FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 27, 2025
TIFTON, Georgia – The City of Tifton has been re-designated as a City of Civility by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Tifton originally adopted the Civility Resolution in GMA’s Embrace Civility program on February 20, 2023.
Tifton’s renewal of the City of Civility designation was formally recognized at the GMA Cities United Summit in Atlanta on January 26, 2025.
"The City of Tifton is pleased to adopt the Civility resolution to give a written record of our commitment to respecting all people we encounter, celebrating our commonalities, working towards peaceful resolutions when we have differing opinions and recognizing that we can all learn more when we listen, consider and talk things through,” said Mayor Julie Smith. “In today's litigious, angry, social media filled world, we as local elected officials are dedicated to taking the lead in how we conduct ourselves and encourage all to make a personal commitment to making our community a better place through our actions and efforts.”
To become a City of Civility, city councils are required to adopt a Civility Resolution and pledge to engage in civil behavior with each other as well as with residents and meeting attendees. Cities also have a civility pledge that can be published or recited at meetings.
GMA’s Civility Pledge reads, “The way we govern ourselves is often as important as the positions we take. Our collective decisions will be better when differing views have had the opportunity to be fully vetted and considered. All people have the right to be treated with respect, courtesy and openness. We value all input. We commit to conduct ourselves at all times with civility and courtesy to each other.”
GMA, in partnership with the Association’s nonprofit organization, Georgia City Solutions, created the Embrace Civility program to equip Georgia’s cities with resources to create more civility in their meetings and among their residents and meeting attendees. Civil behavior and speech are critically important to a healthy, functional, and respectful society. For public service to be effective, there must be an atmosphere of respect and tolerance and a commitment to a healthy public exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints. Learn more about the Embrace Civility program at www.gacities.com/civility.
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See the full press release here: /DocumentCenter/View/1579