SAVANNAH – The late Tallapoosa Mayor William “Pete” Bridges was one of four outstanding local government leaders inducted into the Georgia Municipal Hall of Fame on Monday at the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Convention in Savannah.
Bridges served Tallapoosa for 26 years, including 24 as mayor and two as a councilmember. He was still serving as mayor when he died in December 2020.
Bridges was an active, engaged mayor who regularly drove through Tallapoosa to speak with residents and look for items in need of attention. He was instrumental in Comcast’s decision to invest $2 million in the city in order to upgrade the local broadband system, expanding service to areas that were previously underserved.
Bridges was dedicated to growing and improving Tallapoosa, helping attract and expand industry, adding seven storm sirens for residents’ safety, starting the “Street Captains” program to work towards a litter-free city and expanding the municipal nine-hole golf course to a full 18 holes.
Bridges was also engaged with GMA as a former district president and member of the GMA Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Federal Policy Council and Workforce Development Advisory Council. Over his years in office, he completed 315 training hours through the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute and earned the Certificate of Dedication, the highest certificate level possible.
The Hall of Fame recognizes city officials who have made extraordinary contributions to the city they serve and have exhibited strong support of the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). In addition to Bridges, this year’s inductees are
Jim Thornton, mayor of LaGrange and immediate past GMA president
Lucricia Luckey Lovette, Walthourville councilmember
Rusty Paul, mayor of Sandy SpringsGMA is proud to welcome all four of these accomplished leaders into the Georgia Municipal Government Hall of Fame.
