Since his installation as mayor

in January, Steve Brown has tried his dead-level best to pry this hotel/motel

tax revenue from the DAPC and the Airport Authority. The first ploy was

to suggest that the city create an entertainment authority to manage the

amphitheater, tennis center and other recreational activities. The largest

crowd in the history of City Hall turned out to protest this suggestion

and the idea was voted down.

Afterwards, Steve Brown said

that if the DAPC would help the other recreational activities in town

raise some corporate sponsorships and if the DAPC would concentrate on

his idea of economic development activities, such as improvements to the

Ga. Highway 54 West corridor, then he would support the DAPC and not question

the viability of our mission and funding.

The DAPC has bent over backwards

to accommodate the mayor and council's requests. The DAPC feels that the

proposed improvements to Hwy. 54 West are important but not at the expense

of our ongoing projects and financial commitments. We have met with other

recreational leaders to provide support and organization to their activities

and have held an economic development retreat to consider the suggestions

of City Council. The mayor himself was present at the retreat and participated

in the discussions.

Now, Brown, in a highly questionable

manner, is again trying to pry the hotel/motel funding from both the DAPC

and the Airport Authority. Last Thursday night, Brown implied that the

city attorney, Rick Lindsey, substituted language in the intergovernmental

agreement different from the original version without prior consent of

the city council.

Further Brown, Steve Rapson,

Murray Weed and Dan Tennant voted to hire outside counsel to investigate

this allegation and explore the possibility of having the intergovernmental

agreement voided in court through litigation. Brown conducted this ploy

behind the scenes with apparently no discussion with the city staff, city

attorney, or the two authorities.

The fact is that the city council

was provided with the exact language of the intergovernmental agreement

as was voted on and approved by the council and signed by then-Mayor Bob

Lenox. This is a matter of public record and has been confirmed by three

previous council members who voted on the intergovernmental agreement.

Brown could have known this had he discussed the issue rather than trying

to surreptitiously "investigate" the issue on his own.

Steve Brown has stated in public

that he covets the hotel/motel tax revenues for his own pet projects,

despite the fact that the money is mandated by the state as to its use

and despite the fact that the DAPC has made serious commitments for this

money based on an agreement from the previous city council.

Covetous behavior leads to

dishonesty and Brown has been less than honest with the volunteer members

of the DAPC, with the employees of the DAPC and with the citizens of Peachtree

City.

Brown lead the DAPC to believe

that if we would work with him to accomplish his goals he would support

us in our funding and our mission. The recent actions of Brown and certain

members of council belie their disingenuous concern for recreation and

economic development in our city. The fact is that they covet the hotel/motel

tax dollars and they will stop at nothing to get them.

The sad thing is that Brown

is willing to incur the collateral damage of impugning people's reputations

like Rick Lindsey, causing mental anguish among loyal employees of the

city and the authority, and trying to bankrupt the DAPC and bring down

the success of the amphitheater and tennis center all because he disagrees

with a decision that was unanimously approved by the previous mayor and

council.

As if these actions were not

bad enough, intertwined in all of this is the equal pay lawsuit of Kristi

Rapson against the DAPC. The DAPC maintains that the suit has absolutely

no merit and the Authority will vigorously defend itself in court.

Ms. Rapson's husband, Steve

Rapson, voted last Thursday night to pursue the above described process

of attempting to separate the DAPC from its funding. The DAPC feels that

Mr. Rapson's ethical ability [to] vote on this matter is highly questionable.

It would appear that Councilman Rapson has a vested personal interest

in seeing the DAPC in tough financial condition in order to promote a

quick settlement with his wife's lawsuit rather than expend the substantial

sum that it will take to defend the Authority. This will not work. The

DAPC will extend every effort and incur all necessary costs to defend

itself in this frivolous lawsuit.

The actions of Brown and Rapson

have only strengthened the resolve of the DAPC. We are very proud of our

accomplishments in bringing new industry to our city, providing entertainment

at the amphitheater and bringing world-class tennis operations to our

citizens. We have tried to work with this council to little avail.

Our hope is that the citizens

of Peachtree City will support us in our efforts and let the council know

that covetous and ethically challenged behavior is not how we expect our

city leaders to act.

This letter is submitted by

unanimous action of the DAPC at its regular meeting, Monday, May 20, 2002.

J. Tate Godfrey

Chairman

Development Authority of

Peachtree City