Something stinks in Senoia

By JOHN THOMPSON

In 1980, I caught my first glimpse of a small and (back then) sleepy Southern town.

Nearly 25 years ago, Senoia was the epitome of a Mayberry-esque village: everybody knew your name, the merchants had all been doing business for years, and the pace of life was slow as cane syrup drizzling onto a biscuit.

Roll the camera forward a quarter-century, and the town is now like Mayberry on mescaline.

Imaginary lines are being drawn in the sand between old-timers and newly-minted residents who want to take control of the future development of the city.

There’s nothing wrong with planned growth. Look next door to Fayette County and see the rolling greenspace in the unincorporated county and the quality developments the county consistently attracts.

But in its haste to grow up quickly, Senoia is trying to use its newly built sewer system as a growth device. You can almost hear the circus barkers outside City Hall: “Come one, come all. Build on our quarter-acre lots and pay our exorbitant sewer tap fees!”

Residents have expressed concern over the rapid disappearance of the town and the quality of life being smothered by traffic on Rockaway Road. So a small group formed to try and right the wrongs they perceived were happening in the town.

I’m all for citizen involvement; in fact, I think there’s far too little of it involved in our local governments. The problem I have is secrecy.

This group was never opened to all the concerned citizens in the city. Rather, it was a small hand-picked group. When you start deciding who can be in a group trying to solve the entire city’s problems, you’re asking for trouble.

This group may have the best intentions in the world, but their manner of action has poisoned many in the town against them.

The late spring and summer has brought nothing but accusations between the group and some of the city’s longtime residents. I know people on both sides of the equation, and frankly, I’m tired of the whining.

The issue that disturbs me the most is the venom that has been spewed from one end of the city to the other. Friends have become enemies, and enemies have become mortal combatants.

I’d love to see Senoia grow and prosper in a controlled manner. I have my own opinions on how it should grow, but I don’t try and shove these ideas down a wary public’s throat behind closed doors.

Political satirist Bill Maher has a problem with politicians “legislating taste,” and so do I. We all want Senoia to be a beautiful city, but there are ways to do it that aren’t cloaked in secrecy and the wishes of a few select citizens.

The other thing that bothers me about secretive groups is their disregard for the rest of the citizenry. When you won’t say who’s in your group, you come across as more of a 21st-century sinister secret society than a group wanting to help the town.

If you want to help the town, include everybody. Also, the current City Council and mayor need to be wary about appointing any of these people to vacant seats on any commissions or authority. Please consider the agenda of people who don’t want to conduct their meetings in the public. It sets a bad precedent, and Senoia can’t afford any more bad publicity.

As the stinging bite of summer turns into a cooler autumn, two council seats and the mayor’s job are up for grabs in the city. With development almost spiraling out of control, residents will participate in one of the most important municipal elections in years.

After the candidates have announced, there’s sure to be a political forum or two to attend and the residents need to circle the dates on their calendars and get ready to ask some important questions about the future of the city, such as:

• Why are sewer bills so high?

• Do you favor groups that cloak themselves in secrecy?

• What is your attitude toward future sewer expansion?

• Do you favor annexation by the city?

The future of the city is at stake, so participate in meaningful discussion in the open, instead of behind closed doors.

Footnote: In the last few months, curious incidents have occurred in the city. A leading opponent of the secretive group came home from vacation to find her two cats dead after they were given a clean bill of health by the vet. She also discovered a bag of deer intestines rotting under a house she was renovating.

The writer of this column had his hood mysteriously fly off his car and crash into his windshield. Another reporter for this paper who lives in Senoia discovered mysterious toys given to his dog and his television station changed in his house.

Coincidences? Most likely so. But if they’re not, the stink is far greater than any sewer problems the city will encounter.