| Tucker Summit CID March 2023 Newsletter
| |
The CID was delighted to welcome Pontoon Brewing The Lodge to our district by hosting our first Member Happy Hour of 2023 at the new beverage emporium.
Thank you to members and local officials who attended, and a special thanks to Plaza Security and Brightview Landscaping for sponsoring a portion of our tasty treats and beverages.
In addition to the excellent food (catered by Just BBQ) and drink, we were blessed to have NETWorks Cooperative Ministry (from our neighboring Tucker-Northlake CID) discuss its new Food Bank location and financial counseling services.
| |
From Chile to China, Sapna Foods is spicing up our district! After closing on the property in December 2021, the new Sapna Foods’ facility is now fully operational at 2280 Mountain Industrial Boulevard.
Employing more than 100 workers, Sapna scours the globe for high-quality ingredients that they can be ground down to any size or custom blend for any customer. Dedicated to preserving culture and people, the company employs a “primary source” approach to international trade where the primary hands that originate the product also reap the reward.
Sapna’s passion for its products will leave your mouth watering for more.
| |
The Council for Quality Growth Director of Policy & Government Affairs Joseph Santoro provided TSCID with a summary of and insight into multiple bills being considered by the General Assembly. House Bill 617 and Senate Bills 26 and 146 involve the transportation funding and electric vehicles legislation that would have a great economic impact on our district.
House Bill 617 – State-wide Freight and Logistics Implementation Plan
On Thursday, March 2, the House Transportation Committee passed Chairman Rick Jasperse’s House Bill 617, which creates the framework for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to establish a new trust fund and investment program focused on freight and logistics. HB 617 failed to be called up for a vote on the House floor during Crossover Day. However, there are discussions happening to explore opportunities to continue moving this measure forward in this legislative session.
Key highlights in HB 617 include:
- Codifies the state-wide freight and logistics implementation plan
- Requires GDOT to report annually on the progress of the freight and logistics plan to the Georgia General Assembly by February 15th of each year
- Creates the Georgia Freight 2050 Program which is subject to appropriations to allow the House to put down a marker on establishing a vision for the future
- The Georgia Freight 2050 Program includes, but is not limited to, system safety improvements, operation and maintenance of the transportation system, intermodal or multimodal connectivity improvements and capacity enhancement projects.
Senate Bill 26 – Meetings and Public Hearings of Development Authorities and Community Improvement Districts to be held by Teleconference
Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 26, which authorizes development authorities and Community Improvement Districts meetings and public hearings to be held by teleconference. Senate Bill 26 allows for business continuity as it relates to achieving board meeting quorums and for members’ votes to be cast. With multiple projects continuing each month it was important to be able to have members’ votes be accepted so that funding requests, approvals, etc. move forward without delay. The bill would become effective once Governor Kemp’s signs it into law.
On February 2, 2023, the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee distributed SB 26 and on February 7 the Senate passed/adopted SB 26 as amended with a 52-0 vote. The amendment to the bill now includes local workforce development boards formed pursuant to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (P.L. 113-128) to be authorized to hold meetings by teleconference. It has been assigned to the House Governmental Affairs Committee and is possibly up for consideration in Committee in the coming weeks.
Senate Bill 146 – Regulation and Taxation of certain Electricity used as a Motor Fuel in Electric Vehicles
Chairman Rick Jasperse’s HB 406 passed out of the House on March 1 with a vote of 161-0, while Senator Steve Gooch’s companion bill, SB 146, was Passed/Adopted By Substitute on Crossover Day on Monday, March 6, with a 55-1 vote. Both bills have three primary sections: first, permitting the sales of EV charging by the kW hour; second, empowering the Georgia Department of Agriculture to conduct oversight and inspections of EV charging infrastructure; third, authorizing the state to collect a motor fuel tax equivalent excise tax on public charging stations. Both bills will be up for possible consideration in Committee this week.
| |
The City of Tucker will be hosting its Inaugural Small Business Expo, Creating Connections, on April 20 at Tucker City Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The expo is designed to provide small businesses resources toward achieving success. Business specialists and collateral will be available to provide information on loans, grants, workshops, workforce training and talent acquisition, business planning and more!
Attending partners and business experts include Decide DeKalb, WorkSource DeKalb, Piedmont College, The Chamber of Commerce and more.
For more information or to participate as a resource, contact Angela Brooks.
| |
Creating nearly 2,000 jobs, manufacturing and packaging are the largest industries in our district. Manufacturing is a broad term encompassing various fields that include building supplies, technology, plastic, paper and more.
One of the district’s largest employers is Ricoh with personnel of nearly 500. The Tucker facility not only manufactures imaging and electronics but also trains technicians to troubleshoot and repair its products. Graphics Packaging and International Paper Company are the district’s next largest employers with a total of more than 500 workers.
It is an incredible feat to be able to boast the success of so many manufacturing and packaging businesses in one district like ThermoPac (food packaging and manufacturing), WinCup (food services packaging and manufacturing), Flexible Metal Hose (metal parts manufacturing), HB Fuller Company (adhesive manufacturing), Precision Frameworks (mirror manufacturing), Carlyle Compressor (HVAC and refrigerator manufacturing), Oldcastle Infrastructure (building supplies manufacturing), Crespac (plastic manufacturing) and Sonnen (energy/technology manufacturing).
| |
The Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) is gearing up for its annual race on May 6. The Run, Walk ‘n’ Roll is an all-age and all-ability event at Stone Mountain Park to raise funds for the organization’s Home Medical Equipment program.
Race finishers will be greeted with a celebratory cookout and musical entertainment by The Lost Boys at the end of the race.
If you’d like to sponsor or participate in the race to help raise funds for this incredible cause, please visit the FODAC website.
| |
We were pleased to see Bob Alverez, Vulcan Safety Shoes owner, at the Spring Member Happy Hour when we realized that Vulcan Safety Shoes has been in the district for more than 50 years!
That’s incredible! We want to know who our longstanding business owners are so we can celebrate you and your company’s success! Please take this quick survey to highlight your business.
| |
We are incredibly saddened by the news of H.G. “Pat” Pattillo’s passing. Pat and his brother Dan founded Pattillo Construction in 1952 and were responsible for building more than 200 plants, utilities and other buildings within the Stone Mountain Industrial District. Pattillo Construction was essentially responsible for developing the area and making Tucker Summit CID what it is today.
TSCID Board Member Rusty McKellar recalls Pat fondly as a generous man who drove him to shop for dress shirts and suits, “I guess he thought I wouldn’t take the time to shop for myself,” McKellar said. “He was a very generous man, especially to those who were loyal to him.”
Read more about Pat Pattillo in this AJC obituary and learn more about Pattillo Construction’s impact on the district’s history on our website.
| |
Image360 Tucker has been busy the past few months replacing and updating the road signs throughout the CID. Keeping the corridors looking clean and updated is a key to attracting new businesses and keeping the customers of our current businesses confident.
| |
The new lighting and installation project within the CID is progressing. Making sure our corridors are well-lit is a key to keeping the properties and people safe. As a reminder, please make sure to remove all valuables from your vehicle and do not leave anything visible through the windows.
| |
| City of Tucker Overlay Regulations
| |
Make sure your planned signage and architectural structures are within regulations! Review the Tucker Overlay District Regulations on our website.
| |
| Contact Emory Morsberger with Late Breaking News
| |
For any incidents causing major traffic conflicts or safety issues within the district, please contact Emory Morsberger immediately at 770.409-8100, so he can distribute communications and inform all members and associates as necessary.
| |
| Have Space? Looking to Sell?List Properties on the TSCID Website
| |
The TSCID website can now help promote your available commercial property listings!
If you have a property available in the district, please send a flyer with details to our communications team to post on our website.
Our district is an incredible place to do business!
| |
| TSCID Resources Directory: Refer a Contractor
| |
TSCID would like to help our members by creating a resources directory on our website.
Have a “go-to” company for electrical, plumbing, accounting, construction or any other critical service? Let us know and we’ll include them in our “Referred Resources” directory.
*Resources will be listed solely on the recommendation of our members. TSCID makes no endorsements or guarantees on quality or delivery.
| |
|
|
|
|
