I was appalled at the way in which the proceedings were conducted at the Aug. 5, 1999 Peachtree City City Council meeting during the public hearing segment involving the appeals by the Peachtree City Methodist Church and a homeowner in the Robinson Road area. I have attended various such meetings in other counties and never have I witnessed such inappropriate behavior on the part of some of the council members or the audience.

The homeowners surrounding the site for this construction were told by the council to trust the church to look after our best interests. These are the same people who, while one of the residents was speaking, talked so loudly among themselves that I could not hear, made many disparaging remarks about the speaker, and even cursed. I find it hard to put myself in the hands of a group of people who have so little regard for anyone who disagrees with them.

The residents also suffered at the hands of some of the council members. Jim Pace labeled our letters as being “complaining” rather than as communiques in which we were practicing our right of free speech by expressing our opinions. Also some of the council members made jokes which I felt were inappropriate and were at the expense of the homeowners. When I want comedy, I will go to a nightclub that specializes in that art form. A city council meeting should be serious, and its members should remain on task at all times.

Several issues that the residents raised were virtually ignored by the council. When asked about a traffic study for Robinson Road because of the ensuing 200-plus vehicles that will be added to the area during phase one of the project, Mayor Lenox said it was not necessary. But is Mayor Lenox so knowledgeable in this field that he does not need to consult an expert?

He also spoke several times about his living peacefully at the edge of the Braelinn Baptist parking lot. But was it not his neighborhood that did not view its existence with a megachurch as harmonious, filed, and won, a federal law suit against the church, thus providing the impetus for its relocating elsewhere?

The environmental issue was likewise ignored. An expert gave testimony that the proposed wetlands setback is inadequate and, that because there is a perennial stream running through the area that is protected under the Clean Water Act, the proposed construction is improper. But his concerns were not explored. And only one sentence from Carol Fritz was made regarding the protection of the water system that runs through this property that many people rely on to supply their wells.

The city council is charged with protecting the rights of all community members. I do not feel that they followed this charge. They brushed aside our position as well as that of Jim Williams, the person assigned as city planner on this project. But as the old saying goes, “It isn't over until the fat lady sings.” And, in this matter, she has only begun to warm up.

Kim Kendall
Peachtree City

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