Wellman: We must prepare for Wal-Mart, Home Depot in PTC

Wellman: We

must prepare for Wal-Mart, Home Depot in PTC

I wrote to this paper two weeks

ago about the tone of the debate in Peachtree City and my belief that

it is the true cornerstone issue we face. I have been gratified to hear

from so many citizens who agree with me and have offered their support

in the face of more examples of the same smearing and attacks. Today I

wanted to address the second issue we need to consider as the election

approaches: The coming arrival of Wal-Mart and Home Depot and the effect

they will have on the small business economic landscape of our city.

I believe wholeheartedly that

small business is the true fabric and backbone of a city. These businesses

are our friends and neighbors. They support the community in too many

ways to count, from creating employment opportunities to providing thousands

of dollars in charitable support to our schools, civic organizations and

community efforts. Without a rich small business community, our town would

lose its vitality and become nothing more than one more slice of faceless

"Generica."

There have been hundreds of

discussions about the coming of Wal-Mart and Home Depot, focused on stopping

them or pointing fingers. It is time to face reality and begin preparing

for their arrival. We cannot afford to throw our hands in the air and

accept the doom and gloom predictions of failing businesses and economic

ruin.

Through West Point, Ranger

school and as an Aeroscout in the Gulf War, I learned first hand that

good leaders have a plan. Today as a professional project manager, I constantly

tell my clients that we must build a comprehensive plan to succeed. The

bottom line for our city is the same; we must have a total plan for dealing

with the economic changes we face.

The Chamber of Commerce and

Fayette Development Authority are already putting together an admirable

program to address the needs of our small businesses. I believe the missing

piece is a coordinated agenda tying together the many ideas and experiences

available to us in our community with the best minds of the economic development

community and our governmental leaders.

If you elect me mayor, I will

immediately partner with our own Development Authority, the Fayette Chamber

of Commerce, the Fayette Development Authority and our business owners

to host an economic summit meeting. Together we will examine the issues

associated with the changes we face and how other communities have succeeded

in similar circumstances. We will craft a plan and move forward as a community.

Once in office I will join

with the Peachtree City Development Authority and business owners to host

periodic free evening meetings of a new Peachtree City Small Business

Roundtable. Through this organization our business community will get

the opportunity to talk directly to their elected and appointed officials

and address their concerns and issues in a positive, open atmosphere.

Together we can help ourselves

and thrive. If we work as a community and support our local businesses

they will succeed and we will be better for it. It all comes down to one

belief that "United we stand, divided we fall."

Fred Wellman

Peachtree City

[email protected]

[Wellman is an announced

candidate for mayor of Peachtree City. The Citizen welcomes letters from

candidates for all local offices and from citizens commenting on the candidates

and issues raised. We will print the letters from candidates and a representative

sampling of others subject to standard editing practices for length and

conformity to libel laws, until the week before the election.]