The

homeowners surrounding the site for this construction

were told by the council to trust the church to look

after our best interests. These are the same people who,

while one of the residents was speaking, talked so loudly

among themselves that I could not hear, made many

disparaging remarks about the speaker, and even cursed. I

find it hard to put myself in the hands of a group of

people who have so little regard for anyone who disagrees

with them.

The

residents also suffered at the hands of some of the

council members. Jim Pace labeled our letters as being

"complaining" rather than as communiques in

which we were practicing our right of free speech by

expressing our opinions. Also some of the council members

made jokes which I felt were inappropriate and were at

the expense of the homeowners. When I want comedy, I will

go to a nightclub that specializes in that art form. A

city council meeting should be serious, and its members

should remain on task at all times.

Several

issues that the residents raised were virtually ignored

Robinson Road because of the ensuing 200-plus vehicles

that will be added to the area during phase one of the

project, Mayor Lenox said it was not necessary. But is

Mayor Lenox so knowledgeable in this field that he does

not need to consult an expert?

He also

spoke several times about his living peacefully at the

edge of the Braelinn Baptist parking lot. But was it not

his neighborhood that did not view its existence with a

megachurch as harmonious, filed, and won, a federal law

suit against the church, thus providing the impetus for

its relocating elsewhere?

The

environmental issue was likewise ignored. An expert gave

testimony that the proposed wetlands setback is

inadequate and, that because there is a perennial stream

running through the area that is protected under the

Clean Water Act, the proposed construction is improper.

But his concerns were not explored. And only one sentence

from Carol Fritz was made regarding the protection of the

water system that runs through this property that many

people rely on to supply their wells.

The city

council is charged with protecting the rights of all

community members. I do not feel that they followed this

charge. They brushed aside our position as well as that

of Jim Williams, the person assigned as city planner on

this project. But as the old saying goes, "It isn't

over until the fat lady sings." And, in this matter,

she has only begun to warm up.

Kim

Kendall

Peachtree City

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