The following letter was sent to Councilwoman Cyndi Plunkett regarding her recently printed comments questioning the “credibility” of the community survey developed by PTC’s Comprehensive Planning Committee and distributed to a randomly selected group of city residents. The survey was also made available on the PTC website to other residents.

Dear Councilwoman Plunkett,

As an active member of PTC’s Comprehensive Planning Committee, I feel compelled to respond to recent statements attributed to you and printed in The Citizen regarding the community survey created by the committee and sent to randomly selected PTC residents.

What is your basis for questioning the “credibility” of this survey? You were not present at any of the meetings where great care and significant time was given to the development of all survey items to make them as clearly-stated and objectively-worded as possible.

Were you aware that professional survey writers are a part of this committee and overview from Georgia Tech professors contributed to the development of the survey?

Even though members of the committee passionately and eloquently expressed their individual preferences regarding the future for PTC, all members who participated in creating the survey strived for a final document that was both legitimate and credible. The responses to the survey were significant and direct. I believe that our objectives in developing the survey were successful.

I am disappointed that you choose to question the integrity of PTC citizens who ”volunteered” their time and efforts to ensure and improve the future of PTC. But since you raise the question of ”credibility,” it deserves some attention.

One would think that a “credible” councilperson would welcome and support the efforts of citizens who have a commitment and enthusiasm for their community.

Interestingly, other recent newspaper articles printed in The Citizen and the AJC carry comments from you that “shed some light” to understand the basis of your statements regarding the credibility of our survey. Are you now serving as a PR agent for John Wieland Homes?

In one article you announce that Wieland may “sweeten” their annexation bid by donating ball fields to the city and state in another that the West Village is the “only” place in PTC where new housing is available. (Some large objects off the Parkway on Lake Kedron would suggest something different.)

There may be a “credibility” issue here, Councilwoman Plunkett, but it does not lie with the community survey or the Comprehensive Planning Committee.

I personally hope that we can all work together for the preservation and advancement of PTC as we move towards our 50th anniversary. To ensure that the same “quality of life” that we have embraced during the first 50 years exists for the next 50 is a challenge that we should and must answer. Now that would be a “credible” effort for us all.

I look forward to our future efforts together.

Tom McBrayer

Peachtree City, Ga.