The Tucker Civic Association met for its annual meeting at Northlake Church of Christ on March 26. The meeting covered the progress Tucker’s elected leaders have made toward their first-quarter goals, honored the 2026 Citizen of the Year, and took care of administrative business for the nonprofit organization.
Mayor Anne Lerner was the featured speaker for the evening. After only ten weeks in office, she shared the progress her and members of the city council have made toward the priorities outlined for Rough Draft on Jan. 1.
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Lerner emphasized the importance of collaboration between her and members of the city council in the wake of Pine Lake Mayor Brandy Hall’s resignation. The mayor of the small town said she would be stepping down because she had been “intentionally excluded from council conversations that shape the path forward” in an email obtained by Dectaurish.
In an effort to encourage collaboration, the city council now meets for a monthly work session instead of a second voting meeting, and members of the council unanimously approved a resolution in January to become a certified “City of Civility” as recognized by the Georgia Municipal Association.
To achieve the goal of increased accessibility and transparency in government, closed captioning has been added to meeting videos, and public comment is allowed at work sessions as well as regular city council meetings. Members of the city council are also pursuing a “City of Ethics” certification with the Georgia Municipal Association.
Lerner said the council will also establish vision, mission, and values to inform project priorities and develop a comprehensive participation plan for all city departments to encourage civic engagement.
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Looking forward, Lerner said the city leadership plans to add more parking downtown, develop more public art, and explore the addition of pickleball with the Henderson Park master plan.
During Thursday night’s meeting, the Tucker Civic Association also recognized a Citizen of the Year. The honor went to the team behind Tucker First United Methodist Church’s Cold Weather Refuge. During cold nights, the church opens its doors to provide a hot meal, shower, laundry services, and a clean bed to Tucker residents experiencing homelessness. Since November 2025, the church has been open 29 nights and served 76 people.
“We know our neighbors really well,” Don Andersen, the leader of the initiative, said when receiving the award. “We see them on each cold night. We see them on Sundays for lunch. We see them occasionally on Wednesday night dinners at the church. They’re truly our friends and neighbors.”
The Tucker Civic Association closed the meeting by approving the 2026 budget and electing new leadership.