The "real

story" behind the contract scandal in Peachtree City comes down to

a by-the-book interpretation of a motion the City Council unanimously

approved at its June 7 council meeting last year.

Councilmen

Steve Rapson and Dan Tennant contend the contracts they voted to have

former Mayor Bob Lenox sign with the development and airport authorities

were significantly different from the one they approved. Rapson and Tennant

point to the version of the document in their "council books,"

the binder of information given to each council member the Friday preceding

the Thursday meetings.

The "books"

contain information on topics council will consider at the meeting so

council members have time to review the information and ask questions

of staff if necessary, according to City Clerk Jane Miller.

Rapson and

Tennant contend council did not approve the amended version that was e-mailed

to City Manager Jim Basinger by City Attorney Rick Lindsey.

But the amended

version of the contracts were also given to each council member at the

June 7 meeting in a packet that was left on the dais, city officials confirmed.

This is a routine occurrence since information on agenda items can change

in the six days between the time council members get their books and the

meeting occurs, Miller said.

Sometimes when

changes occur, packets of information are delivered to council members

or the info is left in their box for them to pick up, Miller explained.

Rapson said

Wednesday that even if the contracts were changed, no one bothered to

point that out verbally at the council meeting. In any other instance,

Lindsey or City Manager Jim Basinger would have pointed out the changes,

Rapson said.

Normally, when

there is such confusion about a matter, Lindsey is consulted for an opinion

into question, council has decided to hire a special attorney to investigate

the matter.

Mayor Steve

Brown claims a clause in the agreements binds the city to the contract

for 50 years, but there is no official "end" date in either

version of the contracts, which have been reviewed by The Citizen as part

of an open records request.

The change

creating a protest among most of the current City Council members requires

the airport and development authorities to agree to any reduction in hotel-motel

tax funds that the agreement dedicated to them for operating the city's

tennis center, amphitheater and airport.The previous version of the contract

allowed the city to change the funding "at its sole discretion."

Brown contends

that takes away the city's sole control for how tax funds are spent.

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