I have been meaning to write this for a couple of weeks, but really, the “Free Speech” section should be left to those who DO write “short takes on life,” or “pithy comments,” rather than the column-length anonymous tirades that really belong in “Letters to the Editor.”
I have submitted both, and both have been printed, following the “rules,” so I don’t see why the editor needs to feel compelled to print these long essays under the “Free Speech” banner.
Let’s put the submissions in their proper place, OK? (Oh, guess maybe I have not been short or pithy enough this time, and I should rightly be in the “letters” column, so I will sign my name, just in case, and let you decide where this should be printed.)
Judith Simpson Fayetteville, Ga.
The editor replies
I agree; the length of the anonymous items has been getting out of hand. I’ll try to tighten up and tighten the items up.
District-wide voting is another example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing
On Tuesday, Feb. 8th, at Peachtree City Hall, a forum was held to discuss the possibility of district-wide voting for our County Commission. We had a very good turnout and many that were present stood up and spoke on their positions.
However, most of the comments made during the meeting actually just skirted around the real reason that this matter was being addressed.
Since most of the proponents of this change to district-wide voting were black, many have suggested, albeit quietly, that this was actually about a black-white issue.
Considering that Fayette is approximately 85 percent white and the fact that four of our seven state legislators are black, the underlying theme could not be ignored.
It is not the color of the skin of these four legislators which is at the core of the issue; it is, instead, the fact that they are Democrats, pure and simple.
The Democrats are fully aware that they will never win a countywide seat in Fayette County for perhaps decades to come, unless, of course, they are able to gerrymander out a very concise number of communities and neighborhoods.
The mere fact that these communities are in the northern part of Fayette and have a predominant number of black families is not the issue. The fact that these communities routinely vote Democrat is.
Many from north Fayette argued that they were not being “represented.” They complained that they were not receiving the services to which that they “felt” were entitled.
However, their arguments are nothing more than what the County Commission hears almost every week from one section of the county or another.
I’ve got headline news for our fellow citizens on the northside: we who live on the westside, the southside, and the eastside also have viable and real complaints as well, but we don’t suggest that we need to change the way that our commissioners are elected.
We merely make our complaints known to the appropriate authorities, and then, actively oppose any candidate who has not proven effective in providing those services we feel are necessary.
In other words, we are not the victims of our government, we are active participants.
But, everyone knows this already. [State Rep.] Virgil Fludd and [Peachtree City Mayor] Steve Brown know that our five county commissioners are motivated to provide all of the services our citizens desire and for which our budget can afford. To suggest otherwise would tarnish the reputations of our commissioners with nothing more than innuendoes.
Sadly, Mr. Fludd and Mr. Brown are not playing the race card in an effort to right a past wrong. No, they are instead attempting to help establish another political power in this county, namely, the Democratic Party.
Mr. Brown recently said he was ashamed of the Republican Party for officially stating that we are opposed to district-wide voting. Well, I’m ashamed that a non-partisan mayor would play the race card merely to help empower the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party is well entrenched in Clayton County, and you see what has transpired over the last decade in that county. You also would see that influence should such tactics of race-baiting for political purposes be allowed in Fayette.
Let’s return the merits of the district voting measure. The proponents deceptively state that district-wide voting would make their commissioners more receptive and thereby more representative of each district in Fayette.
However, what they fail to admit is that when we carve up this county into specific niches, then we establish five districts that have more interest in what is good for their district as opposed to what is good for our county.
If this “theory” is so sound, then why doesn’t Mayor Brown argue for district voting in Peachtree City?
Or better yet, why not carve up Fayette County into the 36 precincts that we already have for voting purposes, and elect 36 precinct commissioners to run our county government? Talk about being a representative form of government.
Once again, the reason we don’t do this is that each precinct would create their own special interest group which would lobby a majority of other precinct commissioners to do what is best for their precincts and not what is good for the county as a whole.
One needs to look no further than at Steve Brown as an example of what district voting would do to our politics.
Mayor Brown has an inherent interest, if not an obligation, in looking after the needs of the citizens of Peachtree City. He does this to some extent to the detriment of the county.
He is always in the newspaper casting aspersions of incompetence and shady deals upon the County Commission because he believes that his “city” is being treated unfairly.
To Mayor Brown’s credit, he has been right on occasion. The point, though, is that although Mayor Brown has an obligation to look after Peachtree City, he has no concern whatsoever for Fayette County.
Can you imagine five district commissioners all named Steve Brown attempting to govern the county as a whole? The newspapers would be too heavy to pick up, weighted by the ink necessary to publish each of their biweekly diatribes.
Let’s not diminish the debate by the race card that is so freely dealt out against any person that might stand up to a contrary position.
Instead, let’s look at this type of legislative change and weigh its benefits, not upon the color of its proponents, but upon the character of its content.
As an aside note, I’d favor making the sheriff’s office non-partisan and making the Peachtree City Council partisan.
I think the way our sheriff protects our county from criminals has little to do with Republican or Democratic policies.
However, the way our City Council behaves is directly tied into their political persuasion. And as many of you have already guessed, many of our City Council members are able to hide their Democratic politics under the guise of their “non-partisan” position. That is a fact that I hope many have learned or will learn before the next election cycle comes about.
Richard Hobbs Peachtree City, Ga. Hobbs is a member of the Fayette County Board of Elections.
Did newspapers cover same meeting I went to?
The accounts of the recent district voting meeting vary considerably from the actual meeting that others and I attended.
One account which was surely written by Steve Brown was so totally false that I must respond. He states, “Peter Pfeifer got up and verbally protested in an open, orderly meeting trying to shut someone (Mr. Brown) down to keep him from speaking.” Also, “I would tell our children to beware of the person that tries to severely limit your First Amendment rights because that is a control mechanism that is used mainly by dictators and other forms of tyrannical rulers.”
That is totally untrue. I was there. Mr. Pfeifer did not say anything to Steve Brown when he was speaking or any other time during the meeting.
The fact that Steve Brown was allowed to speak last was obviously prearranged by him and [Democratic state Rep.] Virgil Fludd. Everyone else spoke in the order in which they signed a list that was passed around.
Mr. Brown proceeded to blast the commissioners about every fight he has ever had with them. These disagreements had nothing whatsoever to do with the district voting issue.
More than one citizen sitting in the audience called out to Mr. Brown to stick to the issue at hand. He became more and more aggressive. The commissioners were not given an opportunity to rebut anything Mr. Brown said.
Mr. Fludd has no idea how to conduct a meeting. The whole thing was a sham.
After Mr. Brown went on and on, Mr. Pfeifer stood and said, not too loudly to those around him, “I have had enough. The meeting is over as far as I am concerned.”
Mr. Pfeifer was not disruptive. About a dozen people seated in the area had had enough, also, so they left with Mr. Pfeifer.
Some of the same people who were at the first meeting came and repeated their petty gripes. Most of these complaints have nothing to do with the commissioners themselves. They are service issues. The complainants do not know who to call about various issues, so they blame the commissioner who lives in the same post that they do, ignorantly believing he is “their” commissioner.
We have five county commissioners in this county. They are all elected countywide and are all “our” commissioners.
Do not believe anything you hear from Steve Brown. As far as a dictator, a radical, a tyrannical ruler, a control mechanism, Mr. Brown was describing himself.
Faye Norris Fayetteville, Ga.
Other district voting counties seem to do OK
I can’t help but respond to a letter in your paper from a Mrs. Faye Norris who is apparently so upset with people in favor of district voting in this county that she seems to want to start a fight.
The fact that there is a disagreement is not in my mind reason enough to start any fight. What I find rather immature on her part is her self-classification that she has been around this county probably a lot longer than most people.
That may be true, but that does not make her any more special than anyone else. She seems to dwell on her knowledge of how Clayton County is in such sad shape and that district voting is the cause of all of its problems.
Has she considered the fact that Coweta County has district voting? It seems to be running okay, and so does Spalding, and Meriwether. Other counties have a combination of district and at-large systems. All systems have merit.
There are people who seem to be favoring a change from at-large to district (or a combination) to seek redress of their grievances.
My main objection to Mrs. Norris’s letter is that her longevity in residence and voting in this county seems to give her authority to lecture us on what is in the best interest for all voters.
That is not necessarily the case. She has one vote, and I have one vote, and in that sense I have just as much power in this county as she does.
This is a democracy, after all. Differences are settled at the ballot box, or in a court of law.
And another thing, the citizens of Fayette County would do well to quit making snide remarks about Clayton County. How would you feel if your neighbors talked about you like that?
Jason Goodman Peachtree City, Ga.
Tennis center still viable
For the past year, it seems as though people, on non-official sides of the Tennis Center issue, have opined about what went wrong, is wrong or needed to be fixed.
It reminds me of three visually impaired people tying to describe an elephant: one at the trunk, one at a leg and another at the tail. What they are saying is what they sense but is not necessarily reality.
Personally, I’m keeping an open mind until all the legal and political posturings are over before I make any conclusions.
The fact that Peachtree City still has a world-class tennis facility that is accessible, affordable and still in operation is good enough for me for the time being.
Robert R. King Peachtree City, Ga.
Tennis Center has been irreparably damaged by PTC
The Peachtree City Tennis Center has been an asset to the community for 10 years. Non-tennis citizens need to understand that there has been a tremendous economic and lifestyle loss to our city.
Prestigious tournaments have chosen other locations and league play has plummetted, thus affecting revenue for the local economy. Out-of-town guests of Peachtree City Tennis Center enjoyed and frequented hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Charter members, whose vision and hard work brought this dream to Peachtree City, have left the center in total disbelief of the current changes in management. Although hundreds of members participated in the “open” tourism meetings, their wishes and input went unheeded.
As a show of solidarity, our entire tennis team (among others) has made the difficult decision to leave this venue that we have loved.
The “family” that managed and taught at the center were the reason we purchased yearly memberships. These professionals have almost all left or been dismissed.
We will now take our business out of town until the mayoral administration, which effected these changes, has been replaced.
Linda McCarthy indicated [The Citizen, Feb. 4, 2005] that teams were leaving the center because of increased fees or incentives offered by other facilities.
On the contrary, we are leaving because this wonderful Tennis Center has been destroyed by the people Mayor Brown appointed to manage it.
Patti Thaxton Peachtree City, Ga.
A Lutheran worries about his church’s decision
This letter was provided to me unsolicited and in person by a caring and concerned member of Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. It follows verbatim.
Dear neighbor, I am greatly concerned by Walgreens’ desire to build a 24-hour drugstore at the present location of Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, and my church’s intention to accommodate them, regardless of any adverse effect on the community.
Considering all the publicity and controversy surrounding this issue, I am also somewhat surprised that one of these two parties has not already decided to consider other options. After all, the matter was supposed to have been concluded four months ago.
Whether or not Walgreens comes to PTC seems of little consequence to most people here. No groundswell for or against. But as soon as the announcement was made that Walgreens wants to build at the present location of Christ Our Shepherd, an uproar ensued.
I understand that over 1,600 people signed a petition (before the effort was voluntarily ended) opposing any rezoning which would enable Walgreens to replace this beautiful church.
It seems clear that these people do not want the delicate balance and complexion of this critical intersection (Ga. Highway 54 and Peachtree Parkway) to be upset by such rezoning.
Specific concerns include increased traffic and noise, additional safety problems, decreased property values in nearby residential areas, establishing a terrible precedent for future rezoning actions, and the like. These appear to be legitimate concerns.
The church itself is in favor of the rezoning. At a special called meeting in May 2004, 331 attendees voted as follows: 268 in favor and 63 against selling the church property. This was out of approximately 1,460 confirmed church members (excluding children) who could have attended and voted.
Since most people know that Christ Our Shepherd has built a wonderful reputation within PTC due to an outstanding record of service to and involvement within the community for 30 years, they are naturally sympathetic to the church’s stated need to expand. And this is only right.
They apparently draw the line, however, when they consider the adverse consequences to the community of the church selling to Walgreens.
Unfortunately, while all this is going on, the church’s reputation may be suffering. Some people already perceive that the Lutheran Church is considering only its own self-interests in pursuing the rezoning, and is not paying enough attention to the potential harm it could cause to the community.
There is danger that 30 years of well-deserved good will could evaporate as this process continues.
But whether, or if, any damage may have already occurred won’t compare, I’m afraid, with the negative reaction likely to follow an actual rezoning.
If the church wins short-term (rezoning is approved), I doubt that that will be the end of it. A Walgreens located on that corner would be a constant reminder to passers-by that a beautiful church once stood there, now replaced by an ordinary drugstore.
And any increased traffic, noise or other problems that surface in that area in the future could be laid directly at the feet of the Lutheran Church whose rezoning action, opposed by the community, was responsible. This is a heavy load to contemplate.
Consider also that plans exist for the drugstore, if built, to be partially hidden from view by the addition of a number of berms, trees and shrubbery. It seems to me that such a step in and of itself is an admission that a mistake is being made by building a drugstore and that drastic action is required to camouflage or partially hide it.
If rezoning is denied, would anyone even contemplate adding one or more 10-foot berms to the current site to partially hide the church? Just the opposite is true. People find the church very attractive and want to see it.
The city Planning Commission and City Council have an awesome responsibility in deciding this matter. Their primary duty and responsibility clearly rests with the community, and secondarily with the church and Walgreens.
If nobody had objected to this rezoning request and it was felt that no harm would occur, the decision would be simple.
But, in this case, 1,600 citizens have spoken out in opposition. Their voices need to be heard and thoroughly considered by the council, even though individual members may be as sympathetic to the needs of the church as most people in town.
The bottom line is that 1,600 people have indicated what they feel is best for the town, and 268 church members have voted for what they feel is best for the church.
It is unfortunate that the two are not compatible.
Even if a much larger number of church members had voted in favor of rezoning, the fact remains, in my opinion, that the interests of the community trump the interests of the church.
I don’t want to see an action taken, later proven harmful to the community, for which no remedy will be possible.
Forwarded by B. Ray Helton Peachtree City, Ga.
Keep local school calendar under control of local officials
On Feb. 2, Rep. Ron Stephens introduced a bill in the state legislature which would require local school boards to set the start of school no earlier than the last Monday in August and no later than the Wednesday after Labor Day.
I strongly oppose the intrusion of the state government into local school board decisions.
The Fayette County School Board has worked very closely with parents in the county to set a calendar each year. In fact, last spring the school board sent out a survey to every parent in the district requesting input on the calendar.
With this bill, our decision-making process will be stripped from us. Legislating a start date will take control of the school system further from our local officials and parents.
In addition, I do not believe that a later start date will have any positive effects on test scores or family home life. There are still plenty of weeks of vacation in the schedule with ample opportunity for children to relax and spend time with their families.
This is a very transparent move by the tourism industry to extend the summer vacation in order to ensure a customer base.
State Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Alpharetta), a cosponsor of the bill, said the state is losing millions in tourism revenue (AJC, 2/3/05, p. D5). It is more than a coincidence that Rep. Stephens introduced another bill on Feb. 2 commending the tourism industry in Georgia.
It is a very short-sighted bill which takes control of the school system away from the local school boards at the behest of the tourism industry.
I strongly urge all concerned citizens to contact your representative and register your opposition to this bill.
Emily Donahue Peachtree City, Ga.
PTC considers EMS service ‘free’
I’ve written a couple of statements to the media recently about the requested separate Emergency Medical Services tax district that the Peachtree City Council asked for.
I have been critical of the approach taken by the mayor and council on this issue. I have questioned if their answer to this problem is the most efficient answer and one that would result in the best possible service at the lowest possible cost. I have said that I did not think it would.
After the council brought up the subject of the EMS tax district, the County Commission asked for a staff-to-staff discussion. One of the things we needed to resolve was how much does the Peachtree City EMS service cost the taxpayers of Peachtree City. Then we would have a base line to begin talking.
When this discussion occurred, the city claimed that they knew the cost of their equipment but the cost of the EMS personnel was “free.”
It’s “free” because the people who man the EMS system are already firemen with EMS training. They just “sit around and wait for a fire,” so the cost of their EMS service is “Free”!
If you tried to give that explanation about the cost of a service to your boss, or to your stockholders or to the IRS you would (rightfully) be laughed out of the room. This is not how you generally account for the cost of services or anything else.
Here’s another example that, although it goes back a few years, it is an excellent example of the type of thinking that is done by the current mayor and council about taxpayer issues and about our tax dollars.
The subject is the municipal prisoner agreement which was reached between the county and the municipalities in 2001. It is an agreement that provides for the municipality that incarcerates a person to pay for the cost of keeping that prisoner in the county jail.
Before this agreement, the municipal governments paid nothing for this service. All Fayette County taxpayers were paying for it. The Peachtree City mayor and council initially opposed the agreement because they said it was “double taxation.” Sound familiar?
I prepared a report for them and gave it to a current member of the council. In the report, I said that if you compared the sources of the municipal prisoners in the county jail you would have found the following: Peachtree City and Tyrone, combined, had over 39 percent of the population versus about 13 percent for Fayetteville.
Peachtree City and Tyrone, combined, had almost 43 percent of the tax digest versus less than 14 percent for Fayetteville.
So, Peachtree City and Tyrone were about three times Fayetteville in population and in tax base. But, Fayetteville had more than one-half of all the municipal prisoners: 55 percent from Fayetteville and 45 percent from Peachtree City and Tyrone combined.
I looked next at who would pay for these municipal prisoners under the county’s proposed agreement.
Remember, back then all Fayette taxpayers were financing the cost of all of the prisoners. If it had remained the same, and the Peachtree City and Tyrone councils had continued to support the Fayetteville City Council, the taxpayers of the entire county (including those in Peachtree City and in Tyrone and in Brooks, Woolsey and the unincorporated county and in Fayetteville would have been paying, at least, $600,000 dollars every year (based on the average number of 39.35 municipal prisoners per day in 2001 when my document was written).
This expense was borne by these taxpayers so that the Fayetteville City Council could hold onto their $825,000 in fines (which was the total of fines paid to the municipal court in the city of Fayetteville in the year 2000).
This is because the municipalities “shared” the cost of the prisoner’s upkeep with all of us while they did not share the fine revenue from the same prisoners with anybody.
I said that I could not understand how anyone who was elected to represent any taxpayers could support the system we had then.
Under the new agreement, fines paid by the offenders pay for the cost of municipal prisoners, no tax dollars. Taxpayers don’t pay twice; they don’t even have to pay once.
Now, this should have been completely obvious to the Peachtree City mayor and Council. They should have been able to see immediately that the agreement would benefit the taxpayers they were elected to represent.
But, they did not. I don’t know precisely why they did not, they didn’t say. It could have been a misguided “loyalty to another municipality” kind of thinking instead of their obligation to be loyal to the city taxpayers. It could have been the “stick it to the county” mentality. I don’t know.
But, when it was pointed out to them, by me, exactly who was being served, who was being benefited and who was paying; they had a change of heart and signed the agreement.
Now, they didn’t tell the taxpayers in Peachtree City what really happened and they didn’t say that this agreement was done for the benefit of the taxpayers in Peachtree City, did they?
They did say that they did this to be “cooperative with the county” and have tried to use it as an example of their supposed willingness to work with the county government.
Peter Pfeifer Fayette County Commission, Post 3
Consoliding PTC fire and EMS under county control would be mistake
In response to the statement that Peachtree City “hasn’t made its case” to create a special tax district solely for EMS, how does he explain the 200-plus thousand dollars a year that city citizens pay for county EMS protection that is not rendered (except in mutual aid situations, which we also have with Coweta County)?
The cost to operate the Peachtree City EMS is part of the department’s budget, which can be obtained through the Open Records act.
The EMS sector of the Peachtree City Fire Department actually generates a surplus over its operating cost, which is returned to the general fund.
He states that the consultant report paid for by Peachtree City says that consolidation with Fayette County Emergency Services is an option.
What he doesn’t say is that consolidation is listed as the fourth and final option behind three more favorable options.
He mentions that fire and emergency services should be handled “in the best possible way for the citizen who needs this service, at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer.”
What he does not mention is that Peachtree City citizens pay a LOWER overall tax rate for all services than county citizens pay in fire tax alone.
As far as service is concerned we have four ambulances covering 25 square miles with an average response time of less than five minutes, while the county has four ambulances covering 174 square miles.
He advocates best possible service at lowest possible cost; it appears that situation currently exists.
As a citizen with first-hand experience, I know that Peachtree City Fire and EMS is among the most proficient and professional EMS services in the area.
Common sense and basic math skills have shown that “consolidation of facilities, equipment, and management staff“ will not (not probably) save the taxpayers of Peachtree City money.
Where consolidation issues are concerned one must compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges. While consolidation of some services may be appropriate, I think it has been clearly shown that consolidation of fire and EMS services would not be appropriate.
In response to the city staff not being “honest and accurate” concerning this issue, any one who attended the City Council meeting on Feb. 3 knows that this is an untrue statement.
The truth is the city has paid the county for several years for services not rendered, not only in EMS but also recreation, to the tune of several million dollars.
The facts are the county stands to lose millions of dollars in tax revenues and the city will finally get what it is paying for if a special tax district is created.
It is plain to see why a county commissioner would want to use opinions and partial truths rather than factual statistics and data.
As a taxpayer and voting citizen of Post 3, I demand that my commissioner support what is best for me, my family, my neighbors, and our community.
While I am not a politician, it is clear to me that creating a tax district is what is best for me, my family, my neighbors, and you as well, Mr. Pfeifer.
He states that he “does not like something as important as emergency medical services and my taxes to be determined by their opinions. I want them to be determined by the facts.” I feel the same way when it comes to my county commissioner.
The facts are clear, Mr. Pfeifer; where do your loyalties lie: with your constituents or your county commissioner comrades?
P. A. Adredge Fire Station 81 Peachtree City, Ga.
PTC errs in spending $280,000 on road to nowhere; stop, study problem
I am addressing my and many other’s concerns about the growing traffic problems. There are not many ready-made answers, but I would urge some of our citizens to start asking more questions. Let me start with the TDK Boulevard extension.
The already announced two mayoral candidates could not believe that it is not yet completed. I have been asking questions and have not yet received any answers.
Did anyone ever really find out how many working people employed in the southern regions of PTC would actually use that “very important ‘new road.’” Was there ever a real survey completed? Did our announced candidates look into the matter, or are they just voicing a popular opinion?
I drove on the Coweta side of this proposed extension more than once. Unless I am totally misinformed, it appears that the road would come out just on the east side of Sharpsburg to Ga. Highway 54 and would provide no relief to people coming from Newnan on Ga. Highway 34.
Our City Council is again into the road building business, which has not been done correctly in the past and there is no assurance that it will improve.
When The Avenue was proposed and potential traffic problem were discussed, the then-development director assured the citizens that there will be no problem since there will be “synchronized” traffic lights installed at the Hwy. 54 entrance.
I laughed then and could not believe that we bought the idea of a “synchronized” light for traffic coming from three directions. There is no such thing as synchronizing from more than two directions.
Adding a turning lane at the al-Mart/Home-Depot shopping center, coming from the east, did not accomplish a lot for traffic attempting to exit from that area.
Now, our council, led by Steve Rapson, decreed that another exit from MacDuff is needed, regardless of any other circumstances.
We are to spend $ 280,000 for an engineering study for extending the road, not knowing to where, rather than trying to find a RELIABLE engineering firm which could examine our entire traffic structure around the 54/74 intersection, the shopping areas, etc.
A new road could be a possible help, but maybe, just maybe, a comprehensive study is what we need and not go by foregone conclusions of our elected, but not trained, officials.
Tom Kemeny Peachtree City, Ga.
Pay for Tennis Center
I scratched my head and even asked my wife, but near as I can count I ran once and as a failed candidate refrained from writing you for a suitable period of time.
There was my 32-vote mandate in the student senate at Clayton Junior College in 1978, but I won that so it would not qualify me as failed. I am just a citizen who takes his duties as such very seriously.
The mayor’s Orwellian tendency to call unprincipled acts principled is deeply disturbing. Any citizen, eligible for Mensa or not, can compare convenient legalisms to “thou shall not steal” and come up with the correct answer.
It comes right before the one about bearing false witness. I absolutely believe in principled leaders in government.
Just because the mayor was clear does not mean he is correct. His logic is flawed.
We should either pay for the property or turn it over to the bank. Don’t really care which, not being a tennis person.
If we keep it, we should turn it over to a private company to run.
It is not that we should pay for governmental incompetence; it is that we do, sadly, pay.
My darling little girl thinks she is hiding from us when she places her hands over her face: Peek-a-boo! Here is the bill.
Lastly, Mr. Anonymous, I am under-whelmed by your bravado in taking a swipe at me under the cover of anonymity.
I would first direct you to the passage commonly titled, “The Man in the Arena.”
Second, I would refer you to the comments of the good Doctor Sams when assessing his detractors a few years back. You are one.
Rick Viall Peachtree City, Ga.
Mayors, please behave
Mayors past and present, please conduct yourselves more professionally.
There is no better town than Peachtree City, so please be a reflection of its greatness.
John Giovanelli Peachtree City, Ga.
Lawyers on short leash
Just a quick note to suggest that you seriously reexamine your belief that city councils and county commissions do not do enough “reigning-in” of their attorneys.
While I am definitely no fan of lawyers in general (for their abuse and misuse of the “just-us”/justice system), I can most assuredly say that it is very, very rare that such governmental attorneys hold much, if any, sway over their clients.
Time and time again, from many vantage points, I have seen enough interplay between the parties to absolutely know that it is the local officials who either do not solicit or respect the opinions given by their counsel.
Rather, it is they who generally have multiple “power complexes” and unchecked, endless funding via other people’s money (i.e., taxes) to pursue their personal causes/agendas and the legal forays they engender.
I wish it were not so; but, alas, we get what we deserve, don’t we?
W. Michael Hyde Peachtree City, Ga.
Mayoral candidate Thompson responds to ‘Free Speech’ barbs
It’s unfortunate that someone in The Citizen’s “Free Speech” felt the need to call me, “not a very intelligent person.”
Someone stated that “[I] told The Citizen [I] would rather pay the $1.5 million in illegal debt from the Development Authority rather than pay around a tenth of that in legal fees.”
The writer of that statement apparently was either confused or misunderstood what I said. What I said was, “My position is that if the membership of the Development Authority is appointed by the city (which it is), and if the city possesses the assets that were attached to the bank loans (which it does), then the city should pay the bank.”
I did not claim that the loans were illegal and I did not say I would rather pay $1.5 million to the bank than one-tenth of that in legal fees. This is not a financial decision; this is simply a matter of doing what’s right.
The claims about my business which appeared in “Free Speech” were as inaccurate as the statement of my position relative to the Development Authority’s loans. I can’t imagine such a wildly misinformed person (the same individual) submitting information to publish in a newspaper! Here are the facts.
The anonymous writer reported that “Dar Thompson’s business was forced to take on new partners.” The fact is that the business was not forced to take on new partners. In fact, a letter was recently sent to my investors offering them a buyout at handsome returns, over two times their original investment.
Not one took the offer. Hmm, I wonder why? Perhaps they anticipate a continuing appreciation of their investments in World Gym.
The anonymous writer also reported that “Mr. Thompson’s business was forced to incur tremendous debt.” The fact is the business has not incurred tremendous debt and at present has less debt than it has had at any time in the last five years of operations.
The anonymous writer then assessed me when he wrote, “Dar Thompson is not a very intelligent person.” Let’s see. In my first six years in business I somehow managed to open two new health clubs in a highly competitive market, buy six health clubs, attract an active membership base of over 9,500 people, and obtain a 97 percent client retention rate (which ranks in the top 2 percent of health clubs in the United States). All of this despite a lack of mental horsepower.
The anonymous writer finished with yet one more inaccuracy when he wrote that “Dar Thompson had to take on new partners because he was incapable of managing the operations himself.” I am still operating the company(s) at the same capacity as I did five years. Absolutely nothing has changed in the management structure of my company(s) over the last five years. So this misguided individual was wrong yet again.
I don’t thrive on ego. I established and grew my business by finding the right people to run the day-to-day operations while I set the overall direction. That’s what the chief executive does in my business.
My people understand their roles and perform extraordinarily. They deserve mounds of credit for the success we’ve enjoyed. My general manager, operations managers, sales managers, and all my other employees are outstanding.
That’s why I listen openly to their thoughts and ideas on how we can continue to grow and provide better and better services for our members. That’s why I let them do their jobs; they don’t need me micromanaging them. In any organization when you have good people, give them direction, and empower them, good things happen.
Peachtree City employs many good people. The mayor and council need to provide them direction and support while empowering them to do their jobs.
If elected in November, in keeping with the city’s charter, I intend to work with City Council to establish an environment that allows city staff to run the city’s day-to-day operations without micromanagement.
For the issues that require attention from the mayor and City Council, I will strive to solicit input from all parties affected, to establish an environment of dignity and respect, and to reach decisions without resorting to hostility and personal attacks. That’s how good things happen.
If you want to know more about me, my ideas, and my accomplishments as you consider how to vote in November’s mayoral election, please contact me. I’ll be glad to talk with you.
Or you can watch for my Web site coming in late March (www.joindar.com) for useful information.
For those factually challenged individuals who speak anonymously or otherwise, you need to know that I am always ready, willing, and able to provide factual information to the community.
Dar Thompson, mayoral candidate Peachtree City, Ga.
Example of person of good will
Vitriol and bitterness seem to infect politics everywhere (generally and certainly locally). Charges, countercharges, personal insults: We can hardly be good role models for our children and grandchildren.
Perhaps all of us have contributed at times in a fashion that would not make our mothers proud. So this letter is to share the experience I had with a famous person in Fayette who exhibited extraordinary humility when we met him.
My wife and I went to a birthday party in Fayette County a number of years ago. It was quite pleasant. We found ourselves in a circle, in the kitchen, near the food (no real surprise). We had met some people and were enjoying the conversation.
Among the group were a couple that epitomized a grandfather and grandmother. There were so genuinely kind and decent that I remarked to my wife that I would probably trust these strangers with our children.
This couple was genuinely interested in everyone else. I knew that the man looked familiar. Who was he? Hmmm ...
I asked where he had worked and he humbly dodged the question: “Oh, I’m retired. I’ve done a little bit of this and little bit of that. Now my main occupation is to be a granddad,” he beamed happily.
He felt no need whatsoever to boast of his life. He was more interested in the ages and names of everyone else’s children and grandchildren.
And then the host introduced us: “This is Hollis Harris.”
Imagine that: the former CEO of Delta Airlines and the later founder of World Airways, and he felt no need to shine the light on himself.
Thank you for placing his photograph on the front page of your paper commemorating his award at the Chamber of Commerce [banquet].
I have not seen him but that once, and may never see him again, but I can say this: Mr. Harris, I hope I will one day be half the grandpa you are.
