Tucker Observer

Virginia was raised in Dalton, Georgia. She studied at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, where she majored in hospitality. She has lived in Tucker since 2003. She lives in the Smoke Rise neighborhood with her husband, Will, and their two children, Arielle and Christian. She is a member of the Smoke Rise Civic Association Committee.

LinkedIn

Virginia manages and sings in Platinum, a dance band. She ran late City Council District 1 Post 2 Member Bill Rosenfeld's re-election campaign in 2019.

Virginia Rece's campaign for city council is her first entry into politics.

"Smart economic growth" is one of her priorities.

Supported the campaign for Tucker to become it's own city.

Said, "civic engagement is critical for a strong community."

Wants to encourage economic growth through new restaurants and gathering spots.

- "Smart economic growth" is one of her priorities. 
- Supported the campaign for Tucker to become it's own city. 
- Said, "civic engagement is critical for a strong community." 
- Wants to encourage economic growth through new restaurants and gathering spots.

Public Services

As of August 11, 2021, Virginia Rece’s website did not contain information on this issue.

COVID

Thinks Tucker should wait to take over stormwater and roads from DeKalb County in order to save money.

- Thinks Tucker should wait to take over stormwater and roads from DeKalb County in order to save money.

City Budget

"Not entirely happy" with the city's urban camping ordinance, which stopped arrests without a warning for sleeping, sitting or lying down in the city, calling it a "band-aid."

Wants to work on a comprehensive, long term plan with experts and surrounding towns to address homelessness.

- "Not entirely happy" with the city's urban camping ordinance, which stopped arrests without a warning for sleeping, sitting or lying down in the city, calling it a "band-aid." 
- Wants to work on a comprehensive, long term plan with experts and surrounding towns to address homelessness.

Housing & Urban Development

Community Safety is one of her priorities.

Plans to work with the Tucker police and community partners to address drag racing, noise pollution and public safety.

- Community Safety is one of her priorities. 
- Plans to work with the Tucker police and community partners to address drag racing, noise pollution and public safety.

Public Safety

Rebuilding infrastructure is one of her priorities.

Wants to provide more transportation options.

Plans to work for bike trails, sidewalks and improved park areas.

Wants to work with county and state partners to improve roads equitably.

Said Tucker's aging infrastructure is "a behemoth of an issue to deal with."

Opposed the construction of a cell tower on the grounds of Smoke Rise Elementary School.

- Rebuilding infrastructure is one of her priorities. 
- Wants to provide more transportation options. 
- Plans to work for bike trails, sidewalks and improved park areas. 
- Wants to work with county and state partners to improve roads equitably. 
- Said Tucker's aging infrastructure is "a behemoth of an issue to deal with." 
- Opposed the construction of a cell tower on the grounds of Smoke Rise Elementary School.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Zoning

Virginia Rece

Christine has lived in Tucker for 27 years. She has a master's in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit organization. She has two children and three grandchildren, and she is "happily single."

Christine is Executive Director of Omega Support Center, a nonprofit organization that helps with small business development and community outreach.

Christine Bloodworth ran for Tucker city council District 1, Post 2 in 2019 but did not win.

Supports a nondiscrimination ordinance for the city.

Wants to support cultural diversity, equity and education for English Second Language (ESL) residents.

Plans to prioritize startup and small business development.

- Supports a nondiscrimination ordinance for the city.
- Wants to support cultural diversity, equity and education for English Second Language (ESL) residents. 
- Plans to prioritize startup and small business development.

Thinks the city lacks human services to navigate the financial challenges from COVID.

Plans to continue to educate the public on CDC guidelines and offer health treatment as required.

- Thinks the city lacks human services to navigate the financial challenges from COVID.
- Plans to continue to educate the public on CDC guidelines and offer health treatment as required.

Supports reducing funding for parks and recreation and walking paths to better fund water and sewage, address abandoned properties and provide rental assistance.

- Supports reducing funding for parks and recreation and walking paths to better fund water and sewage, address abandoned properties and provide rental assistance.

Wants to see more affordable housing and homeless and human services assistance.

Plans to form a task force on homelessness.

Plans to start the First Time Homebuyer Program, which would be offered monthly to assist resident trying to buy a home. Topics would include financial literacy, down payment assistance and protection of assets.

Said, "not having resources or arresting the homeless in the Tucker community is unacceptable."

- Wants to see more affordable housing and homeless and human services assistance.
- Plans to form a task force on homelessness. 
- Wants to provide affordable townhomes. 
- Plans to start the First Time Homebuyer Program, which would be offered monthly to assist resident trying to buy a home. Topics would include financial literacy, down payment assistance and protection of assets. 
- Said, "not having resources or arresting the homeless in the Tucker community is unacceptable."

Supports increasing police patrols and offering public safety trainings.

Believes the city needs to do more to address sex trafficking in hotels.

- Supports increasing police patrols and offering public safety trainings.
- Believes the city needs to do more to address sex trafficking in hotels.

Wants to "address the issues with sewer and water lines."

- Wants to "address the issues with sewer and water lines."

Said, "I agree on land-use regulations, building structure and heights, density, setbacks, and code enforcement regulations. The number of tires, smoke shops, liquor stores, and the removal of trees and historical buildings as preservation is essential to many citizens, rental."

- Said, "I agree on land-use regulations, building structure and heights, density, setbacks, and code enforcement regulations. The number of tires, smoke shops, liquor stores, and the removal of trees and historical buildings as preservation is essential to many citizens, rental."

Christine Bloodworth

Shawn is from Kentucky. He attended Georgia State University before transferring to Georgia Southern University. He moved to Georgia in 1986 and has lived in Tucker for three years. He lives with his wife, Joy, and two children.

Shawn is the CEO of Lewoo Equity Partner, LLC, which is a film production equipment rental and diesel fuel distribution company. He is Studio Director of The Westside Production Park Film Studio. He previously worked as a real estate broker.

Shawn Woods' campaign for city council is his first entry into politics.

Wants to promote entrepreneurs and local businesses.

Plans to support and improve the downtown cultural arts destinations.

Wants to increase economic development in industrial areas.

Plans to use Tucker's central location to major thoroughfares as a way to attract film and technology companies to the city

- Wants to promote entrepreneurs and local businesses. 
- Plans to support and improve the downtown cultural arts destinations.
- Wants to increase economic development in industrial areas.
- Plans to use Tucker's central location to major thoroughfares as a way to attract film and technology companies to the city

Plans to focus on "education and awarenes"

His campaign recently donated 20k covid masks to Tucker High

Currently partnering with a non-profit organization to bring a free clinic to Tucker to address Covid testing and general wellness issues

Believes the City Council must work together to not politicize

the Covid vaccine or the science behind understanding how to slow the spread.

Says that "protecting our most vulnerable citizens (the elderly, immune compromised individuals, and

children under 12) must be at the forefront of what we do"

- Plans to focus on "education and awarenes"
- His campaign recently donated 20k covid masks to Tucker High
school
- Currently partnering with a non-profit organization to bring a free clinic to Tucker to address Covid testing and general wellness issues
- Believes the City Council must work together to not politicize
the Covid vaccine or the science behind understanding how to slow the spread. 
- Says that "protecting our most vulnerable citizens (the elderly, immune compromised individuals, and
children under 12) must be at the forefront of what we do"

Wants "more detailed information on the general expense fund made available to the public in several different ways"

Believes that the city should reach "citizens via formats that are most comfortable and accessible to them"

- Wants "more detailed information on the general expense fund made available to the public in several different ways"
- Believes that the city should reach "citizens via formats that are most comfortable and accessible to them"

Supports more new residential single family attached and detached construction within the city limits (designed to support a range of price points)

Argues that "housing and economic growth are hand in hand. Successful metropolitan areas that see growth in one area don’t often do so without seeing significant growth in another."

Supports a live & work development near the Northlake Mall area

- Supports more new residential single family attached and detached construction within the city limits (designed to support a range of price points) 
- Argues that "housing and economic growth are hand in hand. Successful metropolitan areas that see growth in one area don’t often do so without seeing significant growth in another."
- Supports a live & work development near the Northlake Mall area

Plans to focus on community policing, bike patrols, community centers and mental health professionals.

Wants to "bridg\[e\] the civic education gap among socio-economic classes."

Said he recently sat down with the former Lieutenant of the DeKalb County Police Department to discuss neighborhood watch programs

Believes neighborhood watch programs could be an inexpensive and easy way to engage neighbors, encourage communication, and proactively discourage crime

- Plans to focus on community policing, bike patrols, community centers and mental health professionals. 
- Wants to "bridg\[e\] the civic education gap among socio-economic classes."
- Said he recently sat down with the former Lieutenant of the DeKalb County Police Department to discuss neighborhood watch programs
- Believes neighborhood watch programs could be an inexpensive and easy way to engage neighbors, encourage communication, and proactively discourage crime

Plans on "reshaping parks and recreation" by building e-gaming and e-sports recreational facilities.

Wants comprehensive transportation planning.

Supports Tucker becoming more walkable through additional sidewalks

- Plans on "reshaping parks and recreation" by building e-gaming and e-sports recreational facilities. 
- Wants comprehensive transportation planning.
- Supports "smart infrastructure."
- Supports Tucker becoming more walkable through additional sidewalks

Believes the City Planning & Zoning Department appears

Said he is pro-business and pro-job creation which "cannot exist

without a City Council that is dedicated to zoning initiatives that support growth"

Plans to support "current businesses that are occupying locations that have received use exemptions due to being grandfathered in"

- Wants comprehensive land use planning.
- Believes the City Planning & Zoning Department appears
to be on the right track
- Said he is pro-business and pro-job creation which "cannot exist
without a City Council that is dedicated to zoning initiatives that support growth"
- Plans to support "current businesses that are occupying locations that have received use exemptions due to being grandfathered in"

Shawn Woods

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 