Much of the

Peachtree City Development Authority's work involves the administration

of the city's tennis center and amphitheater.

The authority

is charged with overseeing the operation of both facilities. But recently,

concern has developed about whether the authority has focused too much

on those operations and strayed from attracting industries and businesses

to Peachtree City.

At last week's

Development Authority meeting, Doug Warner suggested having a meeting

solely to focus on how industries are recruited for Peachtree City, which

has the largest industrial park in the county. After brief discussion,

the authority decided to conduct the meeting after results come back from

a study being performed by Georgia Tech that will analyze economic development

in the area.

Development

Authority member Tate Godfrey suggested the meeting be conducted jointly

with the Fayette County Development Authority, which has taken over much

industrial recruitment under the head of its director, Chris Clark.

It was also

pointed out that Godfrey's chief role at Pathway Communities is finding

industrial recruits.

"Economic

development tends to be a staff activity," said authority member

Tom Farr.

Representatives

of industries and businesses who visit the area to scout a potential location

prefer to keep their identities cloaked in secrecy, authority members

say. Although Godfrey hosts some of those groups, he has said even he

often isn't told the name of the company.

One of the

top tools used by the county's development authority in recruiting industry

is on the Internet. The authority's Web site provides raw data and other

useful information about Fayette County and Peachtree City to gain interest

from industries and businesses considering moving here, Godfrey has said

in the past.

In other business

at the meeting, the authority discussed the draft version of its by-laws

and operating procedures. Authority member Scott Bradshaw put the information

together, along with a policies and procedures manual for the tennis center

and amphitheater.

The documents

were briefly discussed, but no formal action was taken. They will be brought

up at the authority's next meeting, scheduled for Monday, June 18.

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