I wanted to take a moment to

respond to several issues that have surfaced in recent weeks in The Citizen

newspaper, and to a few issues that were presented in mayoral campaign

literature that I feel constitute a misrepresentation of the facts. I'm

sending these comments to the newspaper because the letters to the editor

section exists specifically as a conduit of public opinion and discourse,

and many people who take the time to read campaign literature also tend

to follow local news and opinion in the newspaper.

I am in possession of a campaign

flyer written by, or on behalf of, candidate Gary Rower who is in a runoff

with Steve Brown for the mayoral seat in Peachtree City. There is a glaring

claim that I specifically take issue with for its factual content. The

pamphlet states, "Mr. Brown claims that he 'proposed the creation

of a "Big Box Ordinance.'" Mr. Rower's campaign flyer goes on

to state, "The ordinance was actually proposed by Councilwoman McMenamin

and written by the city staff."

Believing, at the barest minimum,

the semantics of Mr. Rower's statement to be false, I requested a copy

of the Nov. 2, 2000, Peachtree City City Council meeting minutes to check

my recollection of the facts. I encourage any and all interested citizens

to do the same.

The minutes address in detail

that Steve Brown did in fact approach Carol Fritz and Dr. Bob Brooks about

the Big Box Ordinance; both Council members attest to that fact in the

meeting minutes. The statements concerning Steve Brown's interaction with

Council member Annie McMenamin are a little more difficult to discern.

Since the meeting minutes contain no quotation marks, and the meetings

are not televised, which would make it easier for local residents to attend

to the business of multiple municipal bodies and still attend to the business

of their own children and families, it is unclear whether Steve Brown

is recalling conversations he had with Annie McMenamin or if Annie herself

is recalling the events.

What is crystal clear, though,

in the course of the entire Nov. 2 minutes is why so many citizens of

Peachtree City feel disenfranchised by the current city government administration.

Mrs. McMenamin may have been the first to ask city staff to address the

creation of an ordinance, but it seems the idea of creating an ordinance

prohibiting the development of additional big box retail establishments

after the Wal-Mart and Home Depot debacle was indeed Steve Brown's.

Steve Brown states in the minutes

that Council member Fritz asked him, "Why he did not start his mail-out

effort [mailers sent to city residents asking them to state their preferences

about big box retail establishment] sooner," meaning if Steve Brown

had gone about council's business a year earlier, perhaps we could have

avoided the Wal-Mart and Home Depot developments. Mrs. Fritz made essentially

the same statement to me at a Republican party rally prior to the November

2000 election.

So which is it? I've heard

so much criticism about Steve Brown's involvement in city affairs, and

yet, for me, Steve Brown represents my views across the board. And would

you want a candidate who is not involved?

Why can't Mr. Rower simply

state his qualifications for office? Why must he attempt to devalue Steve

Brown's qualifications? To me, that represents a candidate who hasn't

much else to say.

Mr. Rower criticizes Steve

Brown for taking classes on municipal processes and for attending meetings

of community and regional interest. Why? Never before have I met a candidate

who so has so broadly attempted to prepare himself for all facets of elected

work. Never before have I met a candidate who so consistently attempts

to assess the opinions and desires of a constituency.

[Brown] knows the issues; he's

been in attendance regularly for several years at not only city council

meetings, but commission meetings, planning commission meetings, as well

as some school board meetings. How can anyone be critical of that?

As for the repeated allegation

of "drawbridge mentality" leveled at "less than five-year

residents," here's a little part of the story you long-timers don't

know. Nearly all of us "less than five-year residents" were

marketed a planned community that was at 95-percent build-out.

We were told that the only

property left to develop was some office industrial property, and some

very high end single family residential lots.

For some of you who have lived

here so long, perhaps it takes a turn in the Lawrencevilles, Mariettas,

Alpharettas, and Norcrosses of the region for you to fully comprehend

what you are on the verge of living in on a daily basis. We may have been

stupid for believing the build-out lie, but we weren't the ones who told

it.

Steve Brown represents many

in Peachtree City who came here believing the dream that was marketed

to us. He also represents the best chance we have of sustaining that dream.

It is not too late. It can still be our reality.

I guess if longtime residents

were told there would be 85,000 residents at build-out, they are understandably

ecstatic.

[Amy Riley writes occasional

columns for The Citizen. She may be reached at AmyRileyOpEd @aol.com .]