2023 Spring 2-Day Training Event

GMA will hold the two-day 2023 Spring Training Event April 13-14, 2023 at The Classic Center in Athens. The event will feature three 6-hour classes and two 3-hour classes on Thursday and five 6-hour classes on Friday.

The Thursday 6-hour classes are

Creating a Downtown Renaissance: Advanced DDA Training
Effective Branding and Marketing Strategies for Municipal Governments (NEW)
Navigating the Future: Thinking, Planning and Acting Strategically

The Thursday 3-hour classes are

Municipal Courts Post Ferguson I: Promoting Justice, Protecting City Assets
Strengthening the Well-being of Children & Youth (New)

The Friday 6-hour classes are

Economic Development
Making Citizen Engagement Work in Our Communities
Municipal Finance II
Public Problems, Democratic Decisions: The Governing Role of Mayors and Councilmembers
Current Issues Class: Health In All Policies: Impactful Local Decision-Making to Ensure Healthier Communities (New)

The fee for each 6-hour class is $295. The fee for each 3-hour class is $180. If you are unable to pay by credit card, please contact Aileen Harris at (678)-686-6293.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations after March 17 incur a $50.00 per class cancellation fee. Cancellations after March 31 will not be refunded.

Lodging: GMA has reserved rooms at several Athens hotels. The cutoff for all four hotels is March 17, 2023.

Hotel Indigo room rate is 159.00 + 15% state and local taxes and a 5.00 hotel fee each night. Call the hotel reservations directly at 1-866-808-1483 and reference the GMA Spring Training block code: GMS or use this link: Hotel Indigo Hotel Link Enter requested dates between check-in 04/12/2023 to check-out 04/14/2023. The booking link is for the main dates of your group block. If you wish to add additional days to your stay you will need to call hotel directly.

Spring Hill room rate is 159.00 + 15% state and local taxes and a 5.00 hotel fee each night. Complimentary breakfast is included in the rate. Click on the link to reserve your room: Spring Hill Hotel Link

Holiday Inn Express room rate is 114.00 + 15% state and local taxes and a 5.00 hotel fee each night. Complimentary breakfast is included in the rate. Click on the link below to reserve your room: Holiday Inn Hotel Link

Hyatt Place room rate is 124.00 + 15% state and local taxes and a 5.00 hotel fee each night. Complimentary breakfast is included in the rate. Booking link: Hyatt Place Hotel Link. You can also call the hotel directly at 706-425-1800 and give them the GMA booking code: G-GMA3.

When

4/13/2023 8:30 AM - 4/14/2023 3:30 PM
Eastern Daylight Time

Where

The Classic Center/The Foundry 300 N Thomas Street Athens, GA 30601 UNITED STATES

Registration is closed.

Event Contact

Ms. Aileen L. Harris - Phone: (678) 686-6293

Program

Select programs by

Thursday, 13 April 2023

Description
Creating a Downtown Renaissance: Advanced DDA Training Pre-requisite: Downtown Development Authority Basic Training This class builds on the Downtown Development Authority Basic Training class with an emphasis on applying downtown development tools. The importance of developing a downtown vision and a plan are discussed. Attendees also hear the basics of navigating Business Improvement Districts, Community Improvement Districts, Tax Allocation Districts, Historic Preservation Tax Credits, the Redevelopment Powers Act and Urban Redevelopment 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 class through a case study exercise. Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 33 8:30 AM
Effective Branding and Marketing Strategies Branding and marketing are critical components of economic and community development that set healthy, thriving cities apart in the minds of residents and visitors. Discover how to effectively differentiate your community, gain a better understanding of how to build synergy and excitement, and tell your compelling story by applying best practices of branding and marketing. Key components include: marketing your assets, building a distinctive brand message and identity, utilizing strategic marketing approaches, and using effective tools and techniques for impactful results and return on investment (ROI). This course will explore how cities can develop their brand message/identity and develop implementable strategies to effectively market their community and assets. Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 2 8:30 AM
Municipal Courts Post Ferguson I This class reviews how municipal courts are required by law to handle common offenses, such as traffic offenses, certain misdemeanors and municipal ordinance violations. Designed for municipal elected officials and city managers / assistant city managers, it addresses court practices that have led to class actions and investigations across the country. In addition to a basic knowledge of the role of the judge, court clerk, prosecutor, probation service provider and city leadership, attendees leave class with a self-assessment and set of model documents. These tools help officials ensure that the courts are promoting justice and supporting public safety and are not jeopardizing the city’s “brand” and exposing the city to financial harm. Time 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Spots available 40 8:30 AM
Navigating the Future All organizations, institutions, associations, and jurisdictions must respond to change, either because they happen to change or change happens to them. This is why virtually every city and town engages in some form of what is commonly referred to as strategic planning. But having a strategic plan and thinking strategically are not the same. If they were, so many so-called strategic plans wouldn’t sit on the shelf. Municipal leaders must be able to engage colleagues, constituents, citizens and their community in strategic thinking if they are to address not only the challenges facing them today, but also those of tomorrow. This class uses a strategic simulation that incorporates strategic thinking, visioning, and navigating to address the what, why and how of strategic planning. Class participants work together in small groups to simulate a strategic process that includes an environmental scan, building scenarios of most likely and most preferred futures, identifying driving and restraining forces, conducting a gap analysis, identifying key themes, framing goals and strategies, and developing an action plan to guide how to navigate from today to tomorrow. This class is limited to 35 participants. Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 9 8:30 AM
Strengthening the Well-being of Children & Youth (New) The challenges facing Georgia's youngest residents are vast and complex and many city leaders struggle with how or where to begin to address them. Georgia is taking a comprehensive, systematic, and whole-family approach to well-being to ensure that young people are safe and feel safe, healthy in all developmental domains, and ready to learn and prepared for life. This class will provide a roadmap for city leaders on how to begin engaging in these issues in their community. By bridging the gaps and connecting the dots to resources, cities can help children and youth reach their full potential and become responsible and productive members of our communities. Time 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spots available 25 1:00 PM

Friday, 14 April 2023

Description
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 Georgia to assist communities in achieving success in today’s global economy. Topics such as community development building blocks, business development strategies, regional cooperation and the role of local leadership in economic development are covered.-H Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 35 8:30 AM
Health In All Policies: Impactful Local Decision-Making Current Issues Class--Health In All Policies: Impactful Local Decision-Making to Ensure Healthier Communities Decisions made at the local level can have positive and negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of a community, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this class, participants will learn about how the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach to decision-making can be applied in cities of all sizes. HiAP recognizes that many factors beyond access to healthcare impact health and wellbeing. These factors include educational attainment, housing, transportation options, neighborhood safety, food insecurity and scarcity, and access to parks and recreation, among others. Examples of how the HiAP approach has been used in Georgia cities include: 1) addressing pedestrian safety through the Vision Zero program to decrease traffic deaths; 2) improving police/community relations; 3) changing planning and zoning regulations to improve health outcomes and housing stability; and 4) meeting state and federal accreditation requirements for local police departments. During the class, city officials will learn about the Social Determinants of Health and acquire the skills and knowledge to find and utilize appropriate data sources and build partnerships with public health partners and other stakeholders to achieve common goals. Category Train Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 7 8:30 AM
Making Citizen Engagement Work in Our Communities This class explores the importance of getting citizens engaged in the process of governance. The class exposes officials to the concept of deliberative forums, a method of citizen engagement that brings diverse community interests together to explore policy options and share insights, ideas and suggestions in a structured setting. Participants receive tips, tools and other resources for recruiting residents, creating productive conversations, and encouraging residents to be involved in local problem-solving. Recommended for Newly Elected and First-term Officials Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 26 8:30 AM
Municipal Finance II This class emphasizes the importance of establishing sound financial policies and provides participants with a better understanding of how to read and understand audited city financial statements, assess the effectiveness of internal accounting controls and manage a city’s cash and investments. This class may be taken before or after Municipal Finance I Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 38 8:30 AM
Public Problems, Democratic Decisions In this class, public officials explore the democratic context of leading and governing. It addresses the role of elected officials in a democratic society, the relationship between elected and appointed officials, the core values underlying public problems and choices and the reasons why councils can make better choices than individuals. The goals of this class are to help public officials better understand their roles in leading and governing their communities, to develop a better understanding of what councils do and why, and to develop practical skills in public problem-solving and decision-making. Participants learn how to use public problems to discuss the kind of community they want to build and how to ensure that their choices and decisions preserve the fundamental goals of our democratic society. This class is limited to 35 participants. Time 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Spots available 17 8:30 AM