Teresa Williams
CNHI
THOMASVILLE —
Cairo City Council member Jimmy Douglas was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Georgia Municipal Association, or GMA.
Douglas will serve as president of GMA’s 10th District.
Its counties include Terrell, Lee, Calhoun, Dougherty, Worth, Colquitt, Thomas, Grady, Mitchell, Baker, Decatur, Miller, Seminole and Early.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to represent the 10th District and the city of Cairo,” Douglas said in a Friday phone interview. “I served on the board last year and I’m looking forward to another year.
“I think this will give us a little bit more of a voice and knowledge about what is going on in the state as it relates to city government.”
His election took place during the association’s annual meeting in Savannah June 28.
Douglas served as first vice-president last year. He explained the process is a four-year cycle from third to first vice-president, and finally president.
“You move up each year but you still have to be elected annually,” he said. “You are voted on by district, too.”
GMA Director Jim Higdon, according to an organization news release, is “pleased” to have Douglas take on the leadership position.
“He will be respected by his colleagues, and I’m sure he’ll provide great leadership to the cities in his district,” Higdon said.
GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization based in Atlanta that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and technical assistance services to its 500 member cities, according to the release.
“I want to do what I can and be a part of the team,” Douglas said. “It’s a pretty big board of directors and GMA is a real good organization. They keep us (its city members) abreast of everything so we get a little more information sooner.”
