HINESVILLE, Ga. – Hinesville Councilmember Vicky Nelson received the prestigious Certificate of Distinction award from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Convention in Savannah on Monday, Aug. 9. The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally recognized series of training opportunities for elected city officials. To receive a Certificate of Distinction a city official must complete a minimum of 204 units of credit, including at least 72 hours from a required list of courses and the Robert E. Knox, Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute. The training program consists of a series of more than 60 courses. Councilmember Nelson was one of 14 city officials to receive the Certificate of Distinction at the conference. “This is an outstanding achievement,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We commend Councilmember Nelson for this accomplishment and for the dedication she’s shown in using this valuable resource to become a more effective city official.” Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to all of Georgia’s 537 cities. GMA anticipates and influences the forces shaping Georgia’s cities and to provide leadership, tools and services that assist municipal governments in becoming more innovative, effective and responsive. For more information, visit gacities.com. To learn more about the City and its councilmembers, visit cityofhinesville.org. Stay up-to-date with the City by following @HinesvilleGA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.