Overstreet Speaks at State Community Affairs Planning Institute Conference

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Vidalia City Manager Nick Overstreet spoke at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Community Planning Institute Conference on Jekyll Island on May 13.

In his presentation, which was titled “Using Your Plan Effectively,” Overstreet explained how the City of Vidalia has utilized its portion of the Toombs County Comprehensive Plan to ensure strategic growth in Vidalia, and shared examples of how the City continues to plan for the future. “In 2017 and 2020, the City of Vidalia was named a ‘Plan First’ Community,” Overstreet commented. “We were recognized for doing what we said we were going to do and for following our comprehensive plan, so the state has seen that we function well off of plans.” According to Overstreet, every city in the state is required to craft and follow a comprehensive plan, which outlines the next five years for the municipalities. The City of Vidalia creates its plan in unison with the cities of Lyons and Santa Claus, as well as the Toombs County government, to form the Toombs County Comprehensive Plan. The last plan that was made was in 2019. It was the success of this plan that caused DCA Planning Outreach and Training Coordinator Ebony Simpson to ask Overstreet to speak at the conference and show how to use the plan effectively.

“It is one thing to go and do stuff randomly; it is another to plan,” Overstreet emphasized. “I was very grateful that they felt like we had done a good job in Vidalia, and that I had the opportunity to put our community on a pedestal to show what we’ve done.” Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper said, 'For DCA to ask Mr. Overstreet to be a presenter at the conference speaks to their confidence in his leadership skills and ability to communicate, as well as their belief that the best practices are being implemented by the City of Vidalia.” Roper added, “Any time we have the chance to work alongside leaders from across the State, it is a great opportunity to provide content others might find helpful, as well as showcase The Sweet Onion City. I, along with our City Council, am grateful for Mr. Overstreet, his knowledge, and his willingness to share with others in an effort to help other communities.' Overstreet continues to better himself to serve the city of Vidalia, as he recently graduated as a national certified public manager last week. This certification was earned in a year-long class in which Overstreet was enrolled at the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government.