[Fayette County Commissioner] Eric Maxwell is a hypocrite. He complained of County Attorney McNally as an unethical good ol’ boy and look what he does in his other fee-gathering spot as part-time judge. He asks the prosecutor in his court to dismiss the charges that a police officer brought against his client. “Can you help me out here?” This is not the first time in Fayette that a judge or a politician asked for a “little favor.” There is a tight little fraternity and no one will ever hold someone accountable on something like this. However, this may be the first time, though, that some one said, “No.” Who is this prosecutor? That took some courage on her part telling one of the judges in the court where she works, “No.” If you ask me, she ought to be the judge and not these other clowns.

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Every citizen of Fayette County needs to read the article in last week’s Citizen by former County Commissioner Harold Bost. Harold points out clearly the mess we now have in the current group of county commissioners. The rape of the county land use plan has already begun. Agendas for their meetings are not made known so the public has no idea what is to be discussed. Key county employees have been fired, and the list goes on. Add to this, as reported in the same newspaper, that the commissioners held an illegal closed door meeting and when this was made known to the public they tried to re-write the minutes of the meeting. The problem with this is that in trying to cover their butts, Commissioner Maxwell, sort of got confused. In trying to justify the illegal meeting and amend the minutes of the meeting he says he could remember exactly what he said, but when questioned further, he was confused about the actual room the commissioners were meeting in. Then when all this mess is made public, Commission Chairman Jack Smith blames it all on Pfeifer, saying he should have told them they were wrong in holding such a meeting. What a joke. If you follow the commissioners’ voting, you know that on most issues the vote is four to one with Pfeifer being the only one consistently voting for the best interests of the citizens of the county. Our current county commissioners, mark my words, represent developers, bankers, the landed gentry and anyone else out to make a quick buck at the expense of our quality of life.

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Mayor Logsdon and Goodwill: Goodwill was not not something Peachtree City wanted. The citizens complained [that] it wasn’t good for the city. Now, Harold, do the same thing with TDK Boulevard. Even the Chamber of Commerce’s president said that he agrees with the experts: It will be bad and not good for traffic in PTC. Exact same deal — stop it.

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Wow! I was completely taken aback by the ugly language used by the persons writing in to “Free Speech” regarding Goodwill coming to Peachtree City. Comparing a philanthropic organization like Goodwill to morally questionable businesses like a “tattoo parlor” and a “strip club” doesn’t make any logical sense. Angrily and sarcastically suggesting that it be anchored with a “nail and braiding salon” is nothing short of racist. Branding those unfortunate enough to have to patronize a soup kitchen as “deadbeats” is uncharitable. I know it’s difficult for some folks who are secure in their huge, beautiful homes with their huge, never-ending bank accounts to see beyond their perfectly manicured front yards, but try for just a moment. There are those in this and surrounding communities who will benefit from having a Goodwill here. There are single mothers with young children, who, because of irresponsible men, cannot afford to buy their children’s clothing at LimitedToo and Sketchers, and sometimes not even at Wal-Mart. There are elderly folks whose Social Security may allow them to pay their rent, but may not allow them to afford a brand new winter coat. There is a large group of people that work in Peachtree City in restaurants, for landscaping companies, in hotels, and in various other businesses that may benefit by having a Goodwill in the city they work in. (By the way, just because they work here doesn’t mean they can afford to move in next door to you, so don’t worry about the sanctity of your neighborhood.) And what about people like myself, who are blessed enough not to have to shop at Goodwill, but who can’t resist a good bargain? Not to mention that fact that there are other thrift stores, I mean “consignment stores,” in Peachtree City. What’s the difference between Goodwill and those, or even the yard sales so many of us love to have and to visit? When did not having a lot of money become synonymous with being a bad person? Remember that God doesn’t judge a man by what is on the outside, but by the condition of his heart. It’s okay to have an opinion and to disagree with what might be going on in the community. But using ugly, hateful words to make your point isn’t necessary, especially when they are directed at those less fortunate than you. Be thankful for all that you have and be sure you’re using what you have to help make the lives of those less fortunate a little easier. God promises you’ll be even more blessed because of it.

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I am appalled that a community so close to my own would object so whole-heartedly to a company whose mission statement is to “Enhance the quality and dignity of life for individuals, families, and communities on a global basis, through the power of work, by eliminating barriers to opportunity for people with special needs, and by facilitating empowerment, self-help, and service through dedicated, autonomous local organizations.” The first company value listed on Goodwill’s website is “respect,” something several PTC residents clearly lack. Perhaps Goodwill doesn’t belong in your neighborhood after all.

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To the Peachtree City residents who are horrified that a Goodwill store may be coming: Maybe I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you do not have any idea of realty. Just so you know many people of all different classes shop at the Goodwill stores for many reasons. First of all, yes, some people need to shop there to make ends meet. Other people who like to antique-shop go to the Goodwill stores looking for a “great find.” Thirdly, many of the people who shop at the Goodwill stores are making a conservative effort to save the beautiful planet of ours. You know, not everything needs to be purchased new. There is such a thing as recycling, although it might be a new concept to you people. Next, there are some people who refuse to pay the ridiculous prices for some things. These people do not believe in driving up prices in the retail industry. And lastly, and the most important, the Goodwill is a charitable organization which helps a great deal of people by using the money spent in those stores. So maybe you can get off your high horse and stop thinking you are better than others. And one last note, I hope you do not think of yourself as a Christian. A Christian believes in helping those in need, not degrading them by assuming that everyone who shops at Goodwill stores eats at soup kitchens.

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To those high and mighty citizens of Peachtree City who are protesting the possible lease of the current Kroger store on Ga. Highway 54 to Goodwill Industries, I have only this to say: WWJD? (What would Jesus do?) I see churches all over the place, plenty of Bibles, Christian values advertised like laundry soap. How does it square with this idea that we need to “keep out the riffraff?

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It becomes more alarming each day to see this once fair city slide into the abyss that our city Leadership has directed this. Or should I say, lack Of leadership? Besides everything else that is going on around us — constant commercialization, annexations and the depletion of the green space that this city once used to draw people here to settle and raise their families and enjoy this community — now a 40,000 square-foot Goodwill shop. What next — a Salvation Army soup kitchen, or maybe a drug rehab facility at The Avenue? People, stop letting this happen to your city. Everyone needs to become more proactive in regards to the way the current city government is acting against you. You need to make it a point to attend all of the City Council meetings as well as the Planning Commission meetings. After all, the people who are benefiting from all of the sweetheart deals at these meetings are sitting front and center at all of the meetings. Some may say it’s a hardship because of everything going on in their lives, but when you are hit personally by what’s going on — lower property values, increased property taxes, and maybe a half-way house next door — I bet you would say I should have gone to a meeting. Please do not wait for that to happen; become an active member in your community.

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To the Free Speecher who was griping about people ignoring the stop signs at the Kedron Kroger: My driving instructor told me to stop the front of my car flush with the stop sign. I try, but doing this at Kedron blocks the driving lanes so other cars can’t drive through. Who decided to put those stop signs in such goofy locations? Was it for the pedestrians, who don’t use the walkway, anyway?

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A large Chinese firm is setting up in PTC — Caveat emptor. The big prize is 200 well-paying jobs — Caveat emptor. It is great news that a large corporation will come to the industrial park. Other good parts to this story include: A later set-up of a corporate HQ, an assembly industry without a lot of heavy manufacturing producing waste. This does take less city services than turning the area into retail, or adding hundreds of homes. One item that concerns me is the so-called 200 well-paying jobs. On Page A3, the salary average of $50,000 is stated. As seen with other international companies setting up warehouses and factories in the USA, most of the high-paying jobs go to that company’s employees through transfers from overseas. The $50,000 salary is just an average. As with any average, there are high figures and low figures above and below the medium. The middle and high level managers will probably be salaried in the $60,000 - $100,000 range and will no doubt be Chinese transfers with approved State Department visas. If any locals in the area are hired, those salaries will be in the less than $50,000 range. Luckily, some might end up as floor supervisors with that magic high-paying $50,000 salary. The recent trend among international companies is to hire foreign workers (Indians with IT backgrounds from Bangalore is one example). Reword basic job descriptions as to show no U.S. citizen is able to perform the job. Hire or transfer the foreign worker as a high-end skilled worker gaining the State Department visa. The foreign transfer is given responsibilities that would justify a higher salary for a U.S. worker. Pay them less because to them the salary and living conditions in the USA make this look like living in Disneyland compared to their quality of life in their home country. Give them a laptop and basically make them available to the company 24/7. Their visa is for that company position only. If they quit, the visa is lost and back to their third world living conditions. At the end of the day and all is said and done. let’s really see how many local PTC, Fayette-Coweta residents will make up the job picture with these 200 high-paying jobs.

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It’s a good thing the new Chinese plant won’t be producing toys or dog food.

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I’m just a garden variety, Georgia-lovin’ Yankee (not that uppity Yankee carpetbagger Republican mentioned this week). I would picket anyone who suggested doing anything to remove Jordan Salvage. That’s a Fayetteville landmark. Great place to browse, friendly and knowledgeable people. Get a grip, folks.

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I am a Yankee, and proud of it. I am not a Republican. I do like beauty and find all that junk very displeasing to the eye. What could possibly be beautiful about the view of toilets on Hwy. 54? In the 1960s Lady Byrd Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Johnson, tried to beautify America by having all junk yards build fences so they could not be seen from the road. Perhaps a fence around that corner would help to hide all the old, ugly, rusty junk.

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Get off Mayor Ken Steele’s case. He’s done the best that he could do with the city of Fayetteville. Raising the taxes is inevitable with the requirements of keeping up this busy city. If you want to live in “podunk” go and find it. I’ve lived here for over 30 years and have seen many changes here in the city of Fayetteville. We can’t keep up with the growth for roadway needs, safety and building measures without money. Everyone wants to live in Fayette County but they don’t want to pay for it.

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Thank you, Cal Beverly, Don Haddix and Steve Brown for actually defending our lifestyle against a bunch of people who think our roads ought to look like Bullsboro Drive in Newnan. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, so give them a chance and tell the Kohl’s to get lost.

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What is going on with the City Council in Peachtree City, for crying out loud? My wife and I complained for three very long years about the traffic problems on Hwy. 54 near Coweta. Things finally got better and now they want to stick it to us with another big box and another traffic signal. Who’s running the show? Is the developer in charge or the city council? Those same scared little homeowners in Cardiff Park are going to be the first ones complaining when the traffic on Hwy. 54 stops moving. Stop making things worse.

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AS a recent retiree living on Social Security, I think I have the perfect way for me to add to my income. I would like to play poker with the mayor, City Council and the Planning Commission. The stake in this hand would be the bluff of the Kohl’s and how McMurrain plans to hold a gun at the citizens’ head by saying it’s Kohl’s or Hooter’s and Pep Boys. Anyone in this city after a long day commuting to work able physically to stop in and have a drink at Hooters will have the wrath of their wives down upon their heads, especially after some of these women spend part of their day staying in shape. As for Pep Boys, they are a discount auto supplier catering to the guy who repairs his auto on the weekend. Look around you — how many of these stores do you see here? If there was a need, it would have been filled a long time ago. This city government needs to sit back and ask themselves, “Who are we really?” instead of “What’s in it for me; let’s see what we can do for the taxpayers of this city. Every week I read in this paper how bad things are going, and it seems that the readers who take the time to write in also agree, yet we seem to be on downward spiral. Look up, people, protect your investment in your city and your way of life. I would love to see someone start a movement to impeach the mayor and his merry band of bandits. I am so sure you could raise enough money any weekend to fund whatever money would be needed for the legal fees needed to accomplish the mission. What’s happening to this city is a disgrace and we need to stop shrugging our shoulders and do something about what’s happening here. Until next week, I’m all in.

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What the “Gathering Place” means to me: Thirteen years ago, when we moved here from New York, I was like a fish out of water. For 65 years, I had never lived anywhere but Queens County, New York City. When we found out about the Pioneer Club; we were delighted. We were extended a warm welcome, and my husband John and I immediately became involved. The kitchen is always where I seem to feel most at home, and so I have worked in the kitchen at the Gathering Place from the very start. It is my earnest hope that our facilities will be enlarged so that more of Fayette County residents will be able to join in the pleasures of this wonderful place.

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Whatever happened to the motto of “Protect and serve” that our police officers wear so proudly? Why would our local Peachtree City officers see two young girls in distress with a broken-down golf cart that they were trying to push back to their home, stop them, and give them a ticket? Ticket for what, I ask? For being in distress? Or being young girls? Where was the protection and serving by the officers for them? No wonder our young people have a lack of trust and respect at times. It’s a sad day and time when the police are so determined to find fault that they forget they are there to help.

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Here is a great way to pay for the police station repairs. Start ticketing the underage drivers and parents of students driving their golf carts. They will tell you they “didn’t know the rules” but they don’t care. These same girls and boys (the girls call themselves “the Prude Crew” and are in the ninth grade) have gone around all summer driving golf carts and they are underage. They continue to do it now at McIntosh. Some have been caught and some warned but they continue to do the same thing. It is always someone else’s fault. “Someone told on me, I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to”: These are the excuses. Before you parents say, “We all did stupid things in school,” look at yourselves. You are still stupid. Aren’t your girls the ones that took a car out for a joy ride at 14? That happened this summer as well. What is it going to take for you all to wake up? A dead body? Most ninth graders know who these kids are. They disrespect everyone and have gotten away with things, but people are on to you. People are tired of you and your parents. Message to police: McIntosh starts 8:40 a.m. and ends at 3:20 p.m., Monday through Friday. Games are on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. This is a gold mine — go for it.

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Kids today? What’s up? Parents, please step up. It is your job to raise good citizens. Many kids today have NO respect, NO boundaries and just don’t know how to function as good citizens. It is sad. Parents, you are to blame. What is really important? Be there for your children, demand respect, ask questions, give boundaries, and say no. Kids want all of the above and some parents are not doing their job. The world is not getting better. Kids are suffering from depression, anxiety and of not knowing where they belong. It is NOT up to our schools, churches, coaches, etc., to give today’s youth what they need. Parenting is not easy. Please, parents, look at what is most important and be there and let your children know that you are there, get in their business and let them know that you are not going away. In the long run the rewards will be priceless. Let’s make this world a better place for everyone. Kids are amazing and should be our #1 priority as parents.

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About Fayette County Board of Education’s problem with teaching math to our students: The board needs to have parents on the committee to set guidelines for learning strategies and materials in Fayette County. For years, as far back as the early 1990s math has been a problem with this school board. My older children had the Chicago math series which similarly had the students work the math on their own and then go over it in class the next day. This was a beautiful concept unless you had a teacher that did not want to go over it the next day. Now the math is worked in a collaborative setting with the superior math students teaching the students that cannot do the math. One more way to put the burden of learning on the children. John DeCotis, you just received a substantial raise in this county to oversee the education for our children. The math curriculum is NOT working. You need to do something else. Stop using our children as guinea pigs for all these new whims. Get back to teaching math. Our eighth grade students deserve better. Another thing that parents need to know about our eighth graders is that starting next year in ninth grade the Georgia Department of Education has imposed new guidelines that math will be required all four years of high school. This was imposed to improve Georgia’s ever-low SAT scores. Unfortunately many students that are not math majors will have to struggle through four years of advanced math. You might want to write Lt. Gov. Cagle about this as he will probably be running for governor next term and wants to help the public education.

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As a parent of Fayette County schools, I would like to voice my thought about the local school in PTC that is having problems with the mold, or should I say dampness, which leads to mold and mildew. Why are you all taking matters lightly because the evidence is there and will not go away until the problem is solved? Try removing the dirty or stained carpet in one of the classroom. No harm to the principal because she can only do so much and the new administration staff are both wonderful people. I think the board members need to make a visit and see what the public is complaining about or maybe someone can do a whistle-blower.

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To the middle school football parent: I believed our middle school football coach, too, when in his address to the parents at the start of the season that he would be teaching the players the correct way to play, good sportsmanship is the only way to handle themselves, and all would see playing time. My son was not a stand-out player; in fact, it was his first year to ever play football, but that didn’t stop him from giving 110 percent of himself during practices. Did it translate into any playing time for him? No. He played a total of four plays the whole season, and those were in the last two games. The coach played the SAME players for offense and defense. That means the majority of players were bench warmers, and the boys playing were exhausted because they were kept on the field for the entire game. This happened during each game. It was only after the season was underway, and the parents saw who would be playing and who wouldn’t, that one of the statements made by the coach during the parents’ meeting at the start of the season gained clarity: the coach said parents were not to approach a coach after ball games, nor would the coach discuss a player’s playing time during a game. Some parents did not let that stop them, but the coach would just turn around and walk off. Good luck, football parent, but this system has been in place much longer than any of us have had children trying to participate in middle school football. And please don’t think the situation improves in high school, because it doesn’t. Why my son has continued to play all four years in high school without seeing more than a few times of playing during games is beyond me. Apparently his love for the game is the #1 reason he continues to endure practices, and #2 is his believing his coach when told he’ll “see a lot of playing time this season.” The rose-colored glasses of youth will fall off of my son in due time; until then, I support him like he’s signed a commitment letter to play in college.

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A word of advice to a particular south Fayette County high school coach: If after three games I was only one-and-two and my offense has put zero points on the board, I believe I’d find me a new quarterback. Oh, that’s right, politics run your program.

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My wife and I walk everyday at McCurry Park and most days we find it litter-free. We usually walk in the a.m. when it is cooler and the park personnel are busy keeping the grass cut and maintaining the different ball fields. Since the ball season has started the last few weekends we find that around the playing fields and walking paths there are empty water bottles and food sacks and cups everywhere, most within a few feet of provided trash cans. What are we teaching the kids who are out there to play a particular sport? This is a public park and we should all be responsible for our own clean-up. Fayette County does an excellent job during the week to keep the park enjoyable for all. Please do your part on the weekend.

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As the amount of litter increases on the parkway and other major streets in PTC, my appreciation for those workers, both the paid and the unpaid volunteers, increases as well. They do a never-ending job and deserve all our thanks.

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“The money was supposed to help crime victims or go to enforce drug laws.” Hmmmm, now where did this happen? Was it in Fayette County? Was it, for example, our district attorney tossing drink coozies that say “Victim Witness Program courtesy of your District Attorney Scott Ballard” every July off of a parade float to the crowds? No, the quote comes from Fulton County and their district attorney. So what the heck —our DA is just doing what Atlanta does.

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All parents of special needs children should write Gov. Perdue and Lt. Gov. Cagle about the guidelines being imposed. One of the guidelines says that to be eligible a child must be enrolled in public school with an IEP for the prior full year to receive this scholarship. This will limit so many children as many parents have already had to put their children in other appropriate school settings to assist their children in learning. This bill belongs to special needs children. We should not let the Department of Education impose such stiff guidelines in order to keep monies in the public school system. Let Lt. Gov. Cagle know your concerns as well. He will probably be running for governor next term and wants to help Georgians with education problems. Actually this bill should be passed for all of Georgia’s children. It would give public education a “run for the money.” You can find out about this scholarship at the Department of Education’s website.

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This past Sunday, while driving around and using precious gasoline in trivial pursuits, I perhaps stumbled across the quintessential, nay, the absolute template of an enemy far more dangerous than any swarthy reprobate al Qaeda could send our way. Yes, I may have seen a liberal. No, not a classic, big government-advocating, big union-loving, all for the common people liberal — no. I think I saw a modern Post-Clintonian, over-educated, hedonistic liberal, a true dreamer and advocate of fairy-tales and non-reality. Cruising down Ga. Highway 74 towards the Republican bastion crossroad at Hwy. 54, I got behind a Volvo, long held dear by liberals as the ONLY car a person should drive if they cannot afford a hybrid or electric car. It was not only the boxy, unattractive modern Volvo, but it was a GREEN Volvo. No, not that kind of green — it spewed forth as much or more harmful capitalist waste gases as my Ford pick-up truck — but it was painted green. That would not have been an indictment if it were not for the two bumper stickers. The bumper sticker on the left of the back bumper showed a picture of a buck deer, and said, “Love animals, don’t eat them.” Apparently it’s OK if we just shoot them and leave them where they drop. The bumper sticker on the right of the back bumper simply read, “Polite, well-behaved women don’t make history.” Well, then, that said it ALL. I have now seen the future, and I want off the planet. Nancy Pelosi, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell and the Mother of All Liberals, Hillary Rodham Hoo-haw, make news every day. They, and millions of aging hippies all over this country, their very DNA inundated by the toxic run-off of hashish, LSD and Boone’s Farm Strawberry, will accidently and with the best of intentions, hand this country over to al Qaeda, China, North Korea, Syria and Iran with nary a red-eyed blink if the normal people in this country don’t intervene soon. Their assault vehicles are already traveling our streets. I think that is what I saw — the Liberal Hummer.

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If you look in the official HUD foreclosure system, you will find 3,867 foreclosures in zip code 30269. Not hundreds but thousands. In the greater Atlanta area there are more than 25,000 listings.

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Bloodsuckers: Our papers now have full page ads for “foreclosure” seminars. No sooner do we stop the ill-principled bank loaners of money on homes to those who aren’t qualified for loans, but then the hyenas swarm in to take advantage of these poor people. They will tell you how to cheat the buyers out of their homes even quicker. Americans are terrible at math and simply did not understand many of those loans when they took them. They needed a home, one was available at a given dollars per month when they bought it, so they bought it. Foreclosure was a sure thing for at least 10 percent of these people, and great losses on sales to “foreclosure agents” on most of the rest. Is this how we want to “do business” in the USA?

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On the news this morning (9-11) they were asking, “Is too much tribute being paid to the victims of 9-11?” How about a comparison. We still pay tribute to those killed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was aimed strictly at the military and a declaration of war was issued before the attack although a glitch in communications caused the announcement to be late. About 2,000 people were killed and afterward we imprisoned everyone with the slightest link to Japan, including some of the most patriotic American citizens of that time. The Muslims attack on 9/11 was aimed at innocent, unsuspecting citizens and more than 3,000 were killed. That was a truly sneak attack. We can never pay too much tribute to the victims of 9-11. Now we allow Muslims to walk our streets in freedom and even admonish our citizens not to say anything to offend them and to hide our patriotic feeling to America around them. Well, I am deeply offended that they are even allowed to walk our streets, much less respect them. They still proclaim all over the world that they will destroy America before they stop. I think we have gone insane as Americans.

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General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today in a Pentagon press conference that if he had known that the Iraqi Army would not have been available after our invasion of Iraq, he would have recommended that we go in with more troops for the invasion and occupation. This is one of many generals who have so far said that if they had known this or that, they would have done differently in Iraq. It is confusing, and even shameful, that alternate situation plans weren’t available in 2002 for such an invasion and occupation. No generals resigned to my knowledge due to disagreeing with the invasion plan and follow-up. One was effectively fired when he suggested to Congress that 400,000 to 500,000 were needed to do the job. It seems to me that our top military officers should be those who have nothing to lose by recommending what they think to the President. Officers like Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, MacArthur, Nimitz, and others who had their four stars, had their retirement time in, and could say what they knew without fear of being canned. Even the current military advisor in the White House is only a three-star. I’m sure wanting a fourth. We don’t have presidents anymore who can recognize these situations and still make the right decisions.

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“My bomb is bigger than your bomb.” The last time I heard a juvenile statement like that was when a first grade classmate said, “My daddy is bigger than your daddy.” Russia seems intent on rekindling the cold war with such boasting and bluster. Perhaps they do impress some Americans with such nonsense. Just the other day I heard a talk show host discussing a possible candidate for the presidential election and his exact words were “He sure is well-qualified, he is 6-feet-6-inches.” Such shallow thinking is just what our enemies need to defeat us.

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Osama Bin Laden wants a “Caravan of Martyrs” to honor the murderers who flew the planes on 9-11. I would call it a caravan of fools honoring more fools who are no doubt enjoying the rewards of their action in hell today.

Before Kroger relented, readers had their say . . .

So, Newnan is getting a new Dillard’s with marble floors and dazzling fixtures and Peachtree City is getting a Goodwill with linoleum and clothes racks. Looks like Newnan is the new “North Side” and PTC is the new Riverdale.

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Great: Kroger subleasing to Goodwill. Maybe when the other smaller businesses decide to sublease their stores, we can get a TitleMax, or something. Or, maybe one of those check-cashing places. Way to go, Kroger. It’s Publix all the way for me.

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Well, I got a real interesting response from Kroger corporate headquarters. The rep stated that they regret having to close any stores, but Peachtree City is “a market in which we did not have favorable results.” And absolutely no mention of turning over the lease to Goodwill, although I inquired about it. The jokers at Kroger Corp. must be related to our mayor or city council, huh?

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So what? There is a Goodwill replacing Kroger. There is nothing anybody can do about it. It is Kroger’s decision and that’s final. Boycotting isn’t going to do anything; it’s a done deal. So, I suggest you get on with your lives, take advantage of the sales they are offering and concentrate on more important things that will benefit Peachtree City and your own businesses.

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What Mayor Logsdon is attempting to do is to interfere with private matters of business. This is not an appropriate function of government. Goodwill and Kroger are entitled by law to inquire as to zoning. As long as they comply, it is none of your business. The threat that they will be subjected to the highest level of local regulation is a shameless threat. It is reminiscent of the selective enforcement that proud Peachtree City has exhibited in the past. I am confident that Mr. Logsdon has never insured that the Y-Knott Bar and Grill’s outside storage and dumping are subjected to the same level of rigorous enforcement. For a mayor that has been dysfunctional and absent from so many other matters of core governmental concern, this letter smacks of unbridled political grandstanding.

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Business is business, but Kroger Corporate is smarmy. It appears they intend to destroy or adversely affect local businesses just to keep out potential competition. To me, this shows a lack of concern for their loyal shoppers and residents of Peachtree City. (I don’t have a problem with Goodwill in PTC, just not there.) I am sure that I am just one of many people who will no longer shop at Kroger if they continue with their plans to sublease to Goodwill. Ironically, in this situation, Kroger would probably retain a larger customer base by allowing competition to come in. As a related item, the closest school to the Little Kroger is J.C. Booth Middle School. The following fact was recently reported: “With more than 1,000 schools participating in the Kroger Earning Plus Learning program in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee, J.C. Booth Middle School in Peachtree City, GA took top honors as the school with the most Kroger Plus Card links for the ‘06/’07 school year.” Kroger awarded Booth a lot of money, but only because a lot of Booth parents spent a lot of money at Kroger. If parents quit shopping at Kroger it could also impact our local schools. I emailed Kroger about my concerns with subleasing to Goodwill at that particular location. I received an automated response that I would hear something in 24-48 hours. It has now been over 72 hours and no response. I called Kroger Corporate today (9/14) and left my message with a typical corporate relations stooge who offered no information, other than to tell me there were two other Krogers close by, information which I already know, but may not need in the near future.

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To the writer who said, “There is some kind of thrift store next to Big Lots in Fayetteville,” I am pleased to tell you that store, The Fayette Thrift Shop, is run by hard-working, dedicated volunteers and gives half of the proceeds raised to Promise Place, the Fayette Council on Domestic Violence, and the other half to Fayette Youth Protection Home.

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