Giager steps aside after State of the City
Monday’s State of the City address was Terry Giager’s last official act as Avondale Estates’ interim mayor, though he remains as mayor pro tem. Giager took over when Ed Rieker resigned Oct. 2. At that time there was community outrage over Rieker convincing State Representative Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates, to submit an Avondale annexation bill even though, unknown to Drenner, there had been no public meetings on the subject.
“Terry had to rebuild the trust of the city,” City Manager Clai Brown said Monday.
In the last six months Giager’s led many meetings with city residents, and also discussions with residents and business owners in areas Avondale wanted to annex. He started work sessions later, switching from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. so more would attend.
“I knew I had to educate people on annexation and what it could do—what the growth and development would provide—for this city,” Giager said. “To me the only way to effect change is to deliver as much information as possible.”
