Georgia Cities Foundation Acting President Pam Sessions and Susan Starr, wife of the late Georgia Cities Foundation President Mike Starr, present the inaugural Starr Award to Moultrie Mayor Bill McIntosh during the Georgia Municipal Association Annual Convention.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Georgia Cities Foundation awarded Moultrie Mayor Bill McIntosh with the inaugural “Starr Award,” which recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution toward creating a unique and vibrant environment in the downtown area of a city in Georgia.

The award, presented at the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Annual Convention, is given annually in memory of Mike Starr, who served as the Georgia Cities Foundation’s President for two decades until his death in April.

The foundation praised McIntosh’s “visionary and inspirational leadership” in making downtown Moultrie “a vibrant thriving area in which to live, work, play and learn.”

 To be selected, the recipient of the Starr Award must:

• Have demonstrated passionate leadership and a relentless commitment for vibrant, healthy downtowns and through his or her leadership efforts has played an integral role in the revitalization of the downtown area in his or her community.

• Led innovative and forward-thinking approaches to planning, development, redevelopment, preservation, smart growth, quality of life, citizen participation and/or placemaking that have stimulated reinvestment in the downtown area.

• Partnered with other municipal officials to create a vision for his or her city and has actively worked with all elements of the community (business, civic, government, neighborhoods, etc.) to build community consensus and support for the vision.

The nomination for McIntosh noted: “During the past three decades, the city of Moultrie, through its Main Street program and Downtown Development Authority, has spurred the rehabilitation of many buildings, served as a catalyst for many new businesses, helped to create hundreds of jobs and

conducted numerous events downtown that continue to attract thousands of people each year. A visit to Moultrie’s historic downtown district provides ample opportunities for residents and visitors to stroll, shop and dine in over 30 specialty shops and unique restaurants.”

Georgia Cities Foundation Acting President Pam Sessions said, “A true servant leader, Mayor McIntosh’s effective, visionary leadership for more than three decades has helped to transform downtown Moultrie into a vibrant and thriving activity center while preserving its sense of place. He truly epitomizes the type of leader envisioned by the Starr Award.”

The Georgia Cities Foundation mission is to assist cities in their community development efforts to revitalize and enhance underserved downtown areas, by serving as a partner and facilitator in funding capital projects and by providing training and technical assistance.