As Peachtree City voters head to the polls this week for early voting in the runoff election, both candidates for the Post 2 seat have kept their promise to each other.

Mike King and Doug Sturbaum had agreed to run a clean race with no attacks, instead sticking to the issues at hand. Both men agreed they’ve kept their promise.

They even agree on the main difference between them. King thinks the city’s ordinances are adequate but should be enforced better, while Sturbaum wants to adopt the city’s comprehensive plan as law to give it more teeth.

“That way when a developer comes to the community, they know the law; it’s not opinion,” Sturbaum said.

Sturbaum said the city recently lost a lawsuit clearing the way for a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store on industrially zoned property because the court ruled the city was relying on its opinion instead of city ordinances.

King said he thinks the city’s current development laws and regulations are fine but need to be enforced. King said he feels the current council is “pro-developer,” which is something that needs to be remedied.

“To my knowledge I don’t even know a developer,” King said.

King also commented Monday on new council member Don Haddix’s plans to institute a commercial development moratorium in order to upgrade city ordinances on the issue.

King said such a moratorium could hurt the city’s real estate market, which is its lifeblood, he said.

“Peachtree City does not have a decent track record when it comes to lawsuits,” King added.

Sturbaum said he wants to use state and federal funding to acquire more greenspace and natural habitat to be owned by the city. He also wants to create a mentoring program where seniors mentor high school students, which in turn may encourage some seniors to seek financial aid to go back to college themselves, he added.

As for the tone of their campaigns, King said he thought the effort has been clean and “fun.” Sturbaum said he and King agree on many issues, and said he has nothing bad to say about King at all.

Early voting ends Friday afternoon, as polls will be open today, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both at the Peachtree City Library and also the Fayette County Board of Elections office at the Stonewall government complex in downtown Fayetteville.

Friday is also the last day to mail out absentee ballots to be counted in the race. Polls will also be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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