There was a Russian in a heavy overcoat in Peachtree City's municipal complex last week, closely observing the workings of city departments.

Not a spy, however, Alexey Aksenov of Tver was visiting as part of an exchange program sponsored by Eckerd College of St. Petersburg, Fla. Fayette resident Jerry Elder visited Russia last year.

Aksenov, 20, is a full-time student at Tver State University in his hometown of about 600,000 people, but is currently a student in the law department at Upper Volga University.

The Russian soon learned he didn't need his overcoat on a sunny day in a Southern winter as he rotated among the offices of Peachtree City city managers, the police chief, and administrative services in the morning, and planning, recreation, and public works in the afternoon.

Asked for his observations so far, Aksenov said in excellent English, "People here have different financial planning than we have absolutely different. Our infra-structure is not developed at all."

He said, in effect, that Russian businessmen and manufacturers re-invent the wheel when it comes to fiscal strategy. "In my country there is no financial planning at all in business," he said.