Wednesday, October 1, 2003

Dev. Authority had no budget until last year

Your Sept. 26 piece stated that the overruns on the Tennis Center expansion were $2 million. Actually, we believe them to be around $500,000.

Also, I think that some of the important points that are missing from all the reporting is (1) that until last year, the authority never had a formal budget; (2) Their minutes show that they had to borrow to float operations every year; (3) they consistently showed red ink annually and therefore were never in a position to repay their mounting debts.

The original 1993 intergovernmental agreement that [Development Authority of Peachtree City Chairman Tate] Godfrey referred to (entitled "Planterra Tennis Facility Agreement") clearly states in paragraph six, "The budget should be developed so that the Authority strives to have sufficient funds to operate the Facility on a self-sustaining basis and, further, to build a reserve for future expansion of the Facility." Ask City Manager Bernie McMullen for a copy of these agreements.

They never followed the plan because they never had the management that could carry it out. What I have been purporting as being self-sustaining and building reserves has been a component of the Tennis Center since day one. This is not Steve Brown's new idea as [DAPC members] Bob Brooks and Tate Godfrey would like you to believe. This was a clear directive from then-Mayor Bob Lenox 10 years ago.

Steve Brown, mayor

Peachtree City, Ga.