Since my opponent dropped out of the race, I requested a series of meetings with the mayor, all members of the City Council and the city manager. The mayor, city manager, and council members Sturbaum, Learnard, and Fleisch responded, and we have an ongoing dialog that will help me benefit from their experience, and become an effective public servant from the beginning of my term.
I’d like to thank them for their time — not all public servants are conscientious enough to help a future colleague.
I have reached out to my future colleagues so I can be well versed on all sides of important issues. One subject of importance is the Development Authority of Peachtree City (DAPC).
Since this topic seems to be on everyone’s mind, I also scheduled another meeting with DAPC Chairman Todd Strickland. Finally meeting Todd in person confirmed for me that there isn’t a person in the world that wants to see a successful Peachtree City more than Todd Strickland. Peachtree City practically oozes from his pores. He is the type of person that deserves a seat at the table when discussing the future of our city.
I had my preconceived notions of what DAPC is and what they do, but I needed to ensure that I was correct in my thoughts. I’d like to share my findings today.
There is one school of thought that believes that DAPC is a redundant appendage. That DAPC is duplicating efforts made by the Fayette County Development Authority, or, worse yet, getting in the way. This is not correct.
They have been very effective and generally have their hands in most development projects in Peachtree City. One example is Sany.
Many people believe that the DAPC had nothing to do with Sany, but in reality DAPC helped resolve a major issue involving impact fees. Impact fees are what the city charges to bring infrastructure to various developments.
In the case with Sany, the way the city charges these fees changed completely between the time that Sany committed to Peachtree City, and the time that the fees were assessed. DAPC stepped in and provided the necessary support, paving the way for Sany and the city to resolve this issue.
DAPC is also the only development authority that is routinely polling area businesses to see what can be done to help them expand their business. These meetings have already resulted in potential expansions as well as opening a channel for future dialog in the coming years.
DAPC also contracted with some of the best and brightest our state has to offer to come up with a 50-year plan for our village centers. These are the shopping centers we all frequent as we go about our day to day lives.
This collaboration with graduate students at Georgia Tech has already been beneficial in helping to bring us the Fresh Market in Glenloch Village. It also may be the key to unlocking our future.
The Georgia Tech plan only covers retail at the village centers, but it may also be the starting point in developing a compressive economic development plan that will help our city grow, while respecting and operating within the village concept.
Unfortunately, this plan has gathered little attention since its release. It should be an important piece in the conversation in how we develop this city over the next 50 years. That conversation is not happening. I intend to start it, right here, and right now.
DAPC Chairman Todd Strickland proposed an annual DAPC economic conference. This conference would include DAPC, the mayor and council, “upstream” development authorities and businesses already located in Peachtree City. The goal of this meeting is to develop a mission, goals, and metrics (how we measure the achievement of our goals). It would include everyone that needs to work together for us to prosper as a city.
In short, the city would be empowering its best and brightest to work together and provide this city with a plan moving forward. This cooperation is key to the economic health of any community.
I have also been talking to Post 1 candidate Steve Allen. He too, understands the importance of this meeting. We both agreed that the village center plan should be presented to the public, as an important first step in bringing about this economic conference.
As part of my effort to ensure that the people of Peachtree City are once again heard and appreciated by the City Council, I would also like to invite the residents of Peachtree City to attend the “Village Centers for the next 50 years” presentation. We’ll be announcing a time and place soon.
Economic development is one of the most important responsibilities of a local government. Right now, no one is coordinating the various pieces needed for our city to be successful. The city has budgeted for an economic development coordinator, but has not clearly defined what he would do, or to whom he should report.
That is part of the larger plan that DAPC should be helping us implement. A government is empowered by those whom it governs to act for its best interests. That includes economic development. This empowerment also includes a responsibility to listen to its citizens.
This initial meeting, and the following conference, will help ensure that your government hears your viewpoint on how it should produce and maintain jobs, fill empty retail and industrial areas, and allow the applicable entities to work together to achieve measurable goals that have a positive impact on this city.
Without the correct metrics in place, each entity involved in economic development is working to its own set of goals. This government must have a measurable and actionable plan for development. These are the first steps. Please join with me in supporting these actions, thereby helping us achieve long term success and healthy growth. Our future as a city may depend on it.
George Dienhart
Peachtree City, Ga.
[Dienhart is the unopposed candidate for the Post 2 spot on the City Council now held by Doug Sturbaum, who did not seek re-election and whose term ends Dec. 31.]
