Tucker, GA — At their eventful meeting on June 12 which also saw the passage of a nondiscrimination ordinance, the Tucker city council approved the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, considered a new millage rate, and amended the city charter.

Finance Director Beverly Hilton described the final version of the budget as essentially unchanged from previous versions of the budget brought to the council. Tucker’s 2024 general fund budget at $15 million is about half a million higher than the draft discussed at a May 1 meeting but still $9.1 million less than the 2023 budget. Total planned expenditures from all funds including capital funds, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds, and stormwater are $52 million.

“As previously discussed, capital projects roll over from year to year until they are completed,” Hilton said. 

After four years of millage rates set at .9 mills and a 2022 rate of .848,Tucker is considering a total millage rate for 2023 of 2.284. The additional 1.5 mills above the rollback rate will pay for the city’s new public works department, which has already been established. Tucker will take over managing stormwater and maintaining roads from DeKalb County on July 1.

The first read of the new millage rate was held on the morning of June 12, and the second read at the regular evening meeting. A third read and vote will be held on June 26.

In related news, the council voted to amend the city charter to comply with last November’s referendum in which 75% of Tucker voters approved the creation of a public works department. 

Included in the referendum was an increase in the millage cap from 1 to 3 mills, as well as authorization to provide stormwater and road maintenance. Exact millage rates are approved via the normal process.

In other city council business:

— The council voted to expand the Zoning Board of Appeals to seven members and change references in the ordinance from “Planning and Zoning Director” to “Community Development Director.”

— A $143,000 contract to design the Kelley Cofer Park Loop Trail was awarded to KAIZEN Collaborative.

— The council approved a resolution to instruct the DeKalb Tax Commissioner to collect fees for existing traffic-calming and street lighting districts within the city in the same way they were collected before the city took over public works.

— A first read was held for a special land use permit allowing a massage establishment at 2110 Henderson Mill Road, Suite 22A.

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