LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton was elected third vice president for the Georgia Municipal Association for the 2018-2019 year. 

LaGrange city leaders, along with other city officials from across the state of Georgia, are meeting for the 85th GMA annual convention in Savannah. 

As third vice president, Mayor Thornton will be in line to be the President of the GMA in three years.

“I was honored to be selected as third vice president for GMA,” Thornton said. “I look forward to serving as President in 2021.”

This year’s GMA President is Auburn Mayor Linda Blechinger. The GMA First Vice President is Dublin Mayor Phil Best and the GMA Second Vice President is Union City Mayor Vince Williams. 

GMA General Counsel Susan Moore led the swearing in ceremony.

The GMA president has general supervision and is in charge of the affairs of the GMA. There have been two other LaGrange mayors to serve as President of GMA — Mayor R. S. O’Neal in 1944 and Mayor Frank Tigner in 1955. 

The mission of the Georgia Municipal Association is to anticipate and influence the forces shaping Georgia’s cities and to provide leadership, tools and services that assist municipal governments in becoming more innovative, effective and responsive.

At this year’s GMA convention, city officials are engaging in a variety of meaningful and thought provoking training classes ranging in topics from developing entrepreneur friendly cities to planning and zoning. 

“GMA is the statewide organization representing over 500 Georgia cities, and its advocacy work at both the state and federal levels benefits all cities, including LaGrange,” Thornton said.

Thornton is expected to be GMA president for the 2021-2022 year.

To keep up with the latest news involving the City of LaGrange, go to www.lagrangega.org or follow the city on Facebook at facebook.com/lagrangegagov, Twitter at @lagrangegagov and Instagram at instagram.com/cityoflagrangega.