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Tucker mayor says stay diligent to reduce COVID spread

COVID-19 Tucker

Tucker mayor says stay diligent to reduce COVID spread

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Image taken from the city of Tucker's Facebook page.
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By Logan C. Ritchie, contributor

Tucker, GA — .Mayor Frank Auman kicked off the Sept. 14 city council meeting with an update on COVID-19 data. He said the results of residents’ behavior on Labor Day weekend would be soon apparent.  

“You can see we have been on a very steep downward trend. That’s good news,” Auman said. “Today is one week from the end of Labor Day weekend, so we’re going to find out whether people were behaving on Labor Day weekend. Just about now, and the rest of this week, we’ll see the effects of people who let their guard down or decided this thing is not that big of a problem, or whatever it might be.”  

The state of Georgia as of Sept. 14 has 295,337 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 6,353 related deaths, 26,394 hospitalizations and 4,830 ICU admissions. In DeKalb County, there are 124 cases per 100,000 for the last 14 days. 

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Auman said it is up to each individual to stay diligent. Every day gets us closer to a vaccine, he said.

In other city of Tucker news:

Tucker Recreation Center plans to open more programming this week, adding dance, pottery, e-sports, and tumbling. COVID-19 protocols including wearing masks, temperature checks, and disinfecting equipment and facilities are in place

– City council members unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to save a piece of history at Johns Homestead Park, located at 3071 Lawrenceville Highway. Parks and Recreation Department head Rip Robertson presented an IGA with DeKalb County to stabilize the home, circa 1829, that sits on 50 acres of land. DeKalb Commissioner Steve Bradshaw funded the $98,760 project. 

– The Tucker Streetscape Project is adding lights on First Street, Second Street, and Fourth Street for $233,000 according to Ken Hildebrandt, city engineer. The project is set to finish in March 2021 to improve pedestrian safety and aesthetics with new sidewalks and lighting. SPLOST money will pay for the installation of 60 LED light fixtures, and DeKalb County will pay for maintenance and power. Council approved the agreement unanimously. 

– The installation of 11 Marta bus platforms around the city was awarded to a female-owned company, Green Heart Enterprises, in the amount of $34,068. Bus stops at four stops on Mountain Industrial Boulevard (N. Royal, Hammermill, Hirsch, and Greer), Juliette Road at Wood Bend Drive, E. Ponce de Leon Avenue at Hambrick Road, and Tucker Norcross Road at Britt Road will receive a concrete pad. 

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– The city plans to upgrade its meeting agenda software this year to eSCRIBE for $9,695 per year, plus a one-time $2,950 training. The software will be used for webcasting, agendas, annotation, and an online library, according to City Manager Tami Hanlin. 

– Four ordinances, all first reads, were also presented at the meeting:

1. An ordinance to allow Tucker’s new traffic court to use a bondsman approved by the county;

2. An ordinance to adopt the state’s model drafted by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District on stormwater in new and redeveloped subdivisions;

3. An ordinance to adopt the state’s model on litter control; and

4. An ordinance to adopt the state’s model on illicit dumping, mainly pertaining to storm drains. 

– Councilmember Michelle Penkava asked to table a resolution on public works. Penkava said she and Hanlin are holding regular meetings with DeKalb County, and plan to have more to report at the October city council work session

“We’re making great progress, and I think we are heading in the right direction,” Penkava said. 

Tucker has repeatedly tabled the discussion on taking over public works from DeKalb County. Council members heard from Seth Yurman, land development manager for Peachtree Corners Public Works, and Katherine Atteberry, stormwater planning manager for Atlanta Regional Commission and Tucker resident, at the Aug. 25 meeting. The experts presented pros and cons of taking over stormwater management.

Benefits of local control of the stormwater system include quicker mobilization, better customer service, and attention to residents’ needs, Yurman said

The next city council meeting is a work session, open to the public, on Sept. 28. It starts at 5:45 p.m. For details on how to watch the meeting, click here.

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