Susan receives her second Georgia Municipal Association award – as featured in The Bright Side newspaper serving Smyrna • Vinings • South Cobb

JANUARY 22, 2023

City Councilperson Wilkinson Receives State Recognition

ATLANTA – Susan Wilkinson, Smyrna Councilmember for Ward 5, received the prestigious Certificate of Dedication award from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Cities United Summit in Atlanta on January 22, 2023.

Councilmember Wilkinson was one of eight state officials to receive the Certificate of
Dedication at the conference in January 2023.

The Harold F. Holtz Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally recognized series of training opportunities for city officials.

“This outstanding achievement truly speaks to the dedication shown by these recipients,” said GMA CEO and Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We commend Councilmember Wilkinson for this accomplishment and for the commitment she’s shown in using this valuable resource to become a more effective city official. Councilmember Wilkinson serves as an example to other city officials across the state.”

“I’m honored to receive this recognition and appreciate the opportunity this training has given me to become a more knowledgeable Smyrna City Council member as well as a more effective representative of Ward 5” said Councilmember Wilkinson. “The program has afforded me a chance to become more professional in my service to my community. I have enjoyed my interaction with city council members from around the state, some of whom face similar issues and challenges as Smyrna.”

The Certificate of Dedication requires 276 hours of training, including at least 108 hours from a required list of classes, 18 hours of which must be from an Advanced Leadership track, and the Robert E. Knox, Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute. After obtaining the Certificate of Dedication, officials must complete nine hours of continuing education each year to maintain the certificate. The training program consist of more than 70 courses.

“We are proud of our partnership with GMA to provide high-quality, relevant training to Georgia’s more than 3,500 municipal officials,” said UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government Director Rob Gordon. “The institute remains committed to being the trusted resource that city officials across Georgia turn to for leadership and professional development training that makes a difference in the lives of the citizens they represent.”

ATLANTA – Smyrna Councilmember Susan D. Wilkinson received the prestigious Certificate of Distinction award from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s Annual Convention in 2019. 

The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally recognized series of training opportunities for elected city officials. To receive a Certificate of Distinction a city official must complete a minimum of 204 units of credit, including at least 72 hours from a required list of courses and the Robert E. Knox, Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute. The training program consists of a series of more than 60 courses.

Councilmember Wilkinson was one of 8 city officials to receive the Certificate of Distinction at the conference.

“This is an outstanding achievement,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We commend Councilmember Wilkinson this accomplishment and for the dedication she’s shown in using this valuable resource to become a more effective city official.”

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, research, training, employee benefit and technical consulting services to its 538 member cities.

In January 2023, Councilmember Wilkinson won a second award, the Certificate of Dedication, from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual convention after earning extensive training and continuing education credits in municipal leadership and professional development.

Councilmember Wilkinson currently serves —

• as treasurer of the Cobb Municipal Association board
• on the Federal Policy Committee for the Georgia Municipal Association