One of the most prominent reasons I felt compelled to run for Peachtree City Council was to bring about a greater sense of cooperation.

The political climate in our city has grown increasingly accusatory and vitriolic over the last several years and it has done more than engender finger-pointing: it has impaired efforts to solve many of the issues affecting Peachtree City’s residents.

From the TDK extension, the Recreation Authority, annexation, or the traffic debacle of the West 54 Corridor, the lack of cooperation and consensus among our officials has caused many of these projects to carry on much longer than they should have. And that has been to the detriment of Peachtree City’s citizens as well as local businesses.

Too often in politics, we hear that candidates want to make a change and be identified as being outside the current structure. And yet, also as often, we see business as usual after the election.

My proposal to my fellow Peachtree City residents is that it’s time for a new change; a change that is divergent from the growing in-fighting among our representatives; a change that finally brings a fresh, new voice to our community, a voice that speaks on behalf of Peachtree City’s people.

I believe the greatest challenge our community faces is ensuring that our infrastructure is in place to support what Peachtree City has developed into. We can easily see all the amenities that make our way of life so desirable; however, we can also see there was a lack of planning and support for the necessary infrastructure changes to support that growth.

Instead of being able to focus our resources and efforts on roads, cart paths and responsible zoning issues, the city is facing lawsuits and infighting stemming from conflicts over territoriality about things like the Tennis Center and TDK Extension.

It’s time to say more than, “We need a change.” It’s time to give the citizens of Peachtree City more than lip-service about serving their best interests.

I will never betray the fact that my constituency is the people of Peachtree City and not “inside” interests in city government.

So I ask everyone to work with me, for a Peachtree City that serves all its citizens and not just a few. I ask you to join with me for a Peachtree City future as spirited and responsible as its people. I ask you to lead.

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