Myself and many of my neighbors are so disappointed with how so many different issues are being handled in the City of Fayetteville. What most people fail to recognize is that all the issues, growth, SPLOST, and the new jail are all connected.

The growth in this city needed to be handled several years ago. The streets needed to be upgraded before all of these new homes and businesses come into place. How is Ga. Highway 85 in the middle of our city supposed to handle all of this traffic? We have no room for growth through the center of town.

How could our Board of Education expect to pass a SPLOST without details of what they want to do? It is very disappointing to see a fairly new school with trailers already. That was bad planning. How was this SPLOST going to affect our children? This SPLOST was for the growth of Fayetteville — to encourage and maintain the growth, but what about the children that are in the trailers now? Passing the SPLOST was not for us that live here but for those that certain people wanted to attract to our community.

Last but not least, the new jail and judicial complex. Understandably so, we would have eventually needed a new jail. But what is so alarming is the size of this facility. Phase one [will have] approximately 350 beds and the same for phase two. Is there a phase three? No one knows. In five to 10 years, this could be a 800-plus-bed facility. We would not need such a facility if the growth of our community was handled better. Also, let's not forget where they want to put this monstrosity — almost the center of town, and near many surrounding schools.

Let's talk about bad planning - this is a plan the county has had for 15 years. What worked 15 years ago does not work for us today. I am part of an effort to stop or alter or somehow change the location of this facility. This is proving to be difficult, especially when the county commission will not put jail discussions on the agenda as requested several times.

Our county commissioners are saying that there is much erroneous information out there — then let's hold a public forum regarding the issues! There has been no official public forum regarding jail issues that we the people have been notified of.

The general consensus I get from people is that they are disappointed almost to the point of apathy to all of these issues; we are so frustrated and disappointed in our once beautiful city and county. Our disappointment in the end is directed to our mayor, city council, county commissioners, planning and zoning commission and the board of education.

Does our local government not read the local papers? All I have read and heard with in the last few years is that people in this community are complaining about the growth. People from our government should be reading our local papers to feel what the hearts in our community are saying.

When we moved here six years ago the real estate agent took me through Peachtree City, then through Fayetteville. Peachtree City looked to be too much of a [Planned Unit development]. But Fayetteville appealed to us with its small, hometown feeling: An old courthouse in the center of town, wonderful friendly people and a great place to raise our children. Unfortunately this is no more!

You can't appreciate the center of town and the old courthouse with all the traffic surrounding it. The people are still very friendly, but this is no longer a place to raise our children. I guess one out of three isn't too bad (yeah, right!).

There was a time we could hear the Sunday church bells from the center of town. We no longer hear them. That is not just bad planning — that is sad!

Marilyn Benedetti
Fayetteville
mbenedetti@netscape.net

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