It wasn’t the most wistful of sendoffs, but Harold Logsdon’s final act as mayor was a review of the successes, and some “disappointments” that marked his four years in office.
Among the highlights were the addition of jobs in the city’s industrial park with the expansion of NCR and Wilden Plastics and the pending construction of the Sany Corporation’s assembly building.
Logsdon said he was also proud of other companies in the industrial park including Alcan, which was named Georgia’s mid-size manufacturer of the year and Aventure Aviation which was named the state’s exporter of the year.
Logsdon also touted council’s efforts in convincing the county to eliminate double-taxing city residents for EMS services since the city rarely uses county EMS. He also cited the settling of the lawsuit over the tennis center loans secured by the city’s development authority.
In the suit Peachtree National Bank was seeking $1.5 million it was owed from various loans. The City Council and the creditors agreed to a $920,000 payoff that was funded by a bond issue that will be paid in full over 10 years. Also funded by the payoff was $206,000 out of $228,000 owed to Foley Design Associates and Group VI for an unpaid balance left by the development authority.
Logsdon also reminded the crowd that under his leadership council added nine police officers, a K-9 unit and expanded patrols of the city’s 90-plus mile golf cart path system. The city also added 18 firefighters during that time frame, allowing for the city’s insurance rating to drop, which will save many residents on their homeowner’s insurance bill.
Logsdon said he also was proud of the city’s Keep Peachtree City Beautiful Program and The Bridge Community Center operated by First Baptist Church. The Bridge allows the city to host some of its recreation programs at its new facility on Willowbend Road.
Other accomplishments cited by Logsdon included:
• Gaining a satellite campus of Clayton State University;
• Peachtree City being named the eighth best place to live in the U.S. by Money Magazine;
• Hosting the annual Dragon Boat Races and International Festival sponsored by the Peachtree City Rotary Club;
• The city becoming the new home for the corporate aircraft operated for Chick-fil-A;
• Updating the city’s comprehensive plan;
• Offering a free class for residents on how the city operates; and
• Connecting the industrial park to the city’s cart path system.
Logsdon also noted some of the disappointments during his term, including the continuing vacancy at the “Baby Kroger” location in the Peachtree Crossings shopping center.
“Hopefully we can get something going back in there,” Logsdon said.
The mayor also lamented the city was unable to stop a Walgreen’s drug store from coming in the future to the current site of the Ruby Tuesday restaurant. That will put it immediately next door to the current Rite-Aid store.
Logsdon’s presentation came at the same meeting that he and outgoing City Council members Steve Boone and Cyndi Plunkett were recognized for their service. Logsdon declined to run for re-election, instead choosing to run for the statewide insurance commissioner office. Boone and Plunkett were soundly defeated in the November municipal election and the subsequent December runoff.
In her closing remarks, Plunkett said she wanted to recognize all the volunteers who help the city “because it couldn’t be done without them.”
Boone reminded the audience that the city gets accolades from all over the state and he particularly lauded city staff as “the best” he has ever had, including his various staffers he worked with in the military.
