But kids don't need to be drinking until 2am!

Obama's weapon of Choice!

i didn't say kids should be drinking till 2am. Most kids around here aren't old enough to drink. All I was saying is that people like me, who do go out and have fun every once in awhile but who knows when to stop and get a cab, should be aloud to stay and drink closer to home instead of going to Atlanta or Coweta County. All I was trying to say is I would rather ADULTS drink closer to home then going to Coweta County and drinking till 2am and then driving back here to PTC home.

Municipalities and societies set up rules and laws by which to govern. They can be restrictive or free depending upon the laws established under the aegis of a constitutional framework. A society then conducts business under that framework. As long as the framework is predictive and legal, then all is good. In a capitalistic society, businesses will adapt with the times or meet needs in areas where the rules allow them to meet the needs.

The issue today is that on a national level, the constitutional framework has evolved in unpredictive ways. Now we are nationalizing businesses and the commerce clause has been defined to basically make your drinking times moot. The Feds can be determined to enact national policy on something as trivial as this if they choose to do so.

In short, I can rejoice, or lament, at this city council action and feel strongly that capitalism has nothing to do with this. A spurious leap for you to make, Secret Squirrel

The police dept has to patrol on Saturday nights reguardless of when local bars close. Because even if local bars close at midnight PTC residents will still go to bars else where and then drive home to PTC. So how would law enforcement be effected either way?

To answer your question I have to give a bit more information.

Currently there is no mandatory closing time during the week but most close by midnight anyway.

Chief Clark stated no foreseeable additional patrols would be necessary. I trust his opinion.

One problem for me, on this issue, was the Mayor made no contact, with at least some other Council Members, before he met and negotiated with the owners to arrive at the 2:00 AM closing, Monday through Saturday nights. He had no idea of our opinions on this matter.

Another problem was calling this a negotiated compromise. Council has no need to compromise. We can put a time cap on any day any time we want. We do not have to give up something in return.

That bothers me because we have heard the same compromise talk about developments, etc.

We heard some talk in that direction on a sign variance request, last night, as well. So I made a strongly worded motion to deny that carried 5-0.

Sure, I don't want to anger or frustrate any property owner, developer or business. But I don't want to give up our Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Plan, Village Concept, quality of life, etc. to appease them either.

Finally, the Mayor could have seconded the motion. He didn't. Was that non support of something he negotiated or knowing that not getting someone else to second it means it would have been a 2-3 loss?

Getting more revenue to the City off of things like this is not a motivator for me. For some, yes it is. But not for all of us.

I agree it is time to deal with the consequences of drugs, etc. The talk of closing early resulting in binge drinking before closing, lining up drinks to keep drinking after serving ends and leaving early to keep drinking in Senoia and Coweta were disturbing to me.

Keeping them local to keep them off the road driving back didn't inspire me either.

I don't want that kind of PTC.

Don Haddix
PTC Councilman
Post 1
donhaddix.com

What is PTC noise ordinance? Living in the area of these bars we can hear the thumping until close. If these bars were to stay open till 2am that would make it worse for the families that live in the area and can already hear the music.

I don't want to miss any of the pertinent sections under Article X, so please ask your specific questions at info@peachtree-city.org. Betsy will get with David or Tony to give you that data.

Don Haddix
PTC Councilman
Post 1
donhaddix.com

Don Haddix,

Thanks for the additional info. I fear though, that I cannot agree with Chief Clark (or you) on the issue of no additional personel. Common sense tells us that if people are seeking places to drink longer into the morning hours, then auto accidents, altercations, and even the birthrate (LOL) are going to increase. Recent events have shown us that most of the problems (including deaths), are caused by out of town/county drinking visitors to PTC. One has but to read the Coweta/Newnan crime reports to understand that later bar closings, and the resulting shift of the late night boozing crowd, would indeed be an impact on PTC's quality of life and indeed on law inforcement resources. I and my business have been the victim of selective and deliberate inaction by law enforcement, therefore I fear that the Chief's assessment is more politically motivated than realistic.

If the midnight closing time is indeed voluntary during the work week, then I applaud the business integrety of the bar owners. I then must ask our "illustrious" Mayor the question; "Logsdon, what kind of dimwitted game are you playing this time?"

I believe the idea behind the statement was these areas are already patrolled more than some others. So, the add has already occurred.

After the Council Meeting I asked some follow up questions for which the Chief is processing answers.

Don Haddix
PTC Councilman
Post 1
donhaddix.com

Exactly why the proposal to extend bar hours was brought to the fore, we'll probably never know for sure. While many of Peachtree City folks choose to imbibe from time to time, they(we) did not choose to locate here based upon bar availability. We chose to live here because of the family friendly atmosphere whereby we can raise our children relatively protected from ills of society.

The extension of bar hours does nothing to enhance our quality of life, brings very little to the table in the form of revenue, and sets the stage for further drains upon city resources. The motion was ill advised in my opinion, and demonstrates just how out of touch with their constituency some on Council are.

Mr King,

I don't agree with you at all about this subject. bar life does bring revenue for the city. if it wasn't for patrons going into the bars to spend money on that alcohol then there wouldn't be all of these restaurants and businesses coming here. Second, while I agree with protecting children from society, you can't protect them forever with what goes on around them. That is unrealistic. Kids cannot grow up thinking that the world is all peachy, because IT IS NOT. Protecting them too much they won't be able to protect themselves when they get older and won't know how to handle different situations that is thrown at them. Teen pregnacy happens, shootings happen, CRIMES HAPPEN. And before you ask, NO i don't have children, but I do know that kids know more than their parents think they know and do more than what their parents think they do.

Obviously we are in significant stages of life, so please, no lectures on child rearing until you have some experience. Never did I say that revenue was not derived from alcohol sales, only that the extension of bar hours is not worth the resources that would have to be expended.

In retrospect, I appreciate the fact that you voice an opinion, but do not loose sight that others may differ.

So let it happen in Coweta County. Peachtree City is not a late night town - never has been.