Something stinks. When the Peachtree City manager is arrested for DUI while driving his golf cart after a concert at the city-owned amphitheater and the number two- and number three-ranking officers are both on duty on a weekend night, someone is on a witch hunt. My instinct says that after a couple of years on the job, the city manager was finally ready to make some much needed changes at the Peachtree City Police Department. The police probably wanted to make sure the city manager lost his job (hang in there, Bernie) before the top brass were to lose their jobs.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Coincidence? On Oct. 18, 2005, a scathing letter to the editor in this newspaper outlined events at the air show involving Major DuPree and Commander Pye. Commander Pye reportedly left his service revolver unattended in his golf cart. When the witness contacted Major DuPree she was scorned by him for bringing this to his attention. Remarkably, they still have their jobs with the Peachtree City Police Department. Their mistakes apparently were overlooked by the city manager and the mayor and council members. They were both involved with the arrest of the city manager. I hope the mayor and council members remember complaints brought against these two Police Department employees when considering the fate of the city manager.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Peachtree City Council scorecard: D-minus. One-hundred-twenty railroad car access constructed, TDK is still not built or any further along, Wal-Mart bridge is still not operational, approving higher zoning density. Pro annexation, pro developer, 4.7 percent property tax increase.

----------------------------------------------------------------

The Peachtree City Council is asleep at the wheel. How can someone construct a 125-car railroad parking lot and the mayor not be aware of it? What types of chemicals will be on those cars once they’re parked there? This would not have happened under Steve Brown’s watch. Heck, Steve would have had them convert it to an access road for the Centennial homeowners. Now CSX plans to eliminate the railroad crossing at the old Comcast site, effectively closing that opportunity for a road access. Yes, asleep at the wheel. The latest brainchild is a 5 percent tax increase. Yep, not a decrease as promised, but a tax increase. Higher density, approved annexations, not adhering to the land use plan, broken promises and asleep at the wheel with the cruise control on – good grief. I never wondered who the last council was fighting for, but this bunch – just asleep and out of touch.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Peachtree City intends to raise taxes again. Both ways this time: the mill rate will increase and so will the home values. Sounds like about a 6 percent increase over last year’s spending to me. Where are these local conservatives who say no tax increases; no adding to the government; no more going into debt; no more crooks; no more illegal immigration? But wait ‘til the crops are in (2040 maybe?). These family oriented people who have three divorces and three sets of kids, where are they now that we need them? Never in my nearly 80 years have I seen so many positive speaking jockeys who feel anything goes if one doesn’t get caught.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Wait just a minute. We in Peachtree City spend millions of dollars purchasing and repairing a dying sewer system and the housing developers in Senoia are going to get a cut rate? Dar Thompson would have made a much better mayor than Harold Logsdon. Mayor Logsdon’s claims of leadership ability and financial prowess were pure folly. He belongs in the circus.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Did the developers in Coweta County buy Harold Logsdon or are they just leasing him?

----------------------------------------------------------------

Tyrone: The whining noise I keep hearing reminds me of Barbara Boxer, Ted Kennedy and moveon.org in the way that they take a lie, add a big dose of negative spin, and keep throwing it against the wall hoping that it will get some traction. Sort of reminds me of the Wieland/Lee supposed fiasco. The John Wieland Company is hugely successful because it is a good neighbor, sells a competitively priced product and is not stupid. Wieland is smart enough to only pick fights that they know can be won in the courts. If they feel they can win they will go toe to toe with any sized city. As to our situation Wieland felt that they had negotiated with the city in good faith to no avail and then indicated that litigation was a possibility. Due to Wieland’s resources, patience and their lawyers, they excel in the court of law. If litigation continues it can put a terrible burden on the budget of a town of our size. Because of Mayor Lee’s experience she did not feel that she should waste lawyers fees on a lose-lose situation. In the end she saved the city a ton of money and looked out for the citizens of Tyrone. Do you not find it very curious that at about the time our two newest council members showed up on the radar that the negative rhetoric and the confrontational air in town greatly increased? Do you not also find it even more curious that the nameless, faceless organization called The Neighborhood Alliance showed on radar at about the same time? This all gives rise to the thought that maybe all these negative blogs and articles are being placed by someone trying to build political capital to feed a self-serving desire to attain power in our town’s government. This could be pointing towards our next mayoral election and we could be saddled with an egotistical grandstanding new mayor who would not have the best interest of the citizens in mind. Stay alert and don’t be mislead by all the negativity.

----------------------------------------------------------------

“Record Budget Nears Approval” reads The Citizen headline for Tyrone. Unbelievable. Tyrone is having budget problems so what do they do? Cut wasteful spending? No. They (1) raise taxes and (2) spend savings. The reserve fund is for a contingent, unanticipated problem and not to pay your monthly bills. That would be like you and me using our savings to pay our bills. Except we would just buy a smaller house or cut expenses. Tyrone should do the same with a City Hall staff with assistants this and that all over the place. Come on people, this is a small town, not Atlanta.

----------------------------------------------------------------

In the 5/31/06 edition of The Citizen, the police blotter lists 10 people with Hispanic surnames. Of these, seven were arrested for driving without a license. The previous week six out of seven were arrested for driving without a license. And we want to give these people American citizenship?

----------------------------------------------------------------

I have kept my opinions to myself up until now. After reading several comments concerning athletics (specifically baseball) over at McIntosh High School, I felt that it was time for me to put in my 2 cents. I truly wonder, what is going on over there? Let’s step back and see what has transpired over this past school year: First, they fire the head football coach, a man of extreme integrity and class. Now here is a coach that had turned the football program completely around (anyone who has kept up with McIntosh football over the years knows this fact). In addition, unlike what has occurred on the baseball diamond, he kept his players in check. I know, I saw with my own eyes. The last game of the season, he kept a potentially ugly situation from happening. Frustrations were running high, especially with our seniors, but he kept our boys and the situation from getting out of hand. I even hear that the way they fired him was dirty. I mean, they call him in two days after the football banquet, right before Christmas holidays, and without any warning to tell him he was no longer wanted. The coach didn’t even know they had a problem with him or his program (sounded totally unprofessional from a leadership/management point of view; not to mention sounded like someone had an agenda and wanted their people in key positions). We in the business world know that strategy. Then, they don’t even give the job to the number 2 guy. Another man of integrity who had been there for years, through thick and thin, working hard to help turn the program around. Heard they did him dirty, too. He wasn’t even in the top running, just got a courtesy interview. Yet, the baseball team is allowed to act in such a classless way? The players and coach go unchecked? What gives with the administration over there? Leadership does start at the top. They got a new AD this past year. Supposedly, he used to be a baseball coach (I mean, his former school did retire his jersey). You would think that he would know what is/is not appropriate behavior. I guess he doesn’t, he was one of the ones that fired the head football coach. I am just glad we are out of there. Don’t think my graduate will be attending any future homecomings.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Mail is what the U.S. Postal Service puts in your mail box that you pay postage on. Citizens opening your mail box and putting advertisements in it without paying postage is not mail. It is a federal offense for them to open your mail box. When they do this and linger like they are looking at your mail, this is very suspicious. That is what the 911 call was about. We have good dispatchers and law enforcement. So “Windy City” Retired Cop, you don’t have to be a cop to own and listen to a scanner. If you listened to yours a little more frequently as I do mine, you would know crooks do steal mail out of mail boxes. Please take a refresher course on your 10-signals; maybe then your can get your facts straight next time.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Above the law? Wednesday morning I saw a Fayette County Sheriff Jeep (L.P. #155473) going about 55 mph on Ga. Highway 54 East heading out of PTC, but still in city limits. The speed limit is clearly posted at 45 mph along that stretch. The vehicle did not have any sirens or lights on. Thanks for leading by example.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thumbs down to gas-buyers who are rude to the cashier/clerk because you are frustrated with the price of gas. Calm down and take a look at that clerk. Does he or she look like the CEO of a gas company? Or do they look like a working stiff, who is probably getting paid way too little to put up with your abuse?