As proof of city government's

ability to run the gamut of issues, the Peachtree City Council is scheduled

to vote on a "pooper scooper" ordinance and a $4.55 million

loan program to build or improve several city facilities at its meeting

Thursday night.

The proposed ordinance would

require all pet owners to immediately clean up deposits left by pets in

city parks and on city athletic fields. It also would ban animals from

all tennis and outdoor basketball courts unless special permission is

granted by the Recreation Department.

Recreation employees have tried

to work with pet owners on the issue, but many times requests have fallen

on deaf ears, according to Randy Gaddo, the city's director of leisure

services.

Of the $4.55 million the city

is seeking through the Bricks and Mortar funding program, $2.5 million

will be used to build the final phase of the city's tennis center, which

includes covered courts for play in inclement weather and an administrative

building.

The tennis center expansion

is being funded solely with money from the increased hotel-motel tax,

so local property owners aren't footing the bill, city officials said.

Other pricey projects in that

loan program include improvements to the Neely Fire Station ($427,175),

a new smoke and burn training facility ($394,200), renovations at the

public works building ($234,532), a satellite auto shop facility ($228,750),

improvements to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater ($200,000) and renovations

at City Hall ($148,157).

The majority of the projects

will be funded for the 2002 fiscal year, although $268,000 was put off

until 2003 and another $613,282 was put off until 2004.

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