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Logsdon a no-show as Brown ‘debates’Tue, 11/22/2005 - 5:25pm
By: John Munford
Despite his commitment to avoid Thursday’s mayoral candidate debate at McIntosh High School, Harold Logsdon’s campaign materials were being circulated before the event — by his opponent, incumbent Mayor Steve Brown. 
Brown told the crowd he wanted voters to have the Logsdon material — culled from his Web site, a campaign mailer and his candidate essays published in The Citizen — ”to make it fair.” During the debate, Brown chided Logsdon for failing to provide specific solutions for the city’s ills, particularly on financial matters. “There is not a single position on how to solve any of the issues facing Peachtree City,” Brown said. The debate was more like a speech at times although he fielded some questions submitted by audience members. At times, Brown drew outright applause when making a point, all the while the empty chair reserved for Logsdon remained on the auditorium stage. Brown conceded that, yes, the city has raised property taxes 22 percent during his four years in office, but he said it was necessary to stave off actions of the previous administration. Brown also encouraged the crowd of less than 100 to vote in the election. “It would probably be the biggest upset in Peachtree City political history,” if Brown won, he said, acknowledging Logsdon’s position as the leading candidate judging by results from the Nov. 6 general election, where he garnered 41 percent of the vote to Brown’s 21 percent. Brown also said he doesn’t want the city to pay the $1.5 million in debt owed by the city’s development authority to Peachtree National Bank for expenses it incurred when running the city’s tennis center and amphitheater. “Only $300,000 of that $1.5 million in debt can be tied to actual capital improvements,” Brown said. “A lot of that money, we don’t even know where it went.” Brown also added that City Attorney Ted Meeker has determined it will be illegal for the city to pay back that debt. The bank has sued the city, the development authority and the Tourism Association, which now runs both venues, seeking to recoup the money. Brown also said he wants developer John Wieland Homes to pay for the extension of MacDuff Parkway to Ga. Highway 74 as part of the proposed annexation of 360 acres on the city’s west side. When Brown came to Wieland asking about the annexation possibility, he said the developer had already filed a plan with Fayette County that showed MacDuff Parkway looping around instead of connecting to Ga. Highway 74. The connection is seen as necessary because often-clogged Ga. Highway 54 only way for residents who live off MacDuff to get to and from home. Brown said he wants no less than a third of the homes to be annexed to be developed as senior housing so it wouldn’t impact traffic and schools. The debate was cosponsored by the Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs at McIntosh. login to post comments
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