Wednesday, October 31, 2001
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Wednesday, October 31, 2001 |
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PTC candidates make their case to youths By CAROLYN
CARY
Four mayoral and five council candidates for posts in Peachtree City turned out last week for a question and answer period, hosted by the Peachtree City Youth Advisory Board. The Floy Farr room at the Peachtree City Public Library was filled to capacity with state Rep. Kathy Cox serving as moderator. Cox teaches government at McIntosh High School and has been working with her students to educate them on the current issues of the election set for Nov. 6. The students wrote and asked the various questions, covering subjects from big box stores to crime and traffic. Mayoral candidates include Gary Rower, Frank Murphy, Dan Lakly and Steve Brown. Attuned to the same wave length, each felt that millions of dollars were saved by allowing the big box stores to build on land that had been commercial for the past 30 years. Though they were generally agreed that big box stores were not needed in Peachtree City, the candidates said the large stores will now be a fact and the city should move on. Council candidates include two incumbents, Carol Fritz and Steve Rapson, along with Nancy Faulkner, Alison Chambers and Murray Weed. Each had a different take on the subject. Chambers said that traffic concerns are more important than concern over big box stores; Faulkner said the community has not been kept informed on the matter, and Weed felt that a police substation at the Wal-Mart and Home Depot sites will be necessary. Traffic problems at the intersection of Ga. highways 54 and 74 also drew different responses. Weed felt that waiting for the Georgia Department of Transportation will take too long and the matter needs to be dealt with now. Fritz pointed out the traffic from businesses and shopping centers in Coweta County is increasing almost daily. Rower said he would talk with the businesses along the highways and try to get them to agree on adjusting shift hours. When asked if enough is being done in Peachtree City to preserve environment, Faulkner said that more environmental classes for both staff and office workers would be important. Other examples of preservation offered by the candidates are the 80 miles of cart paths, which play a big role in preserving environment, and using treated recycled water at Planterra Ridge. Asked what kind of relationship they would have with the city manager, Weed replied that the city manager and staff are the engine that drives down the route set by the council, and Faulkner commented that while it would be a role reversal, she felt the current manager is a good one. Until recently, Faulkner worked as city clerk, reporting to City Manager Jim Basinger. When asked if they would repeal any current ordinances, Weed said that an ordinance is just like a bush ... it is a living, breathing thing, and each must be trimmed back from time to time. Murphy felt there should be a format for more citizen input so the council would have a good feel for what the city needs. Brown said that any annexation should be voted on the by citizens and improvement should be made as to access to open records. One of the questions included comments on whether teens have a legitimate complaint of overzealous city policemen. Replies included information that Chief Jim Murray has an open door policy if parents and students want to talk about any particular incident. When teens are stopped both video and audio tapes are made and review of these tapes is available. In closing statements, candidates urged residents to get out and vote, adding that each voter should get to know each elected official, whether by phone or personal interview. Everyone, including teens, should be involved in the community in one way or another, candidates said, urging teens not to be afraid to speak up and to push to bring about their ideas.
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