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Letters to the Editor

Light at hospital: Will it take a death?

The article about our local government’s inability to install a traffic light on Ga. Highway 54 in front of Piedmont Fayette Hospital reminds us again how hamstrung our society has become by bureaucracy and mind-boggling red tape.

While virtually no one questions the need for a traffic signal at this dangerous location, we are told that the issue has been studied for years, the need acknowledged long ago, and that it may be two or three more years before a traffic light is installed. Or when pigs fly.

The entities mentioned include the Ga. Department of Transportation, the Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission, the hospital’s facilities development and support services, area developers. the city engineer, and the DOT district traffic engineer.

The wonder is that the State Office of Inter-Agency Pothole Repair was not cited.

Government services don’t get much more basic than a traffic signal at a dangerous intersection on a state highway. But when we read of “studies,” “stakeholders,” and ”methodology,” with regard to the installation of a traffic light, we know we are in trouble.

One questions if even the inevitable tragic deaths and carnage at he hospital entrance will speed the “time frame” needed to install a traffic signal.

R. David Wallis
Fayetteville, Ga.

Calendar: Let’s use some common sense

I know it’s a tough job, but for the love of okra, would someone please use a little common sense and fix those darn school calendars?

The new 2005-2006 Fayette County schedule, for example, begins Aug. 8. This has the little tykes in school for the first 57 days, 32 percent of the school year, with one day off.

There is no other time in the school calendar where the students attend this many days without a decent break.

The school boards need to seriously consider that no one wants to start school in early August. In fact, many parents and legislators have spoken out against this practice. If the schools don’t fix the calendars, it’s only a matter of time before legislation will.

I’ve heard the arguments about testing, and I agree, major tests and assignments should not occur or be due the day after a break.

I’ve also heard that the boards are trying to align the calendars with the colleges.

This argument just doesn’t add up. Our kids are in school for weeks before many college kids start their year.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe that it’s good for anyone to have 30 hot, grumpy kids crammed into a classroom for nearly seven hours on Aug. 8.

Whatever happened to the dog days of summer where kids and parents enjoyed lazy days at the beach or lake or pool or backyard sprinkler?

And, why do we have 23 days, 74 percent of the time off, during the worst weather of the year (November through February)?

I can pretty much guarantee that, if given a choice for kids to be stuck indoors during cold weather or to have time off from school during nice weather, parents would choose the latter. It’s not like we’re living in ski country here.

Perhaps a bit of thinking outside the box would help the situation. Here are a few ideas to make the current calendar more palatable for families and still meet the school board objectives.

1. If the school boards are going to insist that school start in early August, at least give the kids a reasonable fall break. Take a few days and enjoy a week off in October.

2. Having a week off for Thanksgiving is silly. There is not enough turkey or snow to keep anyone occupied for seven days. Besides, who really wants to travel during the absolute worst travel season of the year? Take two days and put it at the end of summer.

3. Don’t mess with the semester break, formerly known as Christmas. We like this.

4. Presidents’ Day gives us a three-day weekend in February. This is good.

5. We don’t need a full week in February. Take two days and put it at the end of summer.

Here’s how the new calendar shakes out:

Aug. 15 - School starts.
Sept. 5 - Labor Day (3-day weekend).
Oct. 10 - Fall break (1 week).
Nov. 23 - Thanksgiving break (5-day weekend).
Dec. 22 - Semester break (until Jan. 3).
Jan. 16 - MLK holiday (3-day weekend).
Feb. 20 - Winter break (5-day weekend).
April 3 - Spring break (1 week).
May 3 - Mental health holiday (3-day weekend).
May 26 - School ends.
May 29 - Memorial Day.

Do the math: this gives the kids 29 days off versus the 32 in the current 2005-2006 calendar. Suggestion: take the three days and put it at the end of summer. School now starts Aug 18.

We can live with that.

Readers: if you agree, clip this article and send it to your local school board. Maybe we’ll get their attention!

Tami Morris
Peachtree City, Ga.

Tami Morris and her husband, Rick, are the parents of two Fayette County students. They have been Peachtree City residents for four years. Tami is the publisher of the Peachtree PathFinder Maps and Guide Books. She can be reached at 770-487-1348 or tami@ptpathfinder.com.

Let’s get at the real heart of 54-74’s problem: The Avenue’s traffic light

I have a few comments regarding road construction mentioned in the article, “Line Creek bridge, RR overpass to clog traffic.” Although this is true, the article fails to mention the one traffic light that has been the root of the horrendous backups endured every single day.

That omission is the light just east of the railroad bridge at The Avenue. On the very day this light went online, the backups began.

It’s not the light at Wal-Mart, MacDuff Parkway, or Huddleston that is the cause. The traffic was bad long before MacDuff and Wal-Mart came to be.

Why is it that our know-best city government does not recognize that? Where is the synchronization they said was going to be implemented several years ago?

It seems to me that it either doesn’t work, or they don’t give a rats butt about the problem. Is it because it’s a revenue generating opportunity?

Every time I make a left turn leaving Home Depot, the traffic on Ga. Highway 54 is backed up by the light at the avenue. To avoid this insanity, I turn right onto Huddleston and go around the problem.

Huddleston has a 30 mph speed limit. Peachtree’s finest lay in wait and catch motorists speeding there all the time.

It makes no sense that just down the road on Dividend Drive the speed limit increases to 40 mph. Now why is that?

They also generate revenue at the intersections writing tickets to those individuals who happened to get caught in the intersection when the flow suddenly grinds to a stop. It’s like taking candy from a baby.

I cannot see how this road expansion is going to eliminate the traffic flow problem. The same number of lights will be there along with that stupid instantaneous light change at The Avenue to let those few cars make left turns.

The Peachtree City government created this mess out of lack of forethought, intelligence, planning, and basic greed. There’s got to be a scandal in there somewhere.

It’s more important to them to placate The Avenue traffic flow rather than the highway. They had all kinds of tricks they used on Huddleston such as no left turns at certain times, and the like. Why can’t they restrict that light at The Avenue at peak traffic times?

Oh, I forgot. They want the tax money The Avenue generates.

I say it’s time for a change. Turn the light off and find other ways to enter and exit the poorly planned Avenue, at least during peak times until a more sensible solution can be made.

And then there is the TDK extension. What a joke that has turned out to be. Take a good idea, mix in state, federal, and local governments, sprinkle a little FAA on it, and top it with a hole on a golf course.

Do you people know how stupid and petty this all is? You suck at your jobs and anyone in the private industry would have been fired long ago for incompetence.

Get off your ego, Mr. Mayor, and get it done. It’s our money and we NEED it done. Quit your childish grandstanding.

WE don’t care about one hole on a golf course. WE don’t care about The Avenue. WE don’t care that you have to fork out a little more money.

Take it out of the non-reported revenue generated by your police department/traffic ticket collection agency. Their one-night Ga. Highway 74 roadblock last October generated much more money than $10,000 in traffic fines alone.

You see, we always pay, one way or another. We pay for everything. It’s not your money, it’s ours. Time for you to do your job for your constituents. Kill the light at The Avenue and get the TDK extension back on track.

Jim Blessitt
Peachtree City, Ga.

Parker and dissent: Does that apply to union talks?

“If can’t dissent during war, where’s the freedom?”

Re Mr. Parker’s March 9 letter:

With all that said, Mr. Parker, you would then not only support but encourage individuals to openly express their disagreements and complaints with the Air Line Pilots Association both locally and nationally?

Even if they are in the midst of negotiations with the company?

Paul Fink
Peachtree City, Ga.

County Commissioner Pfeifer, PTC Mayor Brown debate taxing issues

Pfeifer Warning, some of you are not going to like my position on this very much. But, I’m sorry; I can’t help that. We have another issue, which unfortunately illustrates the basic personal beliefs and the poor financial responsibility shown by our current [Peachtree City] mayor and council. They are doing what is morally wrong and what is in financially questionable judgment.

To those of you who have children, what do you teach them? If they find a wallet or cash on the ground, whom do you say it belongs to?

Do you say, “Finders keepers, losers weepers”? Or, do you teach them the moral and proper thing to do is to turn it in? Do you teach them that things don’t belong to them just because they find themselves in possession of them? Do you teach them to do unto others, as you would have them do unto you?

How about in your business or professional life? Is it okay to hurt a customer or a vendor or an employee or your boss or anybody because you have the opportunity and it is legal? Because you think you can get away with it? Do you expect that, if you do, they may seek to take the first opportunity they have to pay you back in kind?

Is it okay to steal if a lawyer says that the other guy made a mistake? Is it okay to steal if you can split legal hairs and find a loophole? Some people say that it’s okay to steal if the one you are stealing from is a big bank or a big business because they have plenty of money.

If you wonder what I’m referring to, it is this. A couple of local business entities lent Peachtree City some money or advanced some services for the Tennis Center.

Because the old Development Authority incurred the debt, possibly without the proper paperwork being executed, the lawyer, mayor, and council of Peachtree City say the debt was illegally incurred and they and we, the taxpayers, won’t pay it back.

I am willing to say that I do not know if this is legal, but I do know this is wrong. And that our mayor and council are wrong.

It teaches our kids the wrong lesson. It is stealing from local people. Who do you think really owns a bank and these other businesses, and who works for them?

This little caper is going to cost us (the city) money into the future. Who would “give the city a break” now? Who would make any transaction with the city without every t being crossed and every i dotted?

And, I can attest to the fact that even when t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted, these people will say they are not crossed or dotted and try to weasel out of any deal that they make. Who wants to do business with them under those circumstances?

Do you want to do business with them? Are you a fool or do you think that you are a bigger, smarter or more cunning scoundrel? That is whom we’ll end up dealing with in the future if we keep on this course; fools and scoundrels.

What a great combination for our city’s future well-being. What a great comment on us. Wouldn’t you expect our property values to soar, as people eagerly try to move into a paradise that has high standards like that?

Before Steve [Brown], or any alter ego, has the opportunity to say so, I will tell you that Ron Duffey of Peachtree National Bank is a friend and a supporter of mine. I also know Jim Pace who runs Group VI.

I don’t know if they agree with everything I say or do, I imagine they do not. I hope that they support me because they know that I am honest and hard-working. We have never discussed this issue and I have not publicly commented on this issue until now. My comments now are not aimed at assisting Ron Duffey, Jim Pace, Group VI, or the bank financially.

It doesn’t really matter if you don’t like banks or if the Development Authority did not conduct their business properly. How do we define who is morally wrong? In my view, it is pretty easy and does not take a Solomon. Who ended up with something that they didn’t pay for? It was our city. Are we all proud of that?

No matter how you try to dress it up, wrong is still wrong. Perhaps we should put up new signs at the borders; “Welcome to Peachtree City, don’t drop your wallet.” Or, “If you move here, tell your kids to do as we say, not as we do,” or, “We don’t care what Jesus would do, we do what the mayor and his lawyer say we can get away with doing!”

Peter Pfeifer
Fayette County Commission, Post 3

Pfeifer, in his second term on the commission, lives in Peachtree City.

Brown

I have had dozens of people ask me why County Commissioner Peter Pfeifer is writing a series of puzzling letters to the editor about the City Council of Peachtree City.

Since his weekly letters are a difficult to understand, many people seem to think that there is some sort of communication taking place beyond the normal open channels.

In actuality, Pfeifer is unsuccessfully attempting to launch some sort of campaign to lead all the residents of Fayette County into believing that the City Council of Peachtree City is being dishonest.

His weekly harangue generally comes off as dispassionate and, well, kind of mean. Pfeifer’s letters more often insinuate an attempt at damage control concerning recent county actions rather than promoting a true position.

The debate on fair taxation and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is uncomplicated and very basic.

The county government has admitted that the county taxpayers residing in Peachtree City are paying taxes into the county general fund that are used to pay for EMS. Since the city provides its own EMS, the county taxpayers in the city are actually paying for services that they do not receive.

The county has demanded that we consolidate our EMS which would mean that the city’s ambulances and EMS personnel that currently cover our city limits would have to cover an area that consists of TWICE the square miles of the current zones.

A move to consolidate would ruin our valued response times and reduce our standard of quality.

Without a doubt, the county government would receive an enormous benefit from consolidation at the expense of diluting the city’s high standards for our citizens’ safety.

Pfeifer’s colleague, Chairman Greg Dunn, made this comment about the EMS tax discrepancy: “Nobody up here wants the people of Peachtree City to be double-taxed” (Citizen, 2/2/05). Based upon their lack of action, Dunn’s comment appear to be deficient in sincerity.

The reader needs to remember that Commissioner Pfeifer has also admitted on the record that the county’s recreation plans are unfair and exclude Tyrone and Peachtree City.

Pfeifer said of the county’s master recreation plan, “I just cannot vote for a plan that says our service area is 61 percent of our population” (Citizen, 9/10/03).

At one time I applauded the fact that Pfeifer voted against a county plan that forces the county taxpayers residing in Tyrone and Peachtree City to pay for recreation services that they were not receiving until I read the minutes of the same meeting where he also stated, “I can’t stop this plan, nor do I want to.” Why would he not want to stop a plan that he openly admits is unjust?

The County Commission has continuously badgered the Sheriff’s Office demanding that the marshals, under the control of the commissioners, should be allowed to duplicate the services of the sheriff’s deputies. The fact that the commissioners would enter into a lawsuit against our sheriff so that they could duplicate services has a lot of us scratching our heads.

As it turns out, the state Attorney General says the County Commission is wrong and the marshals do not have the same policing powers.

Commissioner Pfeifer also criticized the City Council’s performance on roads. For the record, over the last three years our city has secured more state and federal funds and budgeted more funds for transportation infrastructure than at any other point in our city’s 46-year history.

Also for the record, our City Council did not disrupt the TDK Extension project. The stoppage was a result of FAA objections due to careless errors from an engineering firm that was hired by a previous council.

The City Council and staff were shocked when Pfeifer accused the city of mismanaging road improvements for Cooper Wiring Devices and of being inconsistent on the funding needed for the project.

Our City Council has a very straightforward approach to assisting our local industries and we take that responsibility very seriously. Unfortunately, Commissioner Pfeifer neglected to tell the general public that the difficulties that arose with that endeavor resulted from the fact his county Development Authority was leading the project. This matter will be discussed further at our Thursday, March 17, City Council meeting.

Pfeifer’s letter-writing campaign has failed to give local taxpayers and critics of the county government a reason to feel differently about the County Commission. Instead of quelling their controversy, he is fanning the flames.

Admitting that there is taxation inequality while not doing anything to remedy the situation is inexcusable. My grandfather use to tell me that a government that neglects or oppresses one group of people is capable of doing it to all.

I want everyone in Fayette County to prosper regardless of where they reside in the county. I love our citizens from the little ones to our seniors and I will continue to stand up for equal treatment for all.

The misinformation and attempts at intimidation need to stop. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to serve as an advocate for the average taxpayer over the past several years.

Steve Brown, mayor
Peachtree City, Ga.

PTC should allow annexation study to proceed and require 3 options

My name is Todd Strickland and I have lived in Peachtree City for almost 30 years. I grew up here. After college, my wife and I came back to Peachtree City. We are now raising our kids here, and I have the good fortune of being a partner in an architecture firm located here in town. Peachtree City is truly my home town and I treasure the quality of life it provides.

I live on South Kedron Drive directly across from the proposed at-grade crossing for MacDuff Parkway. I was appointed to the West Side Annexation Task Force several years ago by then-Mayor [Bob] Lenox and spent nine months studying in detail the property now owned by John Wieland Homes.

I have attended each of the recent public workshop meetings held by Wieland regarding the West Side annexation and am disturbed to now read that Wieland plans to submit a new proposal omitting all parks, community buildings, civic spaces and office buildings.

As of late, it seems like all discussions have focused more on density and unit count, rather than quality, when considering any annexation request.

In my opinion, it seems that the desired reduction in units is being traded for all the elements that will provide a sense of place. Parks to play in, shops and offices to walk to, community and civic buildings to meet your neighbor at, etc., help to create a sense of place and add to the quality of life.

If the property is in fact annexed into Peachtree City, then it should be as good or ideally, even nicer, than what is already here in town. Amenities are very important and should not be omitted for fewer units quite so quickly.

Fortunately, I believe the current annexation process provides an opportunity to consider multiple proposals without obligating the city to approve anything.

Does it not make sense to require Wieland to provide three plans?

The first plan could show how they would develop the property as it is currently zoned with no amenities and no connection for MacDuff Parkway.

The second plan could show the aforementioned layout, void of any amenities (except a connection for MacDuff) but with a low unit count (I believe 360 was mentioned).

The last plan could show all the parks, community buildings, civic spaces, etc., with the requisite higher unit count to fund these items.

At this point, I imagine the local papers would be more than happy to publish the land plans and run an opinion poll to see what the citizens want.

I realize these polls would not bind the City Council members, but the results would be interesting for all to see, citizens and elected officials alike.

The land sale to Wieland is final (not an option to buy contingent upon zoning) and something is going to happen on this property soon.

Why not take the time to consider all three options and then decide which one provides the best quality of life?

This seems like an especially easy decision due to the fact that the developer, not the taxpayers, would bear the cost of designing the various land plans.

I am in favor of a plan that has a wealth of amenities and connects MacDuff Parkway. Obviously, the density would increase in this plan and that is an acceptable trade-off to me as long as development is quality-based and the effects on schools, traffic and the environment are mitigated.

Density is often viewed as a four-letter word and deservedly so, given some of the “blow and go” developments we have all seen.

However, I would also argue that some of our nicest neighborhoods, such as North Cove, St. Andrews Square and Honeysuckle Ridge, are relatively dense when compared to two-acre lots.

I would take this a step further and say that the most attractive and treasured towns in the country are much denser than two acres per lot: Savannah, Charleston and New Orleans come to mind as well as a host of others.

These are all quality-based examples and more and more places like these are actually being built everyday as part of the New Urbanism movement.

Admittedly, some people do prefer a more rural setting, but I think most people who favor lower density zonings do so in hopes of preventing school overcrowding and traffic congestion as well as protecting the environment.

I believe strongly that these issues should never be compromised and many developers are all too happy to get in and get out with a project that is detrimental to all three.

Furthermore, large-scale production builders often have no regard for a town’s quality of life. So, I was initially concerned when Wieland purchased the property.

I became more optimistic after attending the various public workshops held by Wieland and meeting the land planners and architects assembled for this project.

The Wieland team actually had experience in creating developments focused on quality with a sense of place. It became clear to me that they saw this as a unique opportunity to do something special, something that would be a showcase for Wieland and Peachtree City.

I view this as no small thing because Wieland actually has the resources to execute an ambitious quality-oriented land plan.

Thus, I encourage the City Council to allow Wieland to explore ways to mitigate any negative effects on schools, traffic and the environment while still providing amenities and requisite density in proposed land plans.

With regards to schools, Wieland has already done more than most developers by donating an elementary school site in Centennial. Further school overcrowding could be neutralized by simply limiting the number of certificates of occupancy issued in the new development each year.

This process would proactively involve the Board of Education, allowing them to prepare over a period of many months or even years, instead of forcing them to react after the fact.

I personally think all rezoning projects that increase density (city or the county) should be required to go through this process.

Limiting the number of certificates of occupancy issued each year would also encourage quality-based development by weeding out the developers that simply want to build as many houses as possible in the shortest amount of time.

With regards to traffic, the connection of MacDuff to Ga. Highway 74 is vital. The traffic congestion at Ga. Highway 54 West is far and away the worst in town and is obviously due to the fact that this is the town’s only connection to the West Side.

If the MacDuff extension goes through then the Hwy. 54 West traffic could conceivably be reduced by 50 percent with the potential for further reduction if the TDK extension comes to fruition.

Connectivity is a good thing and the whole town benefits by having multiple routes to any destination, including the West Side.

It is important to note that uncontrolled traffic flow can be a bad thing for neighborhoods and the people who live there. Thus, I believe that MacDuff Parkway should not be a main arterial road meant for moving cars and trucks through as quickly as possible.

Instead, it should be a slow-moving secondary road that accommodates car traffic but caters to pedestrians.

There are actually plenty of traffic calming devices that can force cars to go slow and deter large tractor-trailers.

Creating great streets that do more than just move cars around quickly is a lost art. There is a book aptly named “Great Streets” by Allan B. Jacobs that details how some of the most successful streets in the world are laid out.

Some suggestions for taming MacDuff Parkway might include running the road around a series of parks (i.e., Savannah), on-street parking, roundabouts, narrow streets, very slow speed limits, speed bumps, etc.

If Hwy. 54 can be made pedestrian-friendly as it runs through and around the downtown of Fayetteville, then MacDuff can be as well.

With regards to the environment, the wetlands along Line Creek must be protected. It seems that this will be best accomplished with sufficiently stringent buffers and a sewer system (vs. septic). Annexation should allow for both.

It is important to note that there is a dump site on the Wieland property (affectionately called the Peach Pit) that will have to be addressed.

I think this would be a good thing considering it was an open dump site through the ‘80s and it sits adjacent to one of the wetlands.

Last but not least, why not require any land plan to work with the contours of the existing topography so as to limit the clear-cutting of existing trees. There are some fabulous hardwood tree stands on Wieland’s site that should be saved. This would not only help the environment but would also add value to the developed property.

I must mention that a true mixed-use development as originally proposed by Wieland has many benefits that merit consideration.

From a financial standpoint, the proposed class A office space and small-scale retail space integrated into the West Side land plan is very appealing on several fronts.

The city’s tax digest will be improved with these non-residential uses that require very little in the way of city services. Class A office space will also provide white-collar jobs in town without the flood of out-of-town traffic caused by Big Box retail and some industrial development.

There is currently a dearth of really great office space in Peachtree City and the small businesses that would locate in these spaces can be quite an economic engine.

Furthermore, a mixed-use development could offer city residents the option of living within walking distance of an office where they work. This type of quality-oriented, mixed-use development could be a nice compliment to what we already have in Peachtree City.

In conclusion, I think the West Side property presents intriguing opportunities that should at least be investigated. No matter what happens, I hope that quality remains a central part of all discussions as the City Council considers what is in the best interest of the Peachtree City citizens.

A portion of the Wieland property (approximately 85 acres) is already within the city limits and is zoned for industrial use. At a minimum, the zoning for this property needs to be changed, given all the residential areas surrounding the property.

Now is the time to explore the pros and cons of all options, and I hope Wieland will be allowed to present multiple scenarios for consideration. Going through this due diligence process should only inform all of us with regards to the various possibilities and does not obligate the city to do anything.

Todd Strickland, managing partner
Historical Concepts
Peachtree City, Ga.

Monday’s gas leak snarl points out urgent need for MacDuff extension

[Monday] night’s gas main break in front of Wal-Mart and the Planterra Ridge subdivision brings to heart the problems that we as Westside Village residents face.

During the time that it took Atlanta Gas Light to repair the leak, we could have had a disaster on our hands.

Should someone have had a life-threatening injury or illness, Peachtree City’s EMS could not have reached them to give the life support that may have been required.

Should a house have caught fire, the Peachtree City Fire Department could not have mobilized the equipment necessary to protect a citizen’s property.

The irony with that is the city owns property in the Westside for a fire department, but hasn’t seen the necessity to build it yet.

I have been to each and every meeting regarding the request by John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods. That includes the public meetings as well as the City Council meetings. I have heard every excuse as to why this application should be tabled or rejected. The fact still remains.

Each and every one of you was charged with the welfare and safety of all Peachtree City residents when you took office. Even if those residents “chose” to live in the Westside Village, you still have the responsibility to act with their welfare and safety in mind.

[Monday] night’s episode brings your interest in our safety to the forefront. With the construction along Ga. Highway 54 to continue in excess of a year, this type of emergency is bound to happen again.

You stated previously that each and every one of you is committed to the extension of MacDuff Parkway. I now have to question that commitment. I have seen your commitment to the extension of TDK Boulevard.

How long has that been going on? Is MacDuff to receive that same commitment? There is a major difference between the two projects. Should an emergency happen in the Planterra Ridge subdivision, there are multiple ways that emergency vehicles can get to the scene. That does not exist in the Westside Village.

In blaming us for choosing to live there, I would like to address a couple of key issues. One, the city approved the name MacDuff Parkway. Never in my life have I seen a road named Parkway that was a dead-end. Had you put on the street sign, “Dead End,” I would have given serious consideration to my purchasing decision. You did not.

You control the street signs, so therefore I believed that the city had plans on making the extension a reality, whether they extended the road or they worked with a builder to extend the road.

Secondly, even if I made that choice knowingly, it does not alleviate the city’s responsibility to provide emergency services. In fact, if the city is aware of the problem, I feel the city has a greater responsibility to address and correct the issue.

We need relief now. We don’t need further delays complicated by the “working” relationship with the county. John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods is ready and willing to extend MacDuff now. Let them do it and give us the relief and peace of mind that we deserve.

Dana Kinser
Peachtree City, Ga.

Annex now, or pay at polls in November

As a resident of a neighborhood off MacDuff Parkway I say enough is enough.

As a mother who couldn’t get home to her family [Monday] night because of a gas main break on Ga. Highway 54 and Planterra Way, I say enough is enough.

The Peachtree City Council needs to listen to the 1,000-plus residents who live off MacDuff Parkway and were unable to get home because there is only one way to access our homes.

We are the only residents in the area off Hwy. 54 that have only one way in and out. As the construction continues widening hwy. 54 there will be more problems. Vote to allow the city planners to work with John Wieland Homes to find solutions to these grave issues. It is no longer permissible to play politics with our safety.

As members of a city council that was elected by the residents, you need to listen to us now or listen to us in November.

Jennifer Sullivan
Peachtree City, Ga.

Prediction about Bush seems to be missing words ...

The seems to be an incomplete sentence at the end of this article [“History will rank Bush highly,” March 9, 2005].

I believe it should read: “History will rank George W. Bush among America’s greatest wartime presidents” that invaded a country we we not at war with.

Al Papp
Peachtree City, Ga.

Reader: Watch out for Riverdale, keep Free Speech, don’t knock Ray

Concerning Madelyn Fuller, the black lady who lived in Riverdale and moved to Fayetteville (“On race divisions, I just want to live”): She liked to drive to drive to the Fayette Pavilion to shop at the Wal-Mart, bypassing the Riverdale one, and she liked the atmosphere and aura of Fayetteville.

I can relate to how you feel and you show good taste. I, too, lived in Riverdale for 10 years, moved there when it was a small country hamlet, having not much but an old-fashioned dime store and Jessie’s restaurant. Of course, everyone knows how it took on the semblance of a tacky urban sprawl. I have also lived in the Chicago area near O’Hare Airport and I see many similarities there with Riverdale.

I have lived in Fayette County for nearly 25 years, smartest move we ever made and I hope and pray that it doesn’t wind up eventually with the Riverdale tacky urban looking sprawl. But we have to do something now in this county before it’s too late. Repeatedly let our city planners and commissioners know what we definitely want and don’t want.

You have to be very careful in planning and carrying plans out or you will devolve, evolve into the very thing that you left to get away from. Do I have an answer? No, double, triple no. But it’s something to think hard about.

And about Sallie Satterthwaite’s comments about getting rid of “Free Speech.” I see we still have it in The Citizen. Good. I hope you don’t eliminate it. There is a place for comments like “Free Speech” and people desire, even need, to vent, but it definitely is too long as it was. I see you have gotten the red editor’s pen out and are slashing through some of the superfluous ranting.

A few years ago I used to take part in the now defunct Inizio’s coffee House short fiction and poetry open-mic nights. I was definitely clear that people, especially young people, felt that there was no place in our society to vent. Granted that some people crossed the line of good taste, but I still support people’s right to speak their minds, within guidelines.

Also, the rule about signed and unsigned letters appears to be a judgment call of the editors. It’s not a rule you abide by strictly, so why have it?

And to Lindsay Bianchi, you are a colorful character with colorful opinions that I often read, but you went over the edge when you insinuated that the great iconic entertainer, Ray Charles, was “dated” and his music didn’t fit today’s society and times, in your article on the Grammys.

I didn’t see the recent Grammys so I can’t argue successfully here and I have never heard of some of your favorite rock bands, but you look a little old in your picture to be knocking Ray Charles.

The reason great entertainers like Ray Charles, Bobby Darin and composer Cole Porter are currently in the news and are having movies made about them is because great music survives the test of time and will continue to live on, even reemerge ever so often. Can you say the same for the rock bands that I’ve never heard of? At least you appreciate Cream and the great guitarist Eric Clapton, but then you went and referred to his “boring ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s albums.” Please just sit down.

I hope you, Lindsay, watched the Oscars and can explain to me why the beautiful but average singer Beyonce was permitted to sing three to four songs in one night? Is it because she looked so sexy in her revealing gowns?

Ronda Rich is so funny and clever and I hope she stays with The Citizen for a long time. I think Northern women are okay. I’ve been friends with a few of them, but they just don’t have the outward appearance and interesting facades that Southern women have. And appearances are everything, right?

Also, I’m glad you are running Father Paul’s columns, and Dr. Knox Herndon’s “No Price For Love” and Dr. Greg Moffatt’s “One quiet hour” are some of the best articles I’ve ever read. Inspiring all.

P.J. Morris
Fayetteville, Ga.