HIAWASSEE, GA – Officials announced that the city of Hiawassee will be celebrating “Georgia Cities Week” April 21-27. Hiawassee will be holding a variety of events throughout the week, including Mayor for a Day essay, word puzzles, etc. The theme of this year’s Georgia Cities Week is “Georgia Cities: True Colors” highlighting the unique character of cities.

This is the 20th year Georgia Cities Week has been celebrated in the state, and the first year the city of Hiawassee will participating.

“We’re very proud of our city and the services we provide that make it attractive to residents and visitors,” Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales said. “Cities provide the services and infrastructure to help businesses grow, and set the stage for events where families and individuals can gather as a community.”

Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales

Events planned for the week are: “If I were Mayor” essay, word search puzzles, etc.

“During the week of April 21-27, Hiawassee will join other cities across Georgia in celebrating Georgia Cities Week,” Mayor Otdiales explained. “This week has been set aside to recognize the many services city governments provide and their contribution to a better quality of life in Georgia. Our theme, ‘Georgia’s Cities; True Colors’ reflects the unique character of cities and the role they play in the state’s history, economy and culture.

“City government is truly government of, by and for the people – the people who are making the decisions about our community are your neighbors, business owners and community leaders. We are in this together, and we want our city to thrive.

“The value cities bring to our state is undisputed. Georgia’s cities make up just 9.2 percent of Georgia’s land area, but 68 percent of jobs are located within cities,” the mayor continued. “Cities are home to more than 43 percent of the state’s population, 65 percent of the commercial property and 50 percent of the industrial property.

“We recognize that throughout our lifetimes, the average person will have more direct contact with local governments than with state or federal governments. Because of this, we feel a responsibility to ensure that the public knows how the city operates and feels connected to their city government.

“During this week, we want to recognize the role city government plays in our lives: from historic preservation to trash collection to public safety to promoting the area’s culture and recreation. We hope you will join us in this celebration and learn more about your city and how it operates for you.”

Cities across Georgia will be celebrating Georgia Cities Week, sponsored by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), to showcase and celebrate cities and the many services they provide. Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to its 538 member cities. Georgia Cities Week gives cities an opportunity to share information about the valuable services cities provide to residents and how cities positively impact their quality of life. The week is also an opportunity to celebrate community achievements and recognize volunteers and city employees.