Riverfront Rooms: Additional fee for riverfront rooms at Hyatt, Marriott and Westin are $50, $30 and $40 per night respectively and subject to availability. Please indicate “Riverfront” request on this form. Additional fee for balcony room facing golf course is $30 per night at Westin. Request will be submitted to hotel. Please confirm at check-in. Room Guarantee/Cancellation Policy: Westin requires a two-night deposit and all other hotels require a one-night deposit all of which is refundable if cancelled at least 72 hours prior to arrival. Most hotels charge a fee for early departure. Changes/Cancellations: All hotel changes and cancellations must be made on-line at https://show.jspargo.com/gma17; or in writing via e-mail: gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com or fax to (703) 631-6288 by May 31, 2017. After June 5, 2017, please contact the assigned hotel directly. Please refer to “Room Guarantee” above for your hotel’s cancellation policy. Send Completed Forms: Mail: GMA Registration and Housing Center, 11208 Waples Mill Rd, Ste 112 Fairfax, VA 22030 Fax: 703-631-6288 (guarantee method via credit card) E-Mail: gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com (guarantee method via check only)

Hotel Reservation Request

Two double beds One Bed Arrival Date: ________ ________ Departure Date: __________ _____

Special needs

Hotels Rate Parking Hilton Savannah DeSoto $195 $19 (self) Holiday Inn Express (Bay St.) $191 $12 (valet)

Holiday Inn (Bryan St.) $169 $15 (valet) _ __Hotel Indigo $189 $16 (valet) Hyatt Regency Savannah $223 $12 (valet) Savannah Marriott Riverfront $198 $18 (self) ___ Staybridge Suites $175 $12 (self)

_Westin $234+$18 resort fee

Hotel Preference

Please mark at least six (6) choices ranking them in order of preference. Shuttle service will be provided to historic district hotels (all hotels ex-cept Westin) and water taxi service is available from the Marriott Riverfront and Hyatt.

Please note:

GMA cannot guarantee bed type or special requests. Please confirm your request with the hotel upon check in.

Some hotel rates are higher for more than two occupants.

All hotels have a no smoking policy.

Savannah International Trade and Convention

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Andaz Savannah

The Brice, a Kimpton Hotel

DoubleTree

Embassy Suites

Hampton Inn (Bay St.)

Hampton Inn & Suites (Olgethorpe Ave.)

Hilton Garden Inn

Hilton Savannah DeSoto

Holiday Inn Express (Bay St.)

Holiday Inn (Bryan St.)

Hyatt Regency Savannah

Savannah Marriott Riverfront

Staybridge Suites

Savannah International Trade & Convention Center

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MAP # RATE PARKING

Note: All hotels except the Westin Savannah Harbor are in Savannah’s Historic District.

B Historic Savannah $209 $12

Hotel Indigo (formerly Inn at Ellis Square) $189 $16

Westin Savannah Harbor $234 $18

2017 ANNUAL CONVENTIONOFFICIAL HOTEL LOCATIONS

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT REGISTRATIONFor faster registration and housing reservations, register on-line at https://show.jspargo.com/gma17. Registration opens at 9:00 am on Tuesday, March 7. Otherwise, please fill out the registration form and return it with your check (made to GMA) or credit card information to:

Spargo, Inc. • 11208 Waples Mill Road, Suite 112 • Fairfax, VA 22030Fax: 703-631-6288

u Registrations must be received by May 26 and PAYMENT MUST BE INCLUDED. Anyone unable to meet the May 26 deadline must register onsite at higher rates and make their own hotel reservations.

u All cancellations or changes must be submitted in writing. No TELEPHONE registrations, changes, or cancellations will be accepted. Full refund will be given for cancellations by April 10. Cancellations after April 10 and before May 26 will be subject to a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations postmarked or faxed after May 26 will not be eligible for refund.

u You should receive a confirmation notice from the GMA Registration and Housing Center within five business days. Please check the confirmation carefully to make certain all information is listed correctly, including the class you registered for and any special functions. Using your confirmation number, you should be able to go back on-line to make corrections, or you may fax any corrections back to 703-631-6288 or email to gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com. If you have not received a confirmation notice within five business days, please contact the GMA Registration and Housing Center at 703-449-6418 or gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HOTEL RESERVATIONSu You are strongly encouraged to register and make your housing reservations on-line. Since housing

is done on a first come, first serve basis and hotel assignment is made immediately on-line, you will be in-formed promptly if the reservation is made at your hotel preference. Faxed registration forms could take up to three business days to process. If the faxed form is missing information, you further decrease the chance of receiving your hotel choice(s). If all of your city officials do not get into the same hotel, please let us know and we will put them on a wait list and move them as we have availability.

u Since a housing deposit is required and is merely to guarantee your room, you are encouraged to pro-vide a credit card for hotel deposit. Check deposits and credit applications must be mailed to your hotel after June 2, 2017 and before June 16, 2017. If you are paying your hotel by check, please make the check payable to the hotel and mail it directly to the hotel. If you are tax-exempt, you must mail your tax exempt form along with your check or provide it upon check-in.

u It is your responsibility to verify that all information on the acknowledgement letter sent by the GMA Registration and Housing Center is correct. Most hotels will charge a fee for early departure! If you need to change or cancel a reservation, please submit the change in writing to GMA Housing Center via email at gmaregandhousing@spargoinc.com or via fax at 703-631-6288 through May 31, 2017. After June 5, please contact the hotel directly for all changes, cancellations and new reservations.

u If you must cancel your hotel reservation, please do so as early as possible so that GMA may reassign your room to someone else. In some cases, rooms that are blocked for the GMA Annual Convention and not used are charged to GMA after the event.

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MUNICIPAL TRAINING INSTITUTE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Friday, June 23, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Civics for Local Government This class provides important information on the proper

protocol in the display of the American flag and other flags in government buildings; appropriate recognition of the American flag when entering a room; and the proper programming of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Na-tional Anthem into city-sponsored events and other civic programs. The class also discusses the basic protocol for welcoming foreign visitors and other dignitaries. The class includes activities to make the learning meaning-ful for participants. Knowing what to do, why and First Amendment implications is important to our cities and our citizens.

Critical Issues Class – Be a Bike Friendly Community: Benefits and Best Practices This course is designed for municipal officials interested

in creating safe, family-friendly streets and paved trails to encourage bicycle travel for short errands, commut-ing, sightseeing and recreation. The course reviews the economic benefits of increased bicycle ridership, policies and ordinances that improve bicycling conditions, safety statistics, best practices in street and trail design, as well as provides an overview of the Bicycle Friendly Commu-nity designation and how to obtain it. The course also in-troduces municipal leaders to GDOT’s Complete Streets policy and how it can be leveraged to implement bicycle projects on state routes.

Critical Issues Class – Entrepreneur Friendly Cities On a scale of 1-10, how “business friendly” would you

rate your community? Is your city open for business, or are you impeding the process with red tape and paper-work? With Economic Development being the driving force in most of our communities success, it is important to take time to reflect on the ordinances and policies in place to evaluate their contributions or hindrance to-wards business development. Pulling from real life ex-amples a panel of practitioners provides attendees with both a statewide and local perspective while sharing their success stories, challenges and recommendations for how city officials can address the needs of the business com-munity without sacrificing the city’s integrity.

Critical Issues Class – Municipal Law Update 2017 The goal of this course is to provide attendees with a

detailed understanding of changes to laws affecting munic-ipalities. Additionally, course attendees receive an update on important judicial decisions of the past year.

Critical Issues Class – New and Emerging Technology for Cities Today, technology is essential to many aspects of our

public and private lives. For elected officials, staff, and other community leaders, technology and cyber security

have become critical issues they face in governance, communication, and citizen engagement. In this class, city officials’ role regarding local government technol-ogy and technology security is presented and partic-ipants learn how a city might better utilize available technology or digital solutions, and best practices for addressing cyber security in an organization. These solutions include applications and services that en-hance opportunities for increased operational effec-tiveness, security, and productivity.

Economics of Education This class provides specific and tangible evidence that

education is vitally important to a community’s prosperi-ty. The class reinforces the critical role of businesses and the entire community in building a strong workforce and positive economic climate through improved education. Data is presented indicating where Georgia stands in its ability to raise the bar on student achievement. Addi-tionally, the class presents the correlation between a quality education and a community’s ability to attract good-paying jobs and enhance its quality of life. Par-ticipants also learn where to find school performance indicators for their community.

Excellence in Customer Service This class provides important information for elected

officials and staff relating to the proper role that customer service plays in local government. Participants explore ways to move from average customer service to excellent customer service. Participants examine internal poli-cies and procedures that hamper and support customer service at its best. The class instructor guides officials in defining and communicating the customer service organi-zational culture of their respective cities.

Mobile Workshop - Port of Savannah Georgia’s deep water ports foster growth statewide.

They drive development and opportunity across a range of industries, reaching every corner of every county. The Port of Savannah is the nation’s fourth busiest port and is home to the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America. This mobile workshop includes a presentation and tour of the Savannah ports facility, highlighting the Georgia Ports Authority’s role and part-nership in attracting and expanding businesses in commu-nities throughout the state.

Roles and Responsibilities of Council and Staff* While municipal elected officials have the responsibility

to develop policies to effectively address complex issues and problems that are often unique to cities, they typically must rely on public sector employees to implement them. In this class, the different perspectives of council and staff are explored in order to identify ways for them to collabo-rate in addressing public problems.

MUNICIPAL TRAINING INSTITUTE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Saturday, June 24, 8:15 AM – 11:15 AM Critical Issues Class – Arts and Economic Development Communities engaged in comprehensive arts planning

and marketing experience benefits as myriad as im-proved quality of life, visitation numbers and increased jobs. This session explores the value of creating a comprehensive community brand working with partners in the arts and the necessity of strong public policy in support of harnessing the potential of these local assets. Best practices and model programs are shared to inspire participants thinking through ways that the arts can contribute to the economic development of their own community.

Critical Issues Class – How to Effectively Brand and Market Your City In today’s highly mobile world, attracting visitors and

business to our cities has become more competitive than ever. This three-hour course discusses the benefits of developing a brand for your city and using that brand and other tools to market your city to potential visitors, businesses and your own residents. The class highlights best practice examples of branding and marketing from different Georgia cities and provides a Q&A opportunity with representatives from these cities.

Critical Issues Class – Environmental Awareness: Understanding and Complying with Environmen-tal Regulations This class explores what steps local governments need

to take to educate contractors about asbestos, lead-based paint and solid waste regulations for demolition and renovation projects and what steps the municipali-ties need to take to ensure compliance when the munic-ipality is involved in building demolition and rehabilita-tion projects. The class also explores how municipalities can promote contractor education on Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations.

Critical Issues Class – Trends in Urban Design for Local Leaders Using the urban fabric of streets, parks, squares, side-

walks, urban design shapes the towns and cities we call home. As a multidisciplinary field, successful urban design borrows from the professions of architecture, landscape architecture, an understanding of sociology, and more to form the spaces that create community, entice visitors, and invite investment. Designed to give elected officials an understanding of the practice, history, and relevance of good urban design, this course informs leaders of emerging design trends applicable in cities big and small. In fun and creative hands-on activities the basic principles of successful urban design are taught in a manner that seeks to arm local officials with the tools necessary to advance the principles of effective urban design in their home communities.

Critical Issues Class – New and Emerging Tech-nology for Cities Today, technology is essential to many aspects of our pub-

lic and private lives. For elected officials, staff, and other community leaders, technology and cyber security have become critical issues they face in governance, communi-cation, and citizen engagement. In this class, city officials’ role regarding local government technology and technol-ogy security is presented and participants learn how a city might better utilize available technology or digital solu-tions, and best practices for addressing cyber security in an organization. These solutions include applications and services that enhance opportunities for increased opera-tional effectiveness, security, and productivity.

Critical Issues Class– Living Beyond Expectations: The Opportunities and Challenges of the Grow-ing Senior Population Never before in the history of humankind have we experi-

enced a more radical population shift. Advances in tech-nology and health care are increasing longevity for many Americans. Increased numbers of older residents is not a temporary situation that will end with any generation but rather a permanent state for communities throughout the nation. By 2029, it is estimated that persons over 65 years of age will make up 20 percent of the U.S. population. This course examines the implications of an aging population on cities and how municipal leaders can maintain and at-tract the older residents, a vital plank of economic vitality and development. Public administrators can play a unique role in preparing communities for residents of all ages and abilities to live healthy and independent lives. Critical components are the adoption of age-friendly practices that address fundamental aspects of housing, transportation and services through decisions about land use, zoning and investments. This session discusses ways for communities to enact change through integrated public policy, commu-nity design and service delivery.

Let’s Get Social Technology impacts personal lives, work and local govern-

ment. This class examines and defines what social media means, how social media can be used by local govern-ment, including the risks and benefits of such usage. The legal basis for governmental use of social media is reviewed. Demonstrations on making social media user friendly for both large and small governments are pro-vided. Finally, the class helps participants determine the social media applications that matter most to their orga-nization, navigate the set-up process for key applications, create meaningful content and engage their audience across different sites.

Mobile Workshop – Downtown Preservation In Action: Tybee Island The Tybee Island mobile tour and workshop involves a

tour-guided bus trip from Savannah to Tybee Island where city officials discuss how the town is preserving its charm-ing and historic identity while taking on new unique proj-

MUNICIPAL TRAINING INSTITUTE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ects. Beyond the basics of the tour, staff from the Office of Downtown Development with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs will discuss how the Main Street approach has helped Tybee Island evolve its organizational structure to meet the ever-changing needs of economic development on the island. The mobile tour also explores how attendees might adopt key elements of the Main Street approach in their own communities to help foster smart growth and development. This tour is for a limited number of participants. It does not include large amounts of walking, but is mainly hosted by motor coach.

Mobile Workshop –Small Town Redevelopment This mobile workshop includes a visit to a local commu-

nity to discuss recent redevelopment projects. (Bus Boards at 8:00 AM) Open Meetings*

This class familiarizes municipal officials with Georgia’s open meetings law and the potential consequences for failing to adhere to it. Hypothetical scenarios are used to give participants a better understanding of their responsi-bilities and obligations for complying with these statutes.

Practices for Successful Meetings* The success of a city is often gauged by how its residents

perceive city council meetings. This class is designed to give elected officials and others a practical understand-ing of the most commonly-used procedures available to govern meetings. The basic tenants of Robert’s Rules of Order, as well as alternatives to Robert’s, are taught in a manner that seeks to arm presiding officials with the tools necessary to run successful and productive gather-ings of their elected officials and other meetings neces-sary to operate their cities.

Public Policy Development and Implementation* Developing policy to advance the vision of the city is one

of the most important duties that a mayor and council perform. This class is designed to give municipal officials an understanding of the importance of that function and the role of the elected officials and professional staff in developing, implementing and evaluating those policies. Participants learn how to effectively use policy-making models in the development of practical public policy that will benefit their communities and constituents.

Roles and Responsibilities of Council and Staff* While municipal elected officials have the responsibility

to develop policies to effectively address complex issues and problems that are often unique to cities, they typi-cally must rely on public sector employees to implement them. In this class, the different perspectives of council and staff are explored in order to identify ways for them to collaborate in addressing public problems.

Risk and Insurance 101 This interactive class provides an introduction to the

concepts of risk management and insurance as they

relate to municipalities. The class focuses on real world best practices involving risk avoidance, reduction and transfer through purchasing insurance, safety training, claims mitigation and implementation of proper policies and procedures. Participants leave with a better un-derstanding of ways to save money, provide for a safer environment and techniques to avoid many of the pitfalls that put a city and staff at risk. Subject matter experts present this information through interactive classroom instruction and group problem solving sessions.

Strong Communities - Strong Families Georgia communities and national studies confirm that

the well-being of children and families directly impacts the vitality of a community and its economy. Municipal officials have learned that they can improve the out-comes for their community’s children and families. This class addresses the interplay of community, economic and human development. It focuses on helping local lead-ership assess their community’s indicators of child and family well-being, how to integrate resources on priority community problems and effective municipal strategies to coalesce the public will to create improvements.

Monday, June 26, 2:15 PM – 5:15 PMBeyond the Beltway: Influencing Federal Policy through Grassroots Engagement This class provides information about Congress, federal

agencies and how municipal officials can engage most effectively with leaders at the federal level to advocate for municipal priorities. Participants obtain tips for communicating with members of Congress and en-gage in role playing exercises to hone their negotiating skills. Participants also hear firsthand from members of Georgia’s Congressional delegation and/or key Congres-sional legislative staff about why it’s so important for city officials to stay in touch with federal leaders.

Changing Demographics and Best Practices Georgia’s demographics are constantly shifting, impacting

cities. Georgia’s population is getting older and increasingly representing the cultures of many nationalities and many interests. This class examines the cultural and aging trends in Georgia and explores the implications of these changing demographics for cities, both in terms of challenges and opportunities. Time is allocated for representatives from communities that have been significantly impacted by these trends to share their insights and suggestions.

Effective Practices for Municipal Operations 101 This class targets municipal elected officials from small

communities and newly elected officials and exposes them to various fundamental principles for having a professionally managed city. The class examines basic management strategies and analyzes tools and processes needed to create an organizational climate of excellence for the effective delivery of municipal services. In ad-dition, the class identifies emerging issues and other chal-lenges that can impede effective municipal operations.

MUNICIPAL TRAINING INSTITUTE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Excellence in Customer Service This class provides important information for elected

officials and staff relating to the proper role that custom-er service plays in local government. Participants explore ways to move from average customer service to excel-lent customer service. Participants examine internal pol-icies and procedures that hamper and support customer service at its best. The class instructor guides officials in defining and communicating the customer service orga-nizational culture of their respective cities.

Local Government Debt Methods 101 This class targets municipal elected officials and staff and

exposes them to various fundamental methods of issuing debt in Georgia. The class examines the history of public debt in Georgia, basic public finance principles, legal re-quirements and prohibitions, and various financing meth-ods needed to effectively budget for capital improvement projects.

Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems* (New) Water and wastewater services are fundamental to the

operation of a city. This class provides an overview of the management of these services and introduces par-ticipants to the important role of water in community health, quality of life and economic development. This class also describes various service delivery methods and discusses the challenges and opportunities that municipal officials face in providing water and wastewater services to their customers.

Municipal Electric Systems 101 This class is open only to officials from the 52 Georgia cities

that own and operate public power systems. Electric utilities are multi-million dollar enterprises and it

is essential that policymakers and key staff have a strong understanding of all aspects of the service—including generation, transmission and distribution—as well as sound financial and management practices. In addition to providing a basic overview of municipal electric system operations, the class is designed to help attendees un-derstand the role of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Electric Cities of Georgia and the services and resources each organization provides to participat-ing systems.

Municipal Gas Systems 101 This class is open only to officials from the 84 Georgia cities

that own and operate a municipal gas system. In addition to providing a basic overview of municipal gas system operations, the class is designed to help attendees understand the role of the GMA Gas Section and Munici-pal Gas Authority of Georgia and the services and resourc-es provided to participating systems. The class also informs and educates municipal officials on the continued safe and efficient operation of the natural gas system. It is import-ant that key officials become aware of state and federal regulations and the issues of an aging infrastructure.

Critical Issues Class – Municipal Law Update 2017 The goal of this course is to provide attendees with a de-

tailed understanding of changes to laws affecting munici-palities. Additionally, course attendees receive an update on important judicial decisions of the past year.

Open Records* This class familiarizes municipal officials with Georgia’s

open records law and the potential consequences for failing to adhere to it. Hypothetical scenarios are used to give participants a better understanding of their responsibilities and obligations for complying with these statutes.

Recreation and Parks – Building Communities Recreation and park programs and facilities play an

important role in creating a high quality of life for communities. They create public value by offering recreational activities, green-space for relaxation and opportunities for improving the health of residents. However, recreation and park programs are sometimes seen as amenities that cities cannot afford. This session explores the role of recreation and parks in building community and economic development, and options for funding.

Public Policy Development and Implementation* Developing policy to advance the vision of the city is one

of the most important duties that a mayor and council perform. This class is designed to give municipal officials an understanding of the importance of that function and the role of the elected officials and professional staff in developing, implementing and evaluating those policies. Participants learn how to effectively use policy-making models in the development of practical public policy that will benefit their communities and constituents.

Taxation 101 The Basics* (New 3 hour format) The class gives municipal officials a broad understand-

ing of the fundamentals of local government taxation with an in-depth look at the two primary funding sources for local government in Georgia: property tax and sales tax. Participants gain an understanding of tax language and appropriate usage of revenues, preparing them to communicate tax issues to constituents and make prudent decisions related to expenditures. This class includes information from the old 6 hour Taxation 101-The Basics class. Those who have taken the six-hour vesion of this class will receive three hours credit for taking this class.

MUNICIPAL TRAINING INSTITUTE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Tuesday, June 27, 8:15 AM – 11:15 AM

Municipal Courts Post-Ferguson: Promoting Justice, Protecting City Assets* (New) This class provides an orientation on the basic operation

of municipal courts with respect to the adjudication and enforcement of traffic offenses, certain misdemeanors and municipal ordinance violations. While providing a ba-sic introduction to municipal courts, this class also delves into the responsibilities and requirements elected offi-cials need to know to ensure their municipal courts are providing proper constitutional protections to members of the public in the court. Specifically, this class looks at the role of municipal courts, law enforcement, and municipal elected officials in the justice system in light of recent monumental and precedential legal issues that have arisen throughout the country. Additionally, this class analyzes the responsibilities of the court, contract-ed parties, and elected officials under Georgia law, with a focus on criminal justice reform changes enacted by the Georgia legislature. This class includes some of the material from the old Municipal Courts class.

Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems* (New) Water and wastewater services are fundamental to the

operation of a city. This class provides an overview of the management of these services and introduces par-ticipants to the important role of water in community health, quality of life and economic development. This class also describes various service delivery methods and discusses the challenges and opportunities that municipal officials face in providing water and wastewater services to their customers.

Critical Issues Class – Clean Energy Roadshow In this class, participants learn the essentials on integrat-

ing solar, propane gas (LPG), natural gas and electric vehicles into community projects and fleets. Experts discuss “what to do when it’s time to replace” for public works, transit, waste, fleet vehicles and lawn mainte-nance equipment. Discussions include how to make the right choice for “fuel-fit,” understanding the long term savings in Total Cost of Ownership and where to find financing and grant money for replacement and upgrades of infrastructure and fueling. City leaders from around Georgia share their success stories.

Taxation 102 – The Basics Continued (New) The class gives municipal officials a broad understanding

of local government taxation with an in-depth look at ex-cise taxes related to alcohol, lodging, rental vehicles and energy used in manufacturing, as well as business occu-pation tax (formerly known as business licenses). Partici-pants gain an understanding of tax language and appropri-ate use of revenues, preparing them to communicate tax issues to constituents and make prudent decisions related to expenditures. This class includes information from the old 6 hour Taxation 101-The Basics class. Those who have taken the six-hour vesion of this class will receive three hours credit for taking this class.

Tuesday, June 27, 6-hour classes8:15 AM – 3:15 PM

Creating a Downtown Renaissance: Advanced DDA Training This class builds on the Basic Downtown Development

Authority training class with an emphasis on apply-ing downtown development tools. The importance of developing a downtown vision and a plan are discussed. Attendees also hear the basics of navigating Business Im-provement Districts, Community Improvement Districts, Tax Allocation Districts, Historic Preservation Tax Cred-its, the Redevelopment Powers Act and Urban Redevel-opment Law. Best practice examples of utilizing federal, state and local partnerships, programs and incentives are shared. Class participants are given an opportunity to immediately apply the tools and programs highlighted in the classes through a case study exercise. Basic Down-town Development Authority training is a pre-requisite.

Economic Development* This class provides a basic overview of the economic

development process, with a focus on the strategies, resources and programs employed by the state of Geor-gia to assist communities in achieving success in today’s global economy. Topics such as community development building blocks, business development strategies, re-gional cooperation, and the role of local leadership in economic development are covered.

Municipal Finance I* This class is intended to serve as a basic primer on mu-

nicipal finance issues that all mayors and councilmembers should understand. Included in this general overview is a discussion of the budget process, the revenue sources available to cities, purchasing policies and financing capi-tal improvements.

Water Management – An Introduction for Local Governments Water quality and water quantity are of vital importance

and can provide some of the most challenging issues fac-ing all levels of government in Georgia. Planning to meet water needs on the local level while also considering the needs of those who share the resource can be difficult. In 2011, in response to the Georgia State-wide Water Management Plan, Regional Water Plans were adopted throughout the State that provided recommendations to help address water quality and quantity issues at myriad levels, across myriad sectors. This class provides back-ground on that process, presents issues highlighted in the plans and discusses ways in which local governments can secure their water future. It also includes an overview of the regulatory processes related to water management and water planning.

*On Required List