Though he is barely out of

office, former Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox is being criticized for

personally funding $4,000 in advertisements and pamphlets urging voters

to approve projects on the city's bond referenda back in November.

City Councilman Dan Tennant

told The Citizen Monday that he felt Lenox should have "at least

made his financial contributions to the cause public before the election,

in the spirit of openness in our city government." Tennant claimed

Lenox "secretly" funded the public relations blitz for the committee

supporting the bond referenda.

Lenox countered that the information

indicating his contribution was filed on a record available to the public

"and I could have hidden it if I had chosen to."

"I'm damn proud of having

put down the money for that," Lenox said, adding that he felt it

was a mistake for voters to shoot down the items on the bond referendum

that would have purchased Braelinn Baptist Church for use as a community

center, renovated the Drake Field area, and added playgrounds and picnic

shelters.

"I'm perfectly willing

to put my money where my mouth is," Lenox said, adding that he doesn't

expect to be paid back at all, even though committee members are still

promising to raise the money to repay him.

Although the campaign disclosure

form does not list Lenox's contribution as a loan, the former mayor said

that's because he told committee chairman Tate Godfrey that he would rather

it be listed as a contribution.

"I lent the money to the

campaign committee because I felt strongly about the bond issue,"

Lenox said.

The campaign disclosure report

for the PTC 2001 Bond Approval Committee was filed Dec. 31 in accordance

with state election laws. The $4,097.53 attributed to Lenox was listed

as an in-kind donation.

Lenox said the committee had

failed to raise funds to pay for the promotional material by the time

they were needed, so he decided to pitch in.

The contribution came after

Oct. 25, the last date for filing a campaign disclosure form before the

election. The report was filed timely by the next reporting deadline of

Dec. 31, according to records.

From the moment he presented

the idea for the bond referendum, Lenox never claimed to be neutral on

the issue. He spoke about the benefits the projects would have for the

city at several council meetings, and he advocated supporting the bond

projects after others withdrew their support after the economic downturn

experienced after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11.

Lenox served with a number

of citizens on a committee to support the bond items and help promote

the issue before the General Election in November.

When the time came for the

committee to pay for advertisements and mail brochures, no money had been

raised, Lenox said. So the then-mayor decided to front the money, and

members of the bond committee told him they would raise funds to pay him

back.

Tennant also criticized the

fact that the brochures indicated the bond projects had the full support

of the Peachtree City Council. But Lenox referred