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Editorial by MAYOR ROBERT REICHERT When we selected our new seal, we decided 'Forward Together' embodied this new era of Macon- Bibb County. After decades of division, different ideas on what needs to be done, and a lack of focused, long-lasting improvements or plans, we are coming together as one unified organization to better serve you and create the best community possible, now and for the future. Too often, we hear about our community's potential and how we have remained stagnant or declined over the years … but I now hear it more and more often that we are turning that corner and beginning to realize our potential. This is it … this is our moment to seize what we have in front of us and propel us to the top. We have the people, the organizations, the resources, the will, and the foundation to create a great Macon- Bibb County. We are becoming a place where people want to move, work, and raise their children, and it's all because of your support of consolidation and your individual and group work in neighborhoods. Six months in, we are at a pivotal point in our journey and growth as a new, consolidated government. There have been successes (which we continue to celebrate) and challenges (which we've tried to address quickly each time) from the very beginning, and we are now preparing to implement our first-ever consolidated budget, one that is $7 million less than the combined budgets of the former City and County. It's been quite a journey, one that we've occasionally referred to as our march through chaos as we've gotten things settled. Joining two organizations that were structured differently, had two very distinct cultures, and had different ways of operating and responding within the community has a unique set of challenges, especially when we are striving to keep services from being interrupted. It's been a very important and necessary learning experience, though, to figure how to work with each other and how to best serve the public, and it's one I'm proud to say people have truly stepped up to meet the challenges and overcome the hurdles along the way. I cannot overstate the positive impact our employees and directors have had on the smooth transition from two governments to one, consolidated Macon-Bibb County. The Commission has worked well together since the very first day and is working through a year-long strategic planning process (funded by the Knight Foundation). Through that process, we've identified five strategic priorities and new vision and mission statements for the new government so that our work can be focused on what the community needs and expects. In January, we were selected as one of seven cities to participate in the White House's Strong Cities, Strong Communities program because we have a plan, the partnerships, and the support to improve Macon-Bibb with projects of local, state, and national importance. We have selected the directors that we know will be able to rise to the challenges we face and build the new departments to more effectively improve our community, serve the public, and respond to needs as they arise. Welcome to Macon-Bibb County, the fourth largest city in Georgia 12 l MACON MAGAZINE JUNE/JULY 2014