He no longer casts a vote, as mayor, but that hasn’t been the only change for Karl Riles on the Hinesville City Council dais.

Riles is wrapping up his first year as Hinesville mayor and reflected on his own priorities during a Liberty County Chamber of Commerce Progress Through People luncheon. “The state of the city is strong,” he said. “It is built on the pillars of community, unity, military strength, leadership and a dedication to preserving our rich heritage while embracing bold expansion and opportunities for all. We will continue to grow, innovate and build a vibrant, resilient Hinesville everyone can enjoy for a day and a lifetime.”

The mayor said he was proud the city continues to foster and strengthen its ties with Fort Stewart and the miliary, a bond exemplified by the new PaYS, or Partnership for Your Success, program. The PaYS program guarantees interviews for soldiers when they separate from the service.

“What a fantastic team they are,” Riles said of his military colleagues.

The city’s summer youth employment program also turned out to be more popular than city leaders expected. They initially funded slots for 32 teens. They wound up with 45 over the six-week progra “They work really hard and they can handle as much responsibility as you can give them,” Riles said.

He also credited the city’s “fantastic partners” for helping make the program a success.

Riles also lauded City Manager Kenneth Howard and the city staff for reviving and turning the annual Small World Festival into a signature event for the city.

“We had a fantastic time this year,” he said.

The city also continues to grow, the mayor pointed out. The city issued 227 new business licenses this year, bringing that total up to 1,796. There also were 230 new houses built in the city in the last year, and construction values approached $64 million.

“We are growing by leaps and bounds,” Riles said. “Hinesville is growing. And not everything is brick and mortar. Some people work out of their homes.”

He also praised one of the city council’s recent initiatives, the Youth Council. The Youth Council now does more than see how city government operates – it works on a project to take to council members for action.

“We have a lot of fantastic young people in our city,” the mayor said. “We tasked them to – find something they are passionate about and give us something we can act on. They gave us an idea for a public park. Now we just need to pass the hat around so we can buy some land.”

Riles has been quick to point out the number of young people who leave Hinesville for the lure of the big city to make their mark and their home. His goal is to give them a Hinesville they want to return to in order to do the same thing.

“When they are done making the world better, they can come back here and share their talents with us,” he said. “We want to be competitive for our own people. But to do that, we have to listen to them.”

Riles, who recently turned 50, pointed out he doesn’t have a lot in common with 20-year-olds, but it’s important that segment of the population has a voice in the city.

“Reputation is what other people think you are and identity is what you think you are,” he said. “It is our job to marry reputation and identity.”

A city council member before becoming mayor, Riles also detailed the amount of time the position takes and thanked his family for putting up with the hours and days he’s not at home. The mayor also expressed his gratitude for the city staff and the council members.

“Every moment you spend doing this service is a moment you don’t spend with your family,” he said.