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Concern for tennis pros’ jobs brings out record crowd to tourism meeting

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

It was standing room only at Wednesday’s meeting of the Peachtree City Tourism Association but it wasn’t a discussion of the Rotary Club of Peachtree City seeking use of the amphitheater during a 2005 seminar that brought the crowds out.

The issue was about the pay and classification study of all jobs under the Tourism Association, meaning all the jobs at the tennis center and amphitheater, and more specifically, what would happen to the tennis pros that the members and their families have grown to love.

As association Chairman Steve Rapson explained to the crowd that stretched outside the doors of the old pro shop at the tennis center, since the association took over control of the amphitheater and tennis center, all of the employees were considered interim employees and they had been told this on several occasions. The goal of the association was to set up management and accounting principles for both facilities and put financial and personnel controls in place, something the association had not seen from the preceding management.

The Mercer Group had recently conducted a study which the interim employees participated in, writing resumes and job descriptions for what their positions were. In the executive session for Wednesday’s meeting, the association was to begin looking at the study and determining the pay and classification for those positions. Once completed, all of the jobs would be posted and the interim employees would have to apply for those jobs. Because employees would have to essentially re-apply for their jobs, the uncertainty seeped in and as many in the crowd told the members of the association, morale at the tennis center was incredibly low.

Both Rapson and Murray Weed, vice chairman of the association, promised that there would not be mass firings the day after the meeting but neither would commit that every employee would be re-hired.

“We will make a reasoned, logical management decision,” said Weed.

These assurances did little to soothe the nerves of the people in the audience, who had been hearing rumors of a pro being told to apply for the head pro position, which is already held by someone, as well as talk of a lack of communication between staff and new executive director Linda McCarthy. McCarthy explained that she felt there was good communication between her and staff, stating that in the four weeks she has been on the job she has either held or attended several meetings a week with the staff and talked with staff members throughout the day in impromptu settings.

The citizens still felt that much of the situation, which also included taking away the pros and their families’ benefit of using tennis courts when open, unless approved by McCarthy, was her fault. But city manager Bernie McMullen explained that she was enforcing the association’s position and that their limited use could be credited to her as the association had wanted to cease all benefits until all of the positions were filled on a permanent basis.

“We had to gain control and stop all the benefits for the time being,” said McMullen, who explained that every time they turned around they found some other benefit policy they knew nothing about. “If it wasn’t in the personnel policy (meaning the one the association passed in September), as far as we were concerned, it didn’t exist.”

The chief concern for the citizens in attendance was that the pros they or their family used would be either let go or driven from the tennis center.

“This goes beyond tennis,” stated Peachtree City resident David Burnette. “The amount of time all the pros put in with all the groups, they go above and beyond the call of duty. We trust them.”

That was one of many remarks Wednesday night to draw applause from the crowd. Other members and concerned citizens talked about how much the center was like a family and several threatened a mass exodus if the pros were not treated right and were forced to go to other tennis centers.

“We appreciate the hours, dedication and efforts of the tennis pros here,” said McMullen. “But we need to make sure things are done right and that the pros are treated right. We need to make sure the legal and fair thing is done for the pros.”

The other members of the association agreed with this statement and once again tried to assure the citizens that they understood their appreciation of the pros and their concern.

“This facility can’t operate without the pros. We know that,” said Weed. “Most of you state you are getting quality service. That’s good. We need to hear that.”

Many in the audience suggested an advisory council be set up so that the association could meet with people who knew and cared a lot about the goings on at the tennis center, and the association was very receptive to this. The citizens also requested that as a sign of good faith, the court benefits be reinstated for the pros and their immediate family. The association agreed to place that item on their next agenda.

A press release issued by McMullen before Wednesday’s meeting quotes Rapson as stating that the authority wanted to reassure employees that all positions will be interviewed and the best candidates hired or rehired.

"We understand that advertising all the positions will cause some anxiety, but the process is primarily intended to hire permanent employees for the PCTA upon adoption of the classification and pay plan,” said Rapson.

After nearly two hours, the meeting progressed to less controversial items and a majority of the crowd left. After discussing all of the items on the agenda, the association met in executive session. Coming out of the executive session, the association agreed to hold monthly meetings with all employees and to implement advisory councils for both the amphitheater and tennis center. The postings for all job opportunities were posted Thursday morning but the pay structure for the pros has yet to be determined.

The next meeting of the Peachtree City Tourism Association is Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m.