Age Friendly Tucker: Keep Calm and Carry On

LOIS RICCI

eep Calm and Carry On’ ‘was a key message created by Britain’s Ministry of Information in 1939 when England entered World War II. The ubiquitous phrase was chosen for ‘K its clear message of ‘sober restraint.’ Many thought it was Queen Elizabeth II who coined this phrase, but it wasn’t until a copy of the poster was found in a bookshop in England in 2000 and reproductions were sold that its fame was established.

So why should Tucker ‘Keep Calm and Carry On?’ The City has accomplished so much since its incorporation in 2016. Many looked to Decatur as the role model, but I was told by a Decatur official that Decatur is a ‘thirty-year overnight success!‘

When Tucker became a city, it had been designated earlier in 2013 as a Lifelong Community by the Atlanta Regional Commission. The new city set goals and proceeded to ‘carry on.’ Tucker grew from 35,322 in 2016 to almost 37,000 today. Tucker was awarded an Age Friendly City by the World Health Organization, and recently became an America Walks City, both designations recognizing Tucker as a healthy city for all ages. Tucker was the first city to adopt the Georgia Department of Public Health Yellow Dot Safety Program and it is reviving the old Welcome Wagon program for new residents. One day, maybe we’ll see the Tucker Trolley clanging along the city streets, because local transportation is a needed commodity.

The decision to create the City focused on being able to start and immediately serve the residents and businesses with services like Parks and Recreation, Code Enforcement, and Planning. Through Interagency Governmental Agreements, Tucker partners with DeKalb County to address police and fire, stormwater, roads and drainage, animal control, and trash pickup; each have been made better through resources the City established to work closely with the County to meet requested services. In addition, Tucker contracted with Jacobs Engineering to administer overall programs through dedicated resources. With SPLOST funds, Tucker has been able to improve the condition of roads through prioritized paving. A small percentage of these funds are also used for trails and park improvements. Efforts are in process to bring housing for all to Tucker, and needed services and health care providers already are easily available in our city. The use of resident taxes is placed into categories based on budget and county priorities. In other words, Tucker dollars might not be used for Tuckerspecific problems because the County decides its need in another area of DeKalb. This Public Works Referendum, scheduled for the November 8 general election, is intended to have Tucker tax dollars be used for Tucker roads and stormwater management. Looking at the long-range plan for the city, there are always those who don’t want change, those who aren’t aware of the proposed changes, and those who will gripe about everything. But this election will give residents the opportunity to vote on a Public Works Referendum that will transition current public works services from DeKalb County to the City of Tucker. Yes, there will be a small increase in taxes but also an expanded list of services the city will provide directly to residents. The acquisition of public works services will allow Tucker to better regulate planned improvements with maintenance, including road construction, curbs, sidewalks, streetlights, devices to control the flow of traffic, and stormwater management. The goal is to provide high-value public works services with minimal financial impact to Tucker’s residents, and ensure Tucker tax dollars are benefiting Tucker residents, rather than going to elsewhere in DeKalb.

Tucker residents can learn more about the public works referendum by attending one of the public hearings at City Hall in October (October 18 at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.); information is available at tuckerga.gov.

Tucker is growing. Let’s Keep Calm and Carry On!

DR. LOIS RICCI Dr. Lois Ricci is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She recently retired as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she taught gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, as well as president of the Georgia Gerontology Society and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging. Contact Dr. Ricci at loisricci@bellsouth.net.