GMA appointed an Ethics Task Force in 1998 to address concerns over a trend toward less confidence in public officials.  The Ethics Task Force included municipal elected officials, community and industry leaders, and academics.  The result of their work was the publication of a "Model Code of Ethics for Georgia City Officials" in September 1999 and the implementation of GMA's Certified Cities of Ethics program.  Most recently, in February 2005, GMA completed an updated handbook that is a compilation of the "Model Code of Ethics" and a prior GMA publication, "Ethics in Government: Finding the Right Course," which was written in 1993.

In 2008 a new Ethics Task Force was appointed to evaluate the existing Certified Cities of Ethics program and make recommendations on ways to improve the program and ensure its effectiveness. In January 2009 the GMA Board adopted the recommendations of the Ethics Task Force and instituted a requirement of re-certification every four years and approved a new sample ordinance.

Certification under this Cities of Ethics program is a way to recognize cities that have adopted principles and procedures that offer guidance on ethical issues, along with a mechanism to resolve complaints at the local level.  The program is not in any way an attempt to sanction past or present conduct by the city or any city official.  Rather, it is an attempt to raise awareness about ethics issues at the local level and provide a local forum for the airing and resolution of legitimate concerns. The use of a local ethics ordinance allows citizens to raise their concerns and participate in the ethics investigation process at the local level, where the voice and influence of the individual citizen is strongest.

Two steps are required prior to becoming a certified City of Ethics. First, the city and every member of its governing authority must adopt a resolution acknowledging and subscribing to five ethics principles to govern the conduct of elected officials. These principals included:

• Serve others, not ourselves 
• Use resources with efficiency and economy 
• Treat all people fairly 
• Use the power of our position for the well being of our constituents 
• Create an environment of honesty, openness and integrity

Approval