InTucker Magazine

Public Works News & Update

In the November 2022 referendum, the residents of the City of Tucker approved amending the City Charter to add both roads and maintenance service and stormwater service along with raising the millage rate cap from 1 mill to 3 mills. This was a momentous decision that has set forth a flurry of work and preparation for the launch of Tucker’s Public Works Department on July 1, 2023.

Tucker’s Council, City Management and staff have been hard at work laying proper groundwork, approving ordinances, charter changes and service contracts to ensure that the department starts out on the right foot to provide top notch service to residents from the jump. The management contract was awarded to Lowe Engineering and the Public Works Director and Deputy Directors were named. You can meet Ishri Sankar and Jeff Mueller in the Team Tucker Spotlight on the next page.

In March, the Mayor and Council approved ordinances to amend the charter to allow for public works services including roads and maintenance and stormwater. Adding these services is costly and comes with its own line-item millage rate on the tax bill of property owners so this ordinance included increasing the allowable millage rate cap to 3 mills. This does not mean that the City will charge the full 3 mills allowed but that the Mayor and Council can increase the millage rate up to 3 mills without a referendum of the citizens. The millage rate for Fiscal Year 2024 has not yet been set.

Management of a public works department is heavily project driven and can be overwhelming for a City of almost 21 square miles. Staff relies on management software to track projects from start to finish including items called in by residents. Having a software management system is integral and the City Council approved a contract with CityWorks at their April 10 meeting as well as a contract with Woolpert to implement the software. The City Council also voted to approve a resolution to set the stormwater monthly fee to $6 per Equivalent Residential Unit and is scheduled to start July 1, 2023.

Prior to the July 1 launch date, the City has requested a stormwater inspection and assessment study to start later this month. The City awarded the project contract to Atlas Technical Consultants in February and they are tasked with verifying the existence of and age of the infrastructure the City will inherit from DeKalb County. This is estimated to be an inventory consisting of approximately 150 miles of aged stormwater conveyance pipes, over 13,800 drainage structures, and 71 detention ponds.

Atlas surveyors will be seen throughout Tucker and do have legal right to be in the right of way. They will be easy to spot but will also have a letter of allowance with them and residents are welcome to engage and ask questions.

The heavy lift is almost finished but there are few more decisions to be made. The City Council will need to approve the millage rate for FY’24 as it does for every fiscal year. An onsite warehouse is still in the works and more contracts need to be approved for services like right of way maintenance.

As decisions are made look to the City’s social media channels to stay updated and informed. Sign up for the weekly email and check out our website at tuckerga.gov.