Mayor-elect Anne Lerner sets priorities for Tucker’s milestone year

2026 will be a milestone year for the city of Tucker.

The 10-year anniversary of cityhood will celebrate the history, present, and future of the city of more than 37,000 residents. And on Jan. 12, Mayor-elect Anne Lerner will be installed as the city’s second mayor, after serving years on city council and working alongside Mayor Frank Auman and other community members to lay the groundwork for Tucker’s incorporation.

Lerner has plans to enhance transparency, champion collaboration, and uplift the issues that matter most to Tucker residents. She spoke to Rough Draft Atlanta about where her priorities lie for her first quarter as mayor.

Council collaboration

To help set the city’s direction, Lerner and city council members are planning a February council retreat to establish priorities for 2026 and beyond. With budget season approaching, this will be an important opportunity to align its goals and ensure it is focused on what matters most to its residents.

“I am excited to work alongside our dedicated city council members, many of whom I had the privilege of serving with during my time as a council member. Together, we tackled issues that mattered to all of Tucker, finding common ground through listening, learning, and cooperation. That same spirit of collaboration will guide our work as mayor and council, ensuring that our city continues to move forward in a thoughtful and impactful way.”

Public Safety 

The mayor-elect has plans to convene with public safety leaders, including DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick and newly appointed Public Safety Director Darnell Fullum, to address Tucker’s “immediate” public safety concerns. Lerner will also review how the new Digital Shield initiative, Real Time Crime Center, improvements to 911, and increased recruitment are impacting Tucker.

“There are what I like to call the “lingering Ps”—public safety, parks and recreation space, parking and pickleball,” Lerner said. “I am actively digging into these issues and others during this transition period.”

The mayor-elect is also working with the Tucker Summit Community Improvement District to invest in street lighting and Georgia Power and Comcast on securing smart lighting in the new Tucker Town Green.

Transparency

Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and Development Authority meetings will be available to view online in 2026. The meetings were briefly available to view as a live stream and post-meeting recording.

“After COVID, I was wondering: why aren’t these online?” Lerner said. “While campaigning, I heard from people that they can’t always make meetings in person due to work, family, maybe they can’t drive at night. Others opened up to me after learning my husband is visually impaired and talked about how they want to be involved more but had some limitations that are preventing them from doing so.”

The city will also test new options to make meetings more accessible for community members. Though city council meetings are available online, there are still limitations for some citizens regarding other pertinent meetings, Lerner said. Improving accessibility will increase transparency and ensure every resident gets a say.

“The second city council meeting each month will become a work session, allowing council members to share ideas, ask questions and discuss upcoming agenda items and projects in greater depth,” she said. “We will also add public comment to the top of the work session agendas to ensure residents’ voices are heard.”

Community Engagement

Lerner has advised she will change the city council agenda by adding public comment to the top of the work session agendas, which is the second meeting of each month, to ensure residents’ voices are heard.

There are also plans for a Public Participation Plan, aligned across all departments and projects, to strengthen community engagement and gather more meaningful feedback.

“Prioritizing the people of Tucker advances the city because strong communities are built from the inside out,” Lerner said. “When residents are placed at the center of decision-making, policies reflect real needs, not assumptions, leading to smarter investments, better services and outcomes people can see and feel in their daily lives.”

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