Friday, July 25, 2003
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Friday, July 25, 2003 |
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New Dev. Auth. member named amid squabbling By J. FRANK
LYNCH
A surprise "compromise" proposed by Mayor Steve Brown to fill a vacancy on the Development Authority of Peachtree City turned into an ugly, angry shouting match last week, with the nominee in question eventually walking out of City Hall in disgust. In the end, an alternate was appointed to fill the seat. Brown, working with City Manager Bernard McMullen, Councilman Murray Weed and Scott Bradshaw of the authority, crafted a deal to expand the committee by one, from seven to eight members, by adding local builder Todd Strickland and Cooper Lighting exective Michael Morgan. City Attorney Ted Meeker said state law allows the authority to have up to nine members. Ten were interviewed for the positions. But Strickland has long been Brown's first choice to fill the vacancy. Councilmembers Dan Tennant and Annie McMenamin have supported anyone more closely connected to the city's industrial community, such as Morgan or fellow Cooper Lighting executive Jim Maniatis. A vote to nominate Strickland earlier this year ended in a 2-2 stalemate. Councilman Steve Rapson abstains from matters regarding the development authority because of a lawsuit his wife has filed against the authority. A reverse motion at that same meeting to nominate Maniatis also ended in a 2-2 tie, and Brown started the search process all over again. The result, said Tennant, is not a "compromise." "I don't think we should change the makeup of the body just to appease a few individuals," said Tennant. "Plus, eight members has the potential for lots of 4-4 ties." That's unlikely, Brown suggested, adding that any issue that comes to a tie probably needs revisiting anyway. "We're trying to promote a sense of harmony here," he said. Tennant insisted that Brown's allegiance to Strickland was based on politics, not what was best for the city. "The well of human capital is so deep in this town, you've got so many talented people applying for these jobs." McMenamin said she spoke with individual members of the authority, and "they say there's no justification for the extra appointment." Bradshaw, standing to the side of the room, was asked to verify that. "I said I supported (the dual nominees) as a compromise for the benefit of the city," he replied. Said McMenamin, addressing Brown, "You didn't dismiss your candidate, you created a new position for him and that is not in the spirit of compromise." She made a motion to award the position to the alternate, Bill Bexley, but it failed. Brown has supported plans to annex and develop the piece of land south of Rockaway Road known as the Stephens tract. Strickland, says Tennant, has ties to the project. A clearly flustered Strickland eventually took the floor, telling the crowd he's lived in Peachtree City since he was 5 years old and that he has allegiances to no one, including Brown. "The quality of life is very important to me," he said. "That's why I volunteered for the Development Authority, and you've fueled it with political rumors." He added, "If you can't come to a decision tonight that benefits the city I love, then I withdraw my name from consideration." Strickland walked out of the room to cheers and applause from the crowd. A stunned city council pondered the next move, and then Tennant made a motion to just elect Morgan. The vote, again, was 2-2. He made a second motion to appoint Bexley. That passed, 3-1.
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