Brown tells Dunn city deserves share of county's rec plan

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

Mayor Steve Brown has written County Commission Chairman Greg Dunn to express displeasure that a new long-range plan to improve county recreation facilities omits Peachtree City entirely.

The $19 million proposal, which is supposed to meet the county's recreation needs for the next 20 years, also omits Tyrone.

"Peachtree City was never consulted, nor asked, for input by the county's consultants," Brown wrote to Dunn.

"I cannot help but wonder if a majority of the County Commission has forgotten that the inhabitants residing within the borders of Peachtree City (and Tyrone) are also county residents," Brown continued.

Both Peachtree City and Tyrone maintain their own recreation departments; Most all of the Fayette County Recreation Department's facilities are located in or very near Fayetteville, which does not have a recreation department of its own.

Though it has no means to pay for it now, the County Commission approved the plan 4-1 in a meeting Sept. 3. Commissioner Herb Frady, a former mayor of Peachtree City, approved the plan. Peter Pfeifer, who represents a portion of the city, voted against it because it only proposed serving "61 percent of the population."

With approximately 33,000 residents, Peachtree City accounts for about one-third of Fayette's estimated 102,000 population.

For years, as the city's master plan was developed and recreational facilities added, the gap widened between city facilities and those owned and managed by the county.

For example, the city has four swimming pools, including the indoor Kedron Aquatic Center, while the county has none.

But two "aquatic centers with seven-lane lap pools" are part of the county plan. The study suggests the county needs one swimming facility now, and anticipates another aquatic center for the future. Each center would cost $1.7 million, according to the proposal.

Brown doesn't disagree with the need; as the only indoor facility in the county big enough to accommodate competitive swimming, Kedron Field House is often reserved for the county's high school swim teams in winter.

It is the way the county redistributes recreation funds to the city that is inadequate, Brown insists. For years, the county paid the city $50,000 to make up for the disparity. Last year, the figure was renegotiated to $150,000, but it shouldn't be used as an excuse to leave the city out of future county recreation plans.

"The funds from the county are but a drop in the bucket of what it costs to maintain our recreational facilities," Brown wrote. "I beseech you to amend your plan in a manner that addresses the needs of all county residents."

In adopting the plan last week, Dunn appeared to defend it by saying, "It's only a plan, and I'm sure some things will be shifted around."

There is no timeframe for moving forward on any of the recommendations in the proposal.