2023 Small Cities Conference and Regional Training

GMA’s Small Cities Conference is designed to provide city officials & staff the opportunity to meet, network, and discuss issues or solutions that are most relevant to small cities. Expanding upon last year’s theme, "Connecting for Success", the conference will be filled with informative sessions and ample opportunities to connect with agencies that provide essential resources to help streamline city operations.  PLEASE NOTE:  The Small Cities Conference attendance is restricted to city officials & staff only.

 

New this year, is a Pre-Conference Training from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute. Participants will have the opportunity to earn three (3) credit hours towards a training certificate from a class designed to help city officials enhance their knowledge and skills in municipal related matters. Classes offered during the pre-conference training  are:

Wednesday, August 16th 

1:00 - 4:00 pm

* Open Records
* Succession Planning: Preparing Tomorrow’s Workforce Today
 
During the official two-day Small Cities Conference, elected officials and staff will connect with exhibitors and key organizations through educational sessions that will focus on various topics in municipal operations.  PLEASE NOTE:  When you register for the Small Cities Conference please make sure to select the concurrent sessions you would like to attend during each of the 6 time slots.  There are four on Thursday and two on Friday.  

Tentative Schedule for Small Cities Conference

Wednesday, August 16th

12:00 - 4:00 pm           Conference Registration Open

 

Thursday, August 17th
 
8:00 – 9:00 am Check-In & Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00 am Welcome, Opening Remarks, and Program Overview (Banquet Room)

10:00 am- 10:15 am Break w/Sponsors & Exhibitors

10:15 am – 11:15 am Concurrent Sessions
                  Phishing & Cybersecurity
                                                  Grant Resources
                                                  Workforce Development


11:20 am – 12:20 pm Concurrent Sessions
                  Phishing & Cybersecurity
                                                  Grant Resources
                  Workforce Development

                                                   
12:30 – 1:50 pm Lunch w/Keynote

2:00 – 3:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
                  Crisis Coordinator Training & Resources 
                    Regional Commission Resources
                  Broadband & Digital Connectivity

3:15 – 4:15 pm Concurrent Sessions
                  Crisis Coordinator Training & Resources 
                  Regional Commission Resources
                  Broadband & Digital Connectivity

4:30 - 5:30 pm Reception w/Vendors Dinner on your own

Friday, August 18th

8:00 – 9:00 am Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00 am Concurrent Sessions
                Georgia Rural Water-Service Line Update Requirements
                ARPA Updates w/ Roundtable Discussion
                Downtown Revitalization
10:00– 10:15 am Break

10:15 – 11:15 am         Concurrent Sessions
                Georgia Rural Water-Service Line Update Requirements
                First Amendment Audit Training
                Budget & Finance

11: 25 am – 12:30 pm Closing Session-Legal Updates 

Book your hotel today--Last Day to Book for Hampton Inn is Wednesday, July 12, 2023.  You will need to book with all other hotels by Monday, July 24, 2023

Hampton Inn and Suites-Rates are 149.00 to 169.00
Your GMA Attendee Website Booking Link is below:
Booking Link: Hampton Inn Booking Link

Fairfield Inn and Suites-Rates are 127.00 to 136.00
Your GMA Attendee Website Booking Link is below:
Fairfield Inn and Suites Booking Link

Holiday Inn Express-Rates are 139.00
Please call (478) 272-7862 to make your reservations. A credit card guarantee will be required at the time of booking.

LaQuinta by Wyndham
Your GMA Attendee Website Booking Link is below:
LaQuinta by Wyndham Booking Link

Georgia City Solutions (GCS) is providing a $150 Small Cities grant to six eligible cities that have at least one person registered for GMA’s 2023 Small Cities Conference in Dublin, GA and have a population of 5,000 or less. If your city is interested in applying for the grant, please fill out the online Assistance Request Form. You must check the “Other” box on the form and type “Small Cities Conference Grant” in the field. Also, tell us in the space provided how “Connecting for Success” at the Small Cities Conference will benefit your city and help the city be more successful. The grant application deadline is June 30, 2023. Grant award notifications will be made by July 15. 

For more information concerning the conference contact Artiffany Stanley 404-783-4736.  For more information on the Pre-Conference Training contact Aileen Harris 678-686-6293.
When
8/16/2023 1:00 PM - 8/18/2023 12:00 PM
Eastern Daylight Time
Where
Oconee Fall Line Technical College 560 Pinehill Road Dublin, GA 31021 UNITED STATES
Sign in or create an account to register Last day to register is 8/18/2023
Event Contact
Ms. Artiffany Stanley - Phone: (678) 686-6285

Program

Wednesday, 16 August 2023

Description
Open Records Training Class
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. Records management and the requirements of the Georgia Open Records Act are reviewed as well as legal obligations for preserving records for litigation.
Time
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Spots available
47
1:00 PM
Succession Planning: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Workforce
Currently, a quarter of the local government workforce is age 55 or older and more than half is age 45 or older. The inevitable exodus of long-serving and knowledgeable city employees could pose significant consequences to city operational efficiency and effectiveness. This class represents a beginning step for city officials to understand the value in developing a succession plan for their city to ensure it has qualified employees in place to provide high-quality services to city residents and businesses.
Time
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Spots available
47
1:00 PM

Thursday, 17 August 2023

Description
Grant Resources
Grants and technical assistance from state and federal agencies often seem out of reach for small cities, but they don’t have to be. This session consists of a city panel discussion followed by a presentation on GMA’s grant resources. The panel is set up to highlight the efforts of both city staff and elected officials when it comes to funding community projects with competitive grants. Many times small cities do not have a dedicated grants administrator, and staff often have to wear multiple hats. The panel discussion will provide small cities with tips, best practices and the confidence to navigate the grants process and demonstrate to cities that they too can build relationships with agency contacts and compete for grant funding! The session will conclude with a live walk-through/demo of GMA’s grants resources on website.
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
44
10:15 AM
Phishing & Cybersecurity
With ransomware attacks attacking local governments more than any other industry—even more than schools or healthcare organizations—a perfect storm exists as local governments are also often the least-equipped to handle a cyberattack. Many local governments do not even have the “basic basics” in place such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and data backup. We will answer the question, “Where do I begin with cybersecurity?” and present a checklist that distills tips, best practices, and recommendations that organizations can use to score themselves, find cybersecurity gaps, and create an action plan.
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
44
10:15 AM
Workforce Development
Local governments are facing a number of challenges in fielding a qualified, empowered, and stable workforce. In this session, Georgia Cities Solutions will discuss how cities can review current workforce challenges, develop a plan of action to meet those challenges, and a job recruitment strategy to address those needs.
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
49
10:15 AM
Grant Resources
Congress has approved historic levels of funding for infrastructure for the next four years. These funds can be the key to making transformational change in communities across Georgia, but small cities often have limited capacity to apply for and manage federal grants. GMA wants every city, regardless of population size or staffing levels, to have the information they need to compete for grant funds to complete important projects. Participants will learn about GMA’s one-stop shop for information about state and federal grant funding opportunities for a variety of projects; tips on how to get ready to apply for grants; where to find technical assistance for grant writing; and best practices recommended by peer cities and agency experts for success when applying for grant funds.
Time
11:20 AM - 12:20 PM
Spots available
42
11:20 AM
Phishing & Cybersecurity
With ransomware attacks attacking local governments more than any other industry—even more than schools or healthcare organizations—a perfect storm exists as local governments are also often the least-equipped to handle a cyberattack. Many local governments do not even have the “basic basics” in place such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and data backup. We will answer the question, “Where do I begin with cybersecurity?” and present a checklist that distills tips, best practices, and recommendations that organizations can use to score themselves, find cybersecurity gaps, and create an action plan.
Time
11:20 AM - 12:20 PM
Spots available
46
11:20 AM
Workforce Development
Local governments are facing a number of challenges in fielding a qualified, empowered, and stable workforce. In this session, Georgia Cities Solutions will discuss how cities can review current workforce challenges, develop a plan of action to meet those challenges, and a job recruitment strategy to address those needs.
Time
11:20 AM - 12:20 PM
Spots available
49
11:20 AM
Broadband & Digital Connectivity
The realities of the digital divide come down to availability, affordability, and adoption. Connecting more communities with fast, reliable internet is a great equalizer for communities and residents and is a priority for the state of Georgia. This presentation will explain how the state of Georgia promotes collaboration between state agencies, local governments, industry representatives, community organizations, and others to create a common vision and deploy generational public funding opportunities.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Spots available
44
2:00 PM
Crisis Coordinator Training & Resources
Crisis is defined by a loss of control. Public entities are experiencing an increase in crisis events. We will share resources and tools available to you to restore control and mitigate/prevent impacts when facing crisis events involving your people, residents, brand and reputation.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Spots available
46
2:00 PM
Regional Commission Resources
Each city in Georgia is served by a professionally staffed Regional Commission that can assist with planning, grant writing and administration, project development, economic development, GIS and many other services.  Attendees to this session will hear about these services and how their regional commission can assist them with critical needs.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Spots available
47
2:00 PM
Broadband & Digital Connectivity
The realities of the digital divide come down to availability, affordability, and adoption. Connecting more communities with fast, reliable internet is a great equalizer for communities and residents and is a priority for the state of Georgia. This presentation will explain how the state of Georgia promotes collaboration between state agencies, local governments, industry representatives, community organizations, and others to create a common vision and deploy generational public funding opportunities.
Time
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Spots available
49
3:15 PM
Crisis Coordinator Training & Resources
Crisis is defined by a loss of control. Public entities are experiencing an increase in crisis events. We will share resources and tools available to you to restore control and mitigate/prevent impacts when facing crisis events involving your people, residents, brand and reputation.
Time
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Spots available
43
3:15 PM
Regional Commission Resources
Each city in Georgia is served by a professionally staffed Regional Commission that can assist with planning, grant writing and administration, project development, economic development, GIS and many other services.  Attendees to this session will hear about these services and how their regional commission can assist them with critical needs.
Time
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Spots available
46
3:15 PM

Friday, 18 August 2023

Description
ARPA updates w/ Roundtable discussion
Federal COVID relief funds have helped communities throughout the state make investments in government services and provide relief to families and businesses. This session provides the latest information on how cities can spend these funds and reminders about federal reporting and auditing requirements. Attendees will also hear directly from local officials representing small Georgia cities about how they have used ARPA funds to improve the lives of their residents and shore up government services impacted by the pandemic.
Time
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Spots available
45
9:00 AM
Downtown Revitalization
Downtowns are the symbolic centers and public faces of cities.  Many small cities have vacant and abandoned buildings in their downtown area & struggle to revitalize them.  This session will showcase small towns with big ideas and will show cities how to bring their downtowns back to life.
Time
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Spots available
47
9:00 AM
Georgia Rural Water-Service Line Updates
Service Line Inventories (SLIs) are the foundation from which water systems take action to address a significant source of Lead in drinking water—Lead Service Lines (LSLs). In accordance with the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (CRR), all Community Water Systems (CWSs) and Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems (NTNCWSs) must develop and submit an inventory of all service lines, including both water system owned portions and customer owned portions. Water systems must submit their Initial Service Line Inventories to GA EPD by OCTOBER 16, 2024!! This session will provide cities with information on how to prepare for this new requirement.
Time
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Spots available
44
9:00 AM
Budget & Finance
This session will cover reporting compliance and possible consequences of non-compliance. A review of the state law on budgeting and best practices in budget preparation will also be covered in this session.
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
50
10:15 AM
First Amendments Audit Training
Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act, known as our Sunshine Laws, are foundational to how citizens stay informed about and interact with their government. This free training session will provide open government “do’s” and “don’ts” for elected officials, government staff and law enforcement officers.  Training will cover these questions and more: What records are available to the public? Which meetings are open to the public? What are penalties for not complying with state Sunshine Laws?
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
38
10:15 AM
Georgia Rural Water-Service Line Updates
Service Line Inventories (SLIs) are the foundation from which water systems take action to address a significant source of Lead in drinking water—Lead Service Lines (LSLs). In accordance with the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (CRR), all Community Water Systems (CWSs) and Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems (NTNCWSs) must develop and submit an inventory of all service lines, including both water system owned portions and customer owned portions. Water systems must submit their Initial Service Line Inventories to GA EPD by OCTOBER 16, 2024!! This session will provide cities with information on how to prepare for this new requirement.
Time
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Spots available
50
10:15 AM

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