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It’s ‘wait
and see’ in PTC
By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com
Peachtree City is in
a holding pattern.
The seemingly non-stop whirlwind of events surrounding the future of the
city’s development authority and management of the tennis center
and amphitheater — which have dominated local conversations and overshadowed
city council elections in two weeks — has shifted into a “wait
and see” mode.
Among the reasons: Police Chief James Murray has yet to issue a response
to a request made Oct. 13 by Mayor Steve Brown to look into possible criminal
wrongdoing on the part of the Development Authority of Peachtree City.
Because of the “ongoing investigation” status of Brown’s
request, Murray has refused to comment and Brown, too, has been advised
to remain mum — refusing to elaborate on a statement made last week
that he was receiving pressure “from the state level” to pursue
the issue, as well as claims that his support remains strong citywide.
But talk on the golf courses, cart paths, ball-fields and churches of
Peachtree City in the past week would suggest that most residents would
prefer the whole mess go away.
Though he indicated last week that an opinion would be forthcoming in
“three or four days,” Murray had not issued a statement as of
deadline Tuesday, when he was reportedly out of the office.
Brown refused to discuss the criminal probe on Monday night, when the
DAPC met for its first “regular” monthly meeting since the dramatics
first unfolded in late September.
The authority’s agenda was light, as the future of the panel and
its responsibilities remains up in the air.
The DAPC amended meeting minutes going back to Feb. 17, 2003, and submitted
them for re-approval — an admittedly unusual move that Chairman Tate
Godfrey insisted was on the up-and-up.
“The minutes themselves have not changed,” Godfrey told the
small assemblage, which beyond the five remaining authority members, the
DAPC attorney and recording clerk included just two members of the media,
Brown and a handful of citizens or staff.
The corrections or additions mostly involved formalities in executive
sessions but never accurately recorded, said Godfrey, such as who made
a motion to adjourn and the like.The DAPC contracts on a freelance basis
with Pam Dufresne of the City Clerk’s office to record the minutes.
“When we go into executive session we usually send Pam home,”
said Godfrey. “And then when the minutes were typed up, there would
be some empty blanks.”
Agreed DAPC member Robert Brooks, “There was really no change in
the body of the minutes.” Brooks said he was the one who recorded
the executive session actions in Dufresne’s absence and accepted
his share of the blame.
Dufresne confessed after the meeting that she had perhaps not been following
up like she should.
Brooks offered an update on the most promising offer made so far to the
DAPC for relieving them of the burden of running the Peachtree City Tennis
Center and Fred Brown Jr. Amphitheater, both of which have struggled to
escape operating in the red.
Tommy Turner, founder and co-president of AIS Computers in Fayetteville,
has pulled together a partnership of local investors who are working on
a formal proposal that could come as early as the end of this week.
Turner said he would meet Thursday with two partners who’ve been
aggressively pouring over financial records, but otherwise there was nothing
new to report.
DAPC Chairman Tate Godfrey suggested Turner be given as much time as necessary
to work through the details.
“We agreed (to withdraw the resignation) to buy a small amount of
time to make this happen,” said Godfrey. “And we hope they can
do that.”
DAPC Attorney Mark Oldenburg confirmed that the authority should stay
largely hands-off during the “discovery” phase of Turner’s
proposal, which brings together as many as 15 to 20 private partners,
each of whom would contribute an undetermined sum of money to help build
up a nest egg for the two venues.
“I think it’s important that Tommy and his people meet with
city officials to determine if this is something viable that the city
will consider,” said Brooks.
Added DAPC member Scott Formel, “I know Tommy has been working hard
and every closely with (tennis center staff) to come up with a plan.”
Formel said that includes Virgil Christian, the DAPC executive director
credited as the brainchild behind the success of the tennis center, who
resigned Sept. 25 effective at the end of this month.
Though the DAPC backed out of its management contract that same day, and
then rescinded the offer a week later, there has been no indication that
Christian does not intend to honor his original resignation.
There is no guarantee that Turner’s proposal will fly, either, Brooks
said, adding that an earlier offer prepared by City Manager Bernard McMullen
for the city to take over operations temporarily and then lease them out
to a private management firm is still plausible.
“I know that the city has continued to proceed with their plans,”
said Brooks. “So if nothing else comes of Tommy Turner’s group,
the city at best can still put their plan in motion.”
Meanwhile, Christian gave a report on an economic development tour last
weekend from a group of French businessmen that he described as “a
good visit.” The tour included representatives from the state and
county levels, he said.
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