Having previously opined in these pages my personal angst related to empty grassy knolls where there once was a lake and the sense of urgency that I believe needs to attend the planned dredging and repair of the Lake Peachtree dam spillway, one might assume that maximum dredging is also my desire.
To the contrary, I look at the maps offered showing the extra slivers of shoreline that would be dredged with a cost borne by the city citizens and have to say, “No way”!
First off, the cost estimate seems ridiculously high, has way too large a variance and includes way too many “unknowns.”
It is stated that the cost would be impacted by things such as haul routes, damage to infrastructure, dump sites, and environmental permits. What exactly does the estimate of $400,000 – $1.35 million include?
This is like going to a mechanic and being told that you either need a tune-up or a rebuilt engine.
Maybe we should expect a bit more fact gathering and definition before we even call it an estimate. Most of us have been on the planet long enough to know that the final cost given that spread will be at least $1 million. And, given an estimate uncertainty of over 300 percent, why are we even entertaining this?
Looking at the map and the small area to be dredged under city cost vs. the large areas to be dredged by the county, I’m left wondering what is the estimate for that work, $5 million – $25 million?
Since the dredging to be covered by Fayette County will have dump sites, haul routes, environmental permits, and a plan to cover infrastructure damage, why would we pay again for the same items? Since this work would be enjoined to the county paid required dredging, how would we define any infrastructure damage as county-borne cost vs. city-borne?
Given the way that the county covets the pockets of this city, you may assume that PTC will eat it. Is it a surprise to anyone that Fayette County will not ask PTC to pay to be appended to their deal? The county is hoping that we join the fun.
Here’s an idea: how about we gather 10 percent of the PTC population who are willing to volunteer, have us show up on a Saturday with shovels, wheelbarrows, lawn tractors and bobcats and have a day of “Diggin’ Lake Peachtree”?
We could enlist regional landscapers who would haul the dirt to the homes of citizens who wanted it and haul the rest for their own eventual use or sale and they could write off the expense of the activity as charity.
Properly advertised, this story would go national. That makes more sense to me than spending $1 million+ to reduce lake grass and increase the likelihood of a drowning.
Alan Felts
Peachtree City, Ga.
