The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran a very well-written article regarding the law suit brought by city attorney Jim Webb against The Citizen and against frequent contributor to the opinion section, Steve Brown. The article, titled “Gadfly swatted in Peachtree City,” was in the local section of the AJC March 20.

Mr. Webb accuses The Citizen newspaper of printing “virtually nothing but negative articles” about our city. Why is it that when you question elected and appointed officials you are automatically judged as being negative?

Was questioning why we needed big boxes built near our city's busiest intersection being “negative”? Was showing concern over the multi-million-dollar taxpayer purchase of a sewer system being “negative”? Is asking whether annexing more land into our city makes sense being “negative”?

We are all very positive about our city, but we are concerned about the decisions our elected officials are making that will affect its future.

I cannot speak for Mr. Brown, but I can bet he is like many of the rest of us who have stood up and asked, “Why?” He is a citizen of our community who wants to see our quality of life remain high.

Letters are not being written to tear anything down, they are being written to make our city even stronger. Just like each of us, public officials aren't always right. It surely isn't wrong to ask questions about important issues.

One quote gave me a chuckle and made me shudder at the same time. Mr. Webb is quoted as saying that he doesn't believe in “arousing the public all the time.” Surely, many of the letters to the editor are meant to do just that: arouse public interest, arouse public concern, encourage all citizens to take part in the government of their city. Maybe some would just like an apathetic citizenry, one content to sit on their hands and shake their heads and just allow things to happen? If that is what they are looking for, I think they will discover that they won't find it in Peachtree City.

As Mr. Webb says, “It's one thing to have an opinion, and it's another to say something as fact that's untrue.” I say, let's clear the air about this issue, once and for all. Let's get all the facts on the table. We all want the truth.

Who are the investors in the Bank of Georgia? Are any of those investors either elected or appointed officials of our city? Are any city employees investors? How much of a financial stake do each of them have in the bank? What led Mr. Webb to become part of this bank along with principals from two large developers?

No one is accusing anyone of anything, but having all the facts will put an end to the threat of anything “untrue” being said.

Speaking for myself, I would never want to spread any untruths, and if any of my letters to the editor have contained anything other than the facts I would be glad to hear about it. Tell me if I was wrong, as I would like to know. The right to free speech and a free press are too important to lose.

Steve Fodor
Peachtree City

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