Peachtree City will have two new city council members starting in January.  

City Councilman Stuart Kourajian has announced that instead of running for re-election this November, he will run for the Post 3 seat on the Fayette County Commission in 2008, which is currently held by Peter Pfeifer.  

Kourajian’s announcement comes on the heels of Judi-ann Rutherford’s surprise resignation two weeks ago because she was moving out of the country.  

The city is accepting applications all next week for candidates to fill Rutherford’s term, which expires Dec. 31, and candidates will be interviewed at a public meeting Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Floy Farr room of the Peachtree City Library.  

Under city ordinance, the remaining City Council members will vote to select a candidate to fill the open seat. The person selected would serve until the end of this year.  

Kourajian said he wanted to make his election announcement early enough so potential candidates for his current City Council seat could decide whether or not they want to run for the office.  

“I just think we can get better representation than we’re currently getting in Post 3,” Kourajian said Tuesday morning, referring to the representation for both Peachtree City residents and those across the county. “... I just think I could do a better job.”  

Qualifying for the seats held by Kourajian and Rutherford runs from Aug. 27-31, and candidates must pay a $180 qualifying fee.  

Kourajian said his two biggest issues are maintaining the unincorporated county’s slow growth rate and larger lot sizes and also addressing traffic needs.  

Kourajian pointed out that the Atlanta Regional Commission has said future growth in Atlanta will focus on the southside, “but just because it’s going to be on the southside doesn’t mean that it has to be in Fayette County.”  

While the county should be a regional player for making traffic improvements, it shouldn’t facilitate traffic improvements solely to enhance the growth of other areas, Kourajian said.  

Increasing traffic on an artery such as Ga. Highway 74 just to have those folks get to downtown Atlanta “isn’t in the best interest of Peachtree City and it isn’t in the best interest of Fayette County,” Kourajian said.  

Kourajian said a wide range of people have encouraged him to run for a seat on the county commission, including not just Peachtree City residents but those all over the county.  

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Kourajian said.