[EDITOR’S NOTE: Two candidates — Mark Hollums and Mike King, both candidates for Post 2 in the Nov. 6 election — did not submit essays for inclusion in this forum.]

---------

Doug Sturbaum

I am going to take a step off the political trail for a few moments and comment on one of PTC strongest points — The friendliness of the people in our city.

All the issues are on the table, and all the candidates are discussing them in detail, including myself. For a moment, I would like to discuss a humanistic point about our citizens.

People in our city are friendly. When I first moved here, people would always say, “Welcome to Peachtree City,” and “You’ll love it here.” I heard this from neighbors, local businesses, etc. I guess I possessed the “I am new here” look and people picked up on it. I was not used to that coming from Gwinnett County.

As we all know, big cities lose that friendly spirit over time. We have it here in PTC and I appreciate it. There is nothing better than shaking hands with someone and meeting someone new. We should keep that friendly spirit.

It is peaceful in this city. Quiet and a place to call home. It is great to have someone you do not know help you pick up something heavy in a parking lot or just hold a door open for you. This spirit is what makes our city special.

It is wonderful to get out and sit with your neighbors and discuss everything ranging from children’s activities to weekend plans. The friends one can make in this city are just as valuable as family.

It is always good to meet new folks. You never know when the person you meet may help you solve a problem, provide you with wisdom or allow you to assist them in a time of need.

One way to keep the friendliness is community involvement. I coach Little League baseball. I enjoy working with the kids to work on hitting, fielding or just learning the game. This activity allows me to meet new people and be involved with the community. It also allows me to spend time with my children outside our home.

What I would ask each citizen to do is that tomorrow, go out and meet someone new. Shake their hand, introduce yourself and make a new friend.

I am in that position that I spoke to above — I get to say, “Welcome to Peachtree City” to new citizens and I get to tell them, “You will love it here.”

--------

Dar Thompson

My platform is based on the premise that brings all people together because I understand that we are all in this together. I think that the most important task for us as a community is to create a positive tone so that businesses can grow and the economy can bloom. At the same time we need to control growth and preserve our heritage.

It is important that city government doesn’t create obstacles for residents and local businesses. Instead, government should be a partner with its citizens to create constructive change according to the will of the people.

It is equally important that we foster a positive relationship with the county and the state; that we work together with both for the enhancement and prosperity of our city.

We cannot grow nor can we move forward when we focus on negative issues which are not germane to accomplishing positive tasks that provide for the needs of the community.

My approach as a member of city council will be very proactive. I will be more concerned with finding solutions to problems than with who caused the problem.

We will never be able to move forward as a city and a community if local government is more concerned with who’s responsible for the city’s problems rather than searching for the answers. We can’t move forward by continually looking in the rear-view mirror.

I believe that working together to find solutions for the past and present problems we face as a community is a considerably better approach than continually hearing about everything that is wrong, who’s at fault, and who’s to blame.

As the sign on Ronald Reagan’s desk read, “There’s no limit to what a man can accomplish if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” Our city staff and the many citizens who volunteer their time are very capable of carrying on the day-to-day work that keeps this city one of the best places to live in the country.

As a member of city council, I will face challenges with optimism, because optimism gets positive results. I will encourage the mayor, council members, staff, and citizens to do the same.

Dar Thompson

Candidate, City Council Post 2

login to post comments