The annual Peachtree City Council retreat held Jan. 9 had council members reviewing a long list of goals established at the 2014 retreat a year ago and establishing an equally long list of goals for 2015.
City Manager Jim Pennington at the beginning of the retreat emphasized that, especially where goals were concerned, that the idea was to look back and look ahead.
“This is a meeting for talking about the city in general, not about specific departments,” said Pennington, noting that his role at the meeting was that of moderator and not as city manager.
The council reviewed the 25 goals for 2014, with Pennington noting that 11 of those goals had been met. The remaining 14 goals from last year are ongoing and were joined to another 18 goals identified at the retreat.
Pennington will combine all the goals and submit them to the council. Council will be asked to vote on the goals using a 1-5 rating system. Pennington will tally the results and return the prioritized list to the council for review.
One of the new goals, and one with multiple moving parts including a number of goals from 2014, calls for reviewing and prioritizing the multi-use cart path plan. A sampling of other goals for 2015 include an inventory of the sewer lines still owned by the city with the idea of turning them over to the city’s water and sewer authority, reviewing the city’s organizational structure, discuss and review the employee benefit plan, consider a plan for Battery Way dock and Snake Island on Lake Peachtree, discuss potential plans for the large city-owned area around city hall, schedule a review of the prior year’s budget in November since the fiscal year end on Sept. 30, follow-up on the Tinsley Mill lagoon and silt collector, review the fine structure in city court, revisit the potential for establishing a roadway to the Line Creek shopping center, revisit extending the right-turn lane at Planterra and Ga. Highway 54 West, discuss how the film location coordinator could be better assisted since it is requiring additional time to accomplish, review the process of appointments to commissions and authorities, review stormwater bond usage and long-term projections, review the role of the City Council during emergencies and analyze the need for a Tax Allocation District (TAD).
It was noteworthy that the bulk of the goals for 2015 came from Councilman Eric Imker.
Goals continued from 2014 include determining the best method for maintaining city grounds, engage in the countywide visioning initiative, upgrade the Battery Way dock infrastructure, dredge Lake Peachtree, revise authority bylaws, develop a long-term plan for the City Hall complex, create a policy for subdivision sign maintenance and replacement, review and update the city charter, evaluate plans for expanding transportation options for seniors and obtain more information on the pros and cons of backyard hens.
Goals that were met during 2014 included the employee pay and classification study, a workshop on the annexation program, the traffic study on Hwy. 54 West, an update of the cart path master plan, meetings with the Ga. Dept. of Transportation on traffic concerns along Hwy. 54 West, the repair of scoreboards at Meade Field, the revision of the ethics ordinance, the feasibility of updating village signage, expanding the community garden and expanding Keep Peachtree City Beautiful to include collection of all outdoor city trash receptacles.
Also at the meeting, the council agreed to continue with the three value statements adopted last year. Those include:
• Continue to honor the different roles and responsibilities of the council and manager. Be clear in your expectations of one another.
• Continue to build trust and confidence in one another through open, honest and civil communications. You are a team and must be able to depend upon one another.
• Focus on the big picture and develop a vision for your community. Make plans to turn your vision into a reality. Continue to conduct annual planning and goal-setting meetings to monitor your progress and establish new goals.
Pennington during the discussion stressed the importance of setting and living those values.
Pennington also noted, as suggested by Councilwoman Kim Learnard, that staff and council should beef up written communications.
Pennington also noted a comment by Mayor Vanessa Fleisch that council meetings should not be used as a campaign forum.
