MOULTRIE, Ga. — Downtown Moultrie has once again reached the top tier of the Georgia Main Street program, and this year it comes with benefits.

At the Oct. 15 city council meeting, Downtown Moultrie was named one of Georgia’s Exceptional Main Streets (GEMS), joining 17 other downtowns — including Valdosta, Tifton and Thomasville — under the banner.

This signifies hard work, participation from local government, and merchant cooperation and innovation, said Amy Johnson, director of downtown economic development and public relations.

“We have proven that we are committed to what we are doing in downtown development,” she said. “It’s gratifying to see our community pull together to enhance the heartbeat of the community.”

The Georgia Main Street program has three tiers including Downtown Affiliate Network, Classic Main Street and GEMS, from lowest to highest respectively.

As a GEM, Downtown Moultrie can have state staff facilitate a work planning meeting of any type annually; registration fees for training, education and the National Main Street program paid for or discounted; complimentary renderings of buildings; and exclusive access to funding and grant opportunities.

The city has been named a GEM before, but at that time it was for only one year and didn’t include the benefits, Johnson said.

Johnson said the city also received signs denoting its GEM status, which was also new this year.

City Manager Peter Dillard said the signs will be placed by city entrances.

“People will see it and they’d feel comfortable going to downtown,” he said. “Anybody that knows anything about a community’s strength knows that the downtown is the heart and soul of the community.”

Moultrie became a Main Street city in 1989 to compete with the malls that were dominating social and commercial visitation during that time. A waning downtown can lead to higher crime, blighted housing and, ultimately, ruin, Dillard said. But a vibrant downtown can also help a city thrive.

“People routinely ask the city ‘Why don’t you get this business or that business?’” he said. “Cities can’t get businesses. [They] can make the downtown attractive to other businesses — and what that sign says is this mayor, council, staff, and particularly, Amy Johnson have made the investment to make Downtown Moultrie a safe attractive destination.:

GEM pushes the status quo and that means there’s no stopping now. Johnson said downtown is in full-project mode.

Projects incoming for the remainder of 2019 into 2020 are the loft apartments by Hal Carter Construction in the former Belk building, restaurants the Pin and Cleaver and Packer  Stadium, and the fiber ring that’ll bring security cameras, Wi-Fi and more.

“Are we finished in our downtown development stage? No,” she said. “Will we ever be finished? Nope. It will be something that we continue on long after I’m here.”

The GEM designation will become official on Jan. 1, 2020 and will stand for three years. Johnson can apply for the designation again before the three years are up.