A single father of four is the first person to throw his hat in the ring for the Peachtree City Council election in November.
George Dienhart, 44, will seek the Post 2 council seat currently held by Doug Sturbaum.
The recent rancor among city council members actually spurred Dienhart to run for office, he said.
“It seems the council is blowing apart at the seams and doesn’t have the capacity to work together,” Dienhart said in an interview. “It’s giving our city a bad name.”
Dienhart, who has written a regular opinion column for The Fayette County News, said he hopes to help provide an independent viewpoint to help council learn to “see eye to eye” on issues.
“They way they’re representing the city makes it impossible to attract businesses which will bring a higher tax base here and keep us from having to raise taxes through the roof,” Dienhart said. “The council and mayor should be presenting an image of the city that should be positive and should be an image that makes businesses want to move here. … Right now we don’t have that. We’re ripping each other to shreds.”
Dienhart has lived in Peachtree City for about four years and currently resides in the Robinson Woods Estates subdivision.
In addition to the current animosity among council, Dienhart also cited his disagreement with the way council handled the recent firing of Leisure Services Director Randy Gaddo. He decried the fact that council took that action “without any input from the citizens of this city” in addition to lacking a plan to effectively run the recreation department.
Dienhart also announced that Gaddo has endorsed his bid for office, which Dienhart considers “an honor.”
Dienhart also said he feels the city made a mistake in getting rid of the fire department’s dive team, since there are two lakes already in the city and a third is under construction.
Dienhart was the founder and first commandant of the area’s Marine Corps League Detachment. He also has coached youth football and been a lay director at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City.
In his campaign announcement speech, Dienhart implored city residents to “spread the word that we can have a city government that is fiscally responsible, yet does not cut the parks and amenities that we have enjoyed for so long.”
“We can have a city council that says no to massive new tax increases. We can have a city government that has not become a laughing stock, statewide. This city needs responsible leadership, and it needs it now.”
Dienhart also spoke of bringing back a “culture of respect” between the council and city employees, other governments and its constituents.
“That partnership between the people and the government is the single most important aspect of local government,” Dienhart said. “In Peachtree City, that partnership is broken.”
