Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005 | ||
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Bad Links? | What our Readers Are SayingLetters to the Editor PTC built by selfless authority volunteersAfter reading John Munfords piece entitled, Mayor slams DAPC board members bank ties, its difficult to identify what I felt most. Mostly, I suppose, I felt weariness followed closely by sadness for a formerly great little town that is cart-wheeling gleefully into mediocrity. Although I dont live, work or own property in Fayette County, I spent almost 10 years working there for the Fayette County Development Authority and had the unexpected bonus of working for the most dedicated, hard-working, selfless community volunteers I have ever met. Nearly all of them were financially secure, to put it mildly, and could have spent more of their time traveling, playing golf or otherwise enjoying the fruits of their labor. But this bunch didnt. They gave back to their community in a way that surprised and embarrassed me. Surprised me because I tend to be a bit cynical by nature and embarrassed me because I didnt tend to give so generously of my limited free time as they did. I initially assumed that this volunteerism would be built upon a foundation of self-interest. How could they benefit their businesses or themselves by volunteering their time? That was not only NOT the case, I actually witnessed my board members quietly block some who wanted to serve on my board in order to get at the names of new businesses coming to Fayette County so they could get a jump on the competition. This occurred several times and not once did my board members congratulate themselves or gloat. It was just a part of their way of doing business. Those times we werent on the clock, their conversation turned excitedly to what was going on in the community, like new stores and restaurants opening in Peachtree City. Conversations dealt with improvements to Falcon Field, widening Ga. Highway 54 from two lanes to four between Fayetteville and Peachtree City, bringing a community hospital here. The talk was about Peachtree City, golf, Peachtree City, family, Peachtree City, business. These guys formed a fraternity of boosters and if you didnt feel the same way about whatever community you lived in, you wouldve thought they were nuts. That group of volunteers loved every minute of what they did for their community and Peachtree City owes them a large debt of gratitude. For many, perhaps most, of those who call Peachtree City home, it is their efforts in large part that brought you here. Once upon a time, Peachtree City was named the Number One Place To Live In America by American Demographics magazine. I dont expect that to happen again anytime soon and thats a crying shame. A once great little town taken over by a seeming insatiable need to back-bite and brow-beat outstanding citizens who have volunteered thousands of hours of their time. Perhaps bumper stickers can be produced stating, The NEW Peachtree City We Aspire to Mediocrity. No amount of repeating a Big Lie insinuating that this group of volunteers benefited financially will ever make it true. A few people might be taken in by that, thinking where theres smoke, theres fire. There are many of us who know better. Pish, most of this group could buy and sell most of us through their day jobs. I would like to make this suggestion to the elected leadership of Peachtree City. Before your next comment to the press or voluminous letter to the editor or proclamation from council chambers, ask yourself, Is this going to contribute to the benefit of the community in a positive way or is this going to make my community look common? If you cannot answer in the affirmative, I suggest you find a better way to stay in office. Make your community proud of you. Make your community proud of itself. Be a part of restoring Peachtree City to its previous greatness. John Boothby
Fayette leaders failed to prepare for Delta woesThe year was 1998. Business was booming, the stock market soaring, and unemployment virtually nonexistent. Yes, we were fat, happy and full of ourselves. So, what was the hot political debate in Fayette County, just seven years ago? Some elected officials were questioning whether the community really needed an ongoing economic development effort. After all, we were an airport community. There was no need to bring additional jobs and career opportunities to Fayette. Life was great and the economy was limitless, or so they said. Ill never forget the called meeting between the Fayette County Development Authority and County Commissioners. Fayettes former County Commission chairman was adamant that there was no need to expand the countys economic base. In response, the FCDA chairman presented him with the total number of Delta employees living in Fayette and asked, What do you think would happen if Delta were to relocate or experience financial trouble? The County Commission chairman sat back, waved his hand and proclaimed, That will never happen. That same year, an economic profile study of Fayette County was commissioned by the FCDA and conducted by nationally recognized economic analyst William Fruth. In his assessment, Fruth reported that Fayette Countys economic base was far too dependent on the airline industry, and recommended a community-wide effort to expand and diversify the local employment base. Of course, Fruths report was dead-on accurate, but it wasnt what some elected officials and their vocal cronies wanted to hear. Worse, one county commissioner, who never participated in any of these important discussions, decided instead to create campaign ads stating that she had no affiliation with the FCDA. How sad. At that point, the damage was done. Publicity surrounding the political debate only served to label Fayette County as antibusiness. Those who once referred economic prospects from the state level were perplexed, calling to ask, What in the world is going on in Fayette? Once-interested high-end corporate headquarters, offices and educational facilities simply went away, taking their well-paying jobs and career opportunities with them. After all, they said, why should we subject ourselves to silly local political squabbling? As I read todays headlines and speak to so many concerned friends whose livelihoods depend on the airline industry, I cant help but to reflect upon the failed leadership and blind vision demonstrated by a few local elected officials. Hopefully, Fayette County voters will never again allow their economic futures be torpedoed by stubborn incompetence and political opportunism. Alan NeSmith
Competing law enforcement agencies: Put county marshals to a voteIn January of 1977, Randall Johnson took responsibility as sheriff of Fayette County and to date, I believe the statistics speak for themselves as far as the low levels of crime this county experiences, especially when compared to neighboring counties. Recently we heard the County Commission taking the sheriff to court over his unwillingness to hold a D.U.I. suspect apprehended by a Fayette County marshal. I guess I take particular offense to this on several grounds. First, it was my understanding that the Fayette County Marshals Office was created in order to handle the enforcement of ordinances (water bans, sign ordinances and the like). Whether there is a short-term memory issue with our commissioners regarding this agencys original charter, or whether the department has decided to transform on its own, I do not agree that it is in the best interest of the Fayette County citizens to have competing law enforcement agencies. The Fayette County Sheriffs Department has proven over the past 40 years they are well up to the task. Secondly this action calls into question two issues which should be of greatest concern to citizens of Fayette County. Either we have paid officers in the marshals office that would rather be doing something other than their assigned duties of enforcing ordinances, or we have paid officers with the marshals office that have so little to do they must occupy their time looking for things to do, like apprehending D.U.I. suspects. Either way, I think our tax dollars could be better spent on Emergency Services that make a difference rather than an agency that has impressed us that they are not comfortable in what they are supposed to be doing. I support Randall Johnsons request that the issue be put in front of a jury, whether or not he should be required to book suspects apprehended by the marshals office. I go one step further and suggest a special referendum be scheduled so that the citizens of the county be allowed to vote on whether or not they feel we need to fund a marshals office in the first place. Tom Busey III
Conservatives seek to undo liberal biasWhatever the right learned, we learned from liberals through the Roe v. Wade shenanigans. When our side attempts to get constructionist judges appointed, we get Borked or attempted Borkings. So weve adapted tactics accordingly to get the same result. Make no mistake, its all about politics and power. The Democrats are on the short end of the stick right now and are about to be on the short end of some 6-3 decisions for a while to come. Conservatives have some changes of their own in mind, mainly undoing wrongs done by liberals in the name of Constitutional authority that simply wasnt there. What its really about is undoing all of the activist, socialist, left-wing politically-correct, pro-feminist, anti-life, so-called laws that the Supreme Court has either previously enacted or didnt touch. Jeff Reynolds
30-minute lunches: Another viewpointThis parents statement about how theyre sure the staff gets more time for lunch [is either] ignorance or intelligence (the lack thereof). I can assure you they get less than 30 minutes most of the time because I am there to witness it every week. I have seen them grading papers and preparing for the next lesson while eating. My child attends Oak Grove Elementary and I am amazed at the job the entire staff does every week. I am sure that Peeples Elementary has the same level of commitment. All students get 30 minutes and sometimes the staff. If you want more time with your child, you should volunteer to help with the class on a project or with daily work if you are competent to do so. If this is the only problem you have with the school, you should be very thankful. Surrounding counties are not as fortunate. Matt Bergen
Some golf cart changes are unsafeThis is the first time I have ever responded to anything I have read in the newspaper. However, I feel compelled to respond to your article about your new stretch golf car. I am an owner of Bulldog Supply, a factory authorized Club Car dealer here in Peachtree City. I have my own reservations about the possible new golf car ordinance, but it seems to me that it is ultimately about safety. The cars are getting bigger and faster, and there appears to be a great deal more of them on our path system. There are even vehicles on these paths that do not remotely resemble golf cars. That being said, why on earth do you want the safety of your family and especially someone elses family to be jeopardized by a golf car that has been altered outside of its manufacturers specifications? Do you think it is safe to take a golf cart that is intended for two passengers and two golf bags or four passengers and change it into a vehicle capable of carrying an extra 400-plus pounds? I can give you the answer: in many situations its not safe. You not only have dealers changing these cars out of specs but you also have teenagers and adults purchasing high output motors intended for industrial vehicles and installing them in golf cars. Club Car, EZ GO and Yamaha, just to name a few, spend millions of dollars in research and development and I am sure this includes safety issues. They all sell 2-, 4-, 6- and even 8-passenger cars which are manufactured at their factories to certain specifications. Does your new golf car have the 4-wheel braking system which is standard on the stretch cars that are manufactured at the factory? I feel this is the biggest hazard of all the safety issues that will be brought up in the near future, so you may seriously want to look into this matter. You are correct these are issues that often can be taken care of outside of legislating. However, someone must be responsible for policing our path system so it remains safe and convenient for the citizens of Peachtree City, not only those on golf cars but walkers, bikers, etc. There is too much misinformation available to the new golf car consumer about the modified golf cars. It is too difficult to determine whether every individual modified car is safe or not. Therefore, to protect everyone on the paths, there must be some rules. I enjoyed reading your article and thought you may want some more food for thought. I feel that golf cars that have been cut and welded back together to become stretch cars could possibly be the most dangerous cars currently on the paths. Yes, these modified limo cars can be very desirable for large families but often these cars have inadequate braking systems for their size and weight, not to mention the stress to their remanufactured frames. We all know that golf cars can be dangerous, particularly after the tragedy here in Peachtree City and a recent incident in California where two people lost control of a modified stretch car and were both killed. Putting golf cars on the paths that do not meet the manufacturers safety requirements puts many people in harms way. Im sure you would not intentionally put your family in an unsafe cart; therefore I wanted to shed some light on a situation that is of concern to me and other golf car owners. J.H. Hooper, president
Same limits should apply to allDear J.H.: You made a good point about my re-manufactured stretch EZ-Go having the standard rear wheel brakes instead of front and back. In my conversations with other stretch owners, they havent had brake problems, but you are right that it could be a safety issue. I will be responsible for watching the brakes, having my super-mechanic John Stern check them more frequently, and if I run into a stopping problem, I will be responsible for protecting my family by spending the money to add front wheel brakes. But I dont believe City Hall applying original manufacturer specs to the matter makes any sense. Heres one example of why. Lets consider speed. Your Club Car IQ system does over 19 mph off the factory assembly line, Ez-Go does 12-14 mph. Is that because the EZ-Go design is unsafe at the 19 mph speed? Not at all; EZ-Go decided on that limit to reduce their liability, as confirmed by one of their execs in Augusta whom I will protect by leaving nameless. So if an EZ-Go motor burns out and is replaced by a stronger motor that pushes its speed to 17 mph, that is beyond the original manufacturer specs, but less than Club Car and less than the Peachtree City max of 20 mph for a golf cart. Calling that modified EZ-Go golf cart illegal makes no sense whatever. I believe applying the original manufacturer spec standard is a red herring on safety, and an unnecessary intrusion into the freedom of individuals; the list of unintended consequences could be a long one. Maybe we can all find common ground in this. If it is necessary to set new boundaries to limit extreme modification to golf carts, let the same limits apply to all golf carts regardless of manufacturer brand. So if the max for a golf cart in Peachtree City is 20 mph speed, 58 inches width and 80 inches height, just to be hypothetical, then those same limits should apply to all. Within those limits, determining what is safe or unsafe should be between the individual and his golf cart mechanic. You can only legislate safety up to a point. One can get killed on a golf cart, a bicycle, a skateboard or a slip in the bathtub. But there is one action City Hall could take that would REALLY make the cart paths more safe: reverse their decision in 2002 that turned 15-year-olds loose with golf carts. Terry L. Garlock
Wheres this threat to safety?I would like to address the issue of golf carts. I am a single mom with a 15-year-old boy who attends McIntosh. We had been discussing vehicles, as he will be 16 in May. He took his money and chose to get a golf cart rather than a truck. He has put a lift on it and loves to cruise PTC to show it off. He decided that pretty much everything that he does is in PTC and he can get there on his own, so, why get a car at this time? And, personally, I was ecstatic. I would not have to add another car to my insurance and hes not going to be on the streets, where the threat to safety is much worse. These carts, with their larger tires, do not disturb the paths in anyway, which is a lot more than I can say for all of the tree roots that are raising the paths. And, as far as the width, there is not an area on any path that I have ever been on that one cart driver did not have to go off the edge of the path in order to pass another. So, please, what is the REAL issue with these carts? And, I would just like to ask some of the parents who are against the carts, do you know what your children are spending their money on? I do. Rhonda Singleton
Lenoxs campaign against Mayor Brown refuted by available factsContrary to the Bob Lenox accusations, name-calling and excuses not to address facts, there are other independent-minded PTC citizens who can and do research at thecitizennews.com/pasteditions2001.html to write letters to the editor. It takes about 20 minutes to read all relevant articles of 2001 that dispute Lenoxs fantasy that PTC was financially healthy at the end of his term. Citizens who were active with PTC business in 2001 should not have to do any research to know Lenox has launched a personal campaign with half-truths and clever rhetoric to blame Mayor Brown for the results of Lenoxs three-term legacy. Last week, Lenox asked several seemingly damaging questions about Mayor Browns performance. Lenox knows full well that there are legitimate answers to those questions that were either caused by Lenoxs own legacy or challenges outside the control of Mayor Brown. For example, Lenox challenged Mayor Brown on tax increases during the past three years. What Lenox doesnt write is that near the end of Lenoxs term, the city manager saw the need for a 24 percent increase in taxes to cover budget expansion and then-existing debt service requirements (The Citizen, July 18, 2001: PTC City Manager: Raise taxes 24%). Lenox did hold the line on property tax increases, but left the city with low reserves and significant budget shortfalls. Lenox wants you to think that raising the necessary taxes was all Mayor Browns fault. Bob Lenox attempts only to unduly influence the uninformed citizen with these misleading questions and anecdotal tax data regarding his home in Bradford Estates. The actual average total city-wide property tax increase is approximately 22 percent total over the past four years or about $1.6 million. The three primary drivers for the increase have been: $500,000 loss based on the LOST negotiations with Fayette County, radical increases in employee pension and healthcare benefits, and the hiring of additional safety personnel. These expenses accounted for 83 percent of the 22 percent increase. In addition, the city has absorbed extra debt service costs for the new library that was mandated by the vote of PTC residents. It must also be noted: the city has phased from rapid growth to a more stable build-out. This creates revenue/expense challenges: 1. Impact fees and revenue growth through new residences diminishes. 2. Maintenance of city streets and other infrastructure increases as the city ages. Peachtree City remains one of three cities statewide that has a AA bond rating. This data was presented by Steve Rapson during the Aug. 18, 2005 City Council Meeting(http://www.peachtree-city.org/- Council Meeting Minutes). Today, the city has maintained all services levels and is currently on solid financial footing. Mayor Brown has, without a doubt, taken a lot of controversial stances and actions. These actions are primarily around cleaning up the Development Authority, an organization that had strong evidence of closed-door financial dealings, significant conflicts of interest, and unsupportable indebtedness outside its legal bounds. Mayor Brown has demonstrated tough leadership throughout his term to serve the interests of PTC citizens and the region. Tough leadership is not always popular, especially to those with hands slapped from the cookie jar. The facts, as recorded by The Citizen, dispute Lenoxs version of history. I invite all Citizen readers to visit The Citizen archives of 2001 and read the true history that Bob Lenox, through his perpetual mendacity, is trying to rewrite. Tax Woes: 10% of PTC Budget Frozen by Council (Oct. 24, 2001) Cuts Unveiled for PTC Budget Shortfalls (Oct. 17, 2001) PTC: Budget Cuts Ahead (Oct. 10, 2001) I also encourage Citizen readers to learn more about the conflicts of interest that surrounded the financial dealings of the PTC Development Authority as it expanded and operated the Tennis Center and Amphitheater. My motivation to write my letters to the editor is to make sure that Citizen readers do not allow facts to be clouded by clever rhetoric. What is Lenoxs motivation for his campaign to rewrite history? Rob Rothley
In PTC, power resides in 3 membersIts been said repetitively that absolute power corrupts. Election to public office, even at the local level, grants power to those elected. Brown, Rapson and Weed obtained power four years ago (actually five years ago for Rapson). Is it coincidence that during these years, Peachtree City has seen her darkest days? One would hope that after serving in public office that some degree of respect would be earned. For me personally, I have lost all respect for these three politicians, and their closest political appointees. I must admit I do respect Weeds decision to not seek reelection. It has tortured me when thinking this triumvirate might continue to control power in Peachtree City. It was only four years ago, as their term in office began, that we witnessed the simple fact of life: there is power in numbers. In Peachtree City that number is three. I believe the time is at hand to eradicate the Brown-Rapson weed. After their years in power, its undeniable that many civic-minded, community leaders have disappeared from our landscape. Our fair city has become an island, isolated from the mainstream, where inhabitants appear victims of a divide and conquer political strategy. Residents have become collateral damage in a local turf war that began in November of 2001, only two months after we were attacked by terrorists. Hopefully this depressing chapter in our towns history will come to an end. Is it any wonder with the decline in local, civic activism, that weve seen a decline in civility amongst our islands inhabitants? Civic pride is the lifeblood of any town in America. Search your souls, and ask yourselves truthfully, when was the last time you were abundantly proud of Peachtree City. If we must have elected officials, then those elected must exhibit acceptable social behavior. From the bottom of my heart, I believe this city would be in much better shape today if these three seats of power had remained vacant for the past four years. Is it possible for us, like shipwrecked islanders, to reunite? Is it merely wishful thinking that we would send a forceful message to Brown and Rapson? What if we could limit their vote count to less than 100 votes, or even 50, or less? As stranded islanders, could we arise from our induced, hopeless state of mind and awake to see the distant light of hope approaching our shores? May this year, we truly look forward to a happy, new year. Bill King
What a slate in PTCA field of six candidates recently qualified for the upcoming mayoral election in Peachtree City. We can choose from a slate that includes a financial planner, a retail manager, a partner in a mortgage/insurance business, a local business owner, a former city councilman who was voted out of office two years ago, and an out-of-work dental receptionist who has not held a full-time job for more than three years. I have not decided which candidate I will vote for, but I am sure that at least two of them have no business ever serving in an elective office again. Joe Henebry
Just answer the questions, MayorSteve Brown continues his strategy of needlessly trashing the Development Authority so we wont notice what a truly lousy job he has done as mayor. He must think we voters are a pretty stupid bunch. In the last two weeks I have asked Mr. Brown for answers to nine difficult questions, all concerning legitimate issues and actions and all deserving of straightforward responses. The mayors response to date has been a resounding silence. Ill try again. Here is a summary of the nine questions, along with three new ones. Why have you made no progress on TDK Boulevard? Why are PTC property taxes up 30-40 percent in 2005 versus 2001? Why has the Tennis Center been decimated, losing members, pros and tournaments? Why do most other elected officials and state agencies and departments regard you as confrontational, dictatorial and untrustworthy? Why does the amphitheater suddenly have hundreds of unsold seats? Why havent you fixed the Rockaway Road/Ga. Highway 74 intersection? Why did you agree to a new 10-year local option sales tax agreement that is a disaster for Peachtree City? Why did you let someone make a six-figure profit for brokering the $800,000 Wynnmeade land acquisition? Why have you let Ram Development build like crazy on Ga. Highway 54 West when they agreed not to do so until the highway was widened and opened to traffic? And here are the three new questions: Why did you totally abdicate your responsibility for the Target development? You took no position, made no decisions, and let a court decide our fate. We lost. I know for a fact that this development could have been 20 percent smaller with significantly less parking and more green space, but you failed to do your job. Where were you? The Lutheran Church rezoning was voted down 4-1 and it is pretty obvious that the community was strongly against the proposal. Why are you, our mayor, still actively trying to solicit developer interest in this idea? Why did you so badly misread the situation on the special purpose local option sales tax for transportation improvements in Peachtree City? Your decisions cost Peachtree City $6 million that would have largely resolved our road problems over the next five years. Call it a difficult dozen, Mr. Brown: 12 questions that deserve answers. You profess to want an issues-oriented campaign and I hereby offer you that opportunity. Answer the questions. Bob Lenox
Brown has flip-flopped on venuesYou may have read in the paper recently quotes from Mayor Brown and Councilman Murray Weed, who also heads the Tourism Association, that profits from the amphitheater are offsetting losses at the tennis center. Thats Browns flip-flop. You see, during Mayor Browns disingenuous discussions with the Development Authority he was insistent that the venues be self-sustaining. He demanded that the authority operate each venue separately and was adamant about them not using profits from the amphitheater to offset losses from the tennis center. Murray Weed was part of those discussions. Now that Mayor Brown has his Tourism Association with his people running it, hes OK with the Tourism Association doing what he required the authority not do. Mayor Brown, youre a hypocrite. John Dufresne
Consider what record shows about councils TDK extension decisionsIt is time to correct all of the misinformation related to the TDK extension road project. I am citing all references and I urge to you check them. The political opposition is having a difficult time bringing substantive complaints against our current City Council. Their strategy has been to throw as many negative and misleading statements in the press as possible in the hopes that someone will believe them. Please look at officially statements of record. The TDK project had been talked about for decades prior but the City Councils failed to act. In 2001, [Councilwoman Annie] McMenamin felt the City needed to move ahead on the project, which had been going on since she came on Council 11 years ago, (Council Minutes, Oct. 18, 2001). In March of 2000, the Lenox administration finally acted but had no funds appropriated for the road. [Councilman] Brooks made a motion to transfer $295,725 from the Council Contingency fund to award the contract to Dames and Moore for $272,725 and to provide $23,000 for geotechnical testing services through Untied Consulting, (Council Minutes, Mar. 16, 2000). Dames and Moore (later changed their name to URS) was the same firm that told the city council in a public meeting that the big box stores would not cause additional traffic on Ga. Highway 54 West and it became the top accident corridor in Fayette County. The design changed several times and more non-budgeted funds were used. The road was planned for the spillway at Lake McIntosh. She [McMenamin] moved to approve the $30,000 from the PIP contingency fund for the advanced design services for Lake McIntosh, (Council Minutes, Oct. 18, 2001). What the then-City Council did not tell the general public is that they used our taxpayer dollars ($165,000) to engineer the Coweta County side of the road as well. It would not be until almost 2004 that I learned of that funding arrangement. I have spoken with Coweta County officials and the Coweta developer and they seem amenable to paying us back. Most of my current City Council took office in January 2002. My two concerns were the priority of widening Ga. Highway 74 and the significant budget problems that we had inherited. Mayor Brown introduced the next related item, saying he initially had concerns about TDK Boulevard because he did not want to supersede the emphasis on widening Hwy. 74 South, which was still important. Brown said that there had been significant progress on Hwy. 74 South, with cooperation from state representatives to local representatives, leading to some major breakthroughs. Barring anything happening to delay Hwy. 74, Brown said he had no problem with the TDK Boulevard project. Brown also expressed appreciation for Coweta Countys support of the project. He said funding for the project was the number one concern, and Peachtree Citys budget was very lean. A balancing act would be needed to prioritize the projects, (Council Minutes, Sept. 5, 2002). Our current council was the only one that actually programmed funds in the citys budget for TDK. Rapson said he had always been in favor of TDK, but highways 54 and 74 took precedence. No funds were committed to TDK extension until this Council approved the 2003 budget, which included capital funding for FY 2004 (October 2003), bringing the total to $825,000 on the table. Brown said there was not a person on Council against TDK, (Council Minutes, Jan. 2, 2003). However, signs of trouble were foretold in the newspaper headline that read, Fayette-Coweta Connector: FORE! Errant golf balls, low-flying aircraft to greet motorists driving on future TDK Boulevard across Line Creek, (Citizen, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003). Councilwoman McMenamin made a motion to which I seconded to sign a resolution in support of the TDK project asking for Fayette County to help with the effort because of the dire budget situation we were battling. Motion carried unanimously, (Council Minutes, Jan. 23, 2003). Later a deal was made with Fayette County and the council unanimously approved to make a final payment of $200,000 toward the construction of the TDK extension (Council Minutes, Feb. 6, 2003; County, PTC strike deal to move forward on TDK road extension, Citizen, Feb. 5, 2003). It later came to our attention that additional funding would be needed and Brown moved to approve the additional expense of $18,650 to use toward the engineering for the changes requested for the Fayette-Coweta extension. Weed seconded, (Council Minutes, June 5, 2003). We had met our commitments to build the road. A 2004 headline read, FAA opposes location of TDK Boulevard extension project, (Citizen, Mar. 14, 2004). As it turned out, the engineering firm (URS) hired by the previous administration failed to consult with the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the location of the proposed road even though the end of the Falcon Field runway appeared on most drawings, maps and photos. Even worse, URS has an aviation division and had no excuses about not knowing the official FAA concern (FAA 5200.8). A letter from FAA program manager Philip R. Cannon stated that the road will degrade the runway 13 safety area. A runway safety area violation could negatively affect our airports chances of getting a precision landing system in the future. Falcon Field Airport is a multi-million-dollar asset that cannot be jeopardized and the City Council shared the concern of the Airport Authority. City staff met with Airport Authority members, airport staff, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to look at alternatives to resolve the conflict. They had looked at a couple of ideas, and the proposal to realign the road prior to construction around the runway safety area looked like the best solution; however, that route was in conflict with holes five and six at Planterra Ridge Golf Course. The holes would have to be relocated, (Council Minutes June 3, 2004). We also do not want to destroy the golf course. Had previous City Councils acted on the road prior to the approval and construction of the Planterra Ridge Golf Course, we would be driving on the road now. Currently, the Airport Authority is working with the FAA on purchasing a piece of property owned by Pathway Communities to relocate the two golf holes to satisfy the FAA objections. It will take a least one year to properly establish the two new holes once the land is purchased. At the end of every council meeting Councilman Rapson publicly asks our city staff if there is anything that the city of Peachtree City is doing to hold up the progress of the TDK extension project. The staff always replies, No. The claims of the Direct PAC do not hold up to the scrutiny of the official records and the unanimous votes. Steve Brown, mayor
Direct PAC asks final questionsThis is the fourth and final issue statement that DIRECT PAC will submit to The Citizen. We pose this statement in order to provide a vehicle for the mayoral and council candidates to share their positions and ideas with the citys voters. The previous issues we submitted were the West Village annexation, Development Authority/Amphitheater/Tennis Center problem, and relations between Peachtree City and other governmental entities. Here we present for the candidates a query on their positions vis-a-vis taxation and spending. By the end of fiscal year 2005, the city drew a heavy portion of its tax revenue from real and personal property taxes and from local option sales taxes. These collections dwarfed all others. Conversely, the citys biggest expenses have been police services, public works, leisure services, and fire/emergency services. As most governments do, Peachtree Citys grows inexorably. In 2002, budgeted expenditures were approximately $16.8 million. For 2006, budgeted expenditures slightly exceed $22.8 million. During the same time, revenue projections increased from about $18.2 million to just under $24.6 million. It stands to reason that spending will increase year over year because salaries grow, procurement costs increase, property (e.g., golf cart paths) depreciates and requires maintenance, and services expand. Our elected officials oversee governmental operations and make decisions about the direction and operations of the city that ultimately drive spending and taxation levels. We expect elected officials to squeeze maximum benefit out of every tax dollar collected, thus minimizing what they take from individuals for the benefit of the community. Some spending decisions are straightforward. For instance, government workers wages must be paid, so funds are budgeted. Other decisions are much more difficult. To wit, our firefighters and emergency medical personnel are crying out for more resources. Apparently, because of low staffing levels, its become common for a single responder to arrive at the scene of an emergency (say a burning home) only to wait until a second responder arrives before actually dealing with the situation. Im told by those with experience how awful it is explaining to an anguished family whose home is in flames that you cant do anything until a second responder arrives. According to the citys finance director, in the FY2006 budget, the Leisure Services budget has increased by 7 percent over 2005, while the fire and police budgets increased 3.94 percent. Leisure Services spending routinely benefits many of Peachtree Citys residents. We have terrific sports and recreation facilities and programs for just about every athletic interest and level of attainment. Fire and EMS benefit us only on the occasions when something goes wrong. Thankfully, this means fewer people benefit on fewer occasions. However, when you need responders, its good to have them. So, where should the tax dollars go? This is only one example of the difficult budgeting decisions that mayor and council make on our behalf. If taxpayers pockets were bottomless pits, it would be easy. Since pockets do have bottoms, we have an obligation to ask the candidates running for office to share their thinking about taxation and spending priorities. Rex Green
Bring business efficiency to PTCThe budgeting and management of our taxpayer revenues and city resources are always major tasks facing any mayor or chief executive. Its obvious to me that there is more that can be done as mayor to provide leadership in more efficient uses of your tax dollars. I would like to propose common-sense business principles in finding ways to control spending. By assessing each department we can get a detailed perspective on where to set our priorities for the budget while saving in less needed areas. I want to use my 36 years of experience in professional financial planning, auditing, business operations, and fraud investigation to make informed decisions with our tax dollars. The controversies surrounding the current budget and the management of resources have left question marks surrounding our current government. I want to bring stability and experience to the management of our resources as your next mayor. I want to bring the efficiency of better business practices to our government structure. This includes controlling spending. Our city has seen tax increases every year since our current mayor took office. This year we faced another 4.5 percent tax increase, while visible signs of infrastructure problems continue to appear. I want to use my experience in financial planning and business operations as well as my experience as a certified auditor to better manage our budget and reduce the tax burden on our citizens. One way to control spending and evaluate government programs is zero-based budgeting. By starting from zero in each department, working closely with individual department heads, and highlighting our most pressing needs, we can better manage our resources while simultaneously identifying waste in our budget. Peachtree City needs leadership with experience in financial management and planning, and I have the experience necessary to provide that leadership for our community. I am ready to take up this challenge, and with your help we will work together to ensure a bright future for our community. Harold Logsdon |
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