TIFTON — The City of Tifton is set to play host to the Georgia Municipal Association’s Small Cities Conference this week.

Themed around the goal of “Building Stronger Communities,” the conference will be taking place in the Friendly City across the latter half of this week, beginning May 7, and will provide the officials and staff of various municipalities the opportunity to connect with other city officials and discuss topics relevant to small cities.

All twelve districts of the Georgia Municipal Association will be represented at the event, their representatives participating in and organizing various sessions related to supporting and building up their respective communities, such as how to navigate budget constraints, proper infrastructure strategies, and fostering a strong workforce.

Tifton mayor Julie Smith and chair of the Urban Redevelopment Agency Tyler Riddle will be teaching a course entitled “Pathways to Progress: Leading the Change in Redevelopment,” which will incorporate discussions of various URA projects like the Anthony Bateman Youth Center and Nine Oaks Apartments.

Patrons of the conference will also be offered a chance to meet with the sponsors and exhibitors of the event and a tour of City Hall as part of the event’s programming.

The conference will begin at 1 p.m. May 7 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center with pre-conference training courses, followed by a welcome reception hosted by the Tifton Council for the Arts at the Syd Blackmarr Arts Center at 5:30.

The following day and the day after, the event will return to the conference center, where sessions and programs will be hosted throughout the day, beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until 5:30 p.m. Thursday, at which point the tour will begin, and concluding Friday at 12:15. For more information about the conference or the Georgia Municipal Association, visit their website at gacities.com.