Tucker’s final 2025 city council meeting served as an homage to Mayor Frank Auman, who will soon end his tenure as the city’s first mayor.
A reception, a proclamation granting Auman a key to the city, and several tributes were sprinkled through the evening’s traditional council meeting.
One such tribute came from Allyson Gevertz, DeKalb County Board of Education’s vice chair and District 4 representative, who recalled meeting Auman in 2015 when he was laying the groundwork for Tucker’s cityhood bid.
“I knew at the time that you were amazing and that the grassroots effort with Tucker was going to make Tucker the best city in DeKalb, the best city in Georgia, and you’ve done it,” she said. “I mean, your leadership, it’s been amazing…You have worked with six superintendents at DeKalb County Schools. You have been so patient with us.”
While presenting Auman with his supersized key to the city, District 1 Councilman Roger Orlando said he was inspired by Auman over the years to have the fortitude to represent the 37,000 citizens in the city.
“I would never be mayor unless I could be just like Frank,” Orlando said. “The dedication, the time he puts in, the leadership, the collaboration of reaching out to all of his council members through the years. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, usually we did…He’s a gracious mayor, insightful mayor, and quite the leader.”
In one of Auman’s last decisions as mayor, he and five Tucker City Council members approved moving forward with plans to fund and complete the Greenway Connector and the Tucker-Northlake Trail. District 1’s Virginia Rece was out of town during the Dec. 8 meeting.
The Greenway Connector will connect Hugh Howell Road to the South Fork Peachtree Greenway via Tucker Industrial Road and Bibb Boulevard. The project cost, including engineering design, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and construction, is estimated at $6.5 million, which will be funded primarily via federal grants, with the city being responsible for 20 percent matching funds.
The design of the Tucker-Northlake Trail is nearing completion. Federal funding has been authorized to cover 80 percent of the $2 million for engineering and $9 million for right-of-way acquisition phase.
The multi-use trail will connect downtown Tucker to Northlake Mall. While the total construction cost is estimated to total more than $20 million, staff has applied to the Atlanta Regional Commission to fund the first phase of construction. That portion will include trail routes from Second Street to Brockett Road.
Auman described decisions like the trail funding as one of the most rewarding parts of his job. Even as he moves beyond his mayoral role, Auman said his commitment to Tucker will not waver.
“When we do build a trail, we get to go walk on it, right? When we pave the road, we get to go drive on it. When we build the Tucker Town Green, we get to run and jump on the moguls and take a picture in front of the tree,” Auman said. “It really is gratifying work…There’s no way, of course, that I did all of this myself. I’m privileged to lead, I’m privileged to have the trust of our council and so many of you in our community.”
Anne Lerner will be installed as the city’s second mayor in a ceremony on Jan. 12.