Last Thursday's meeting

of the Peachtree City Council was described afterward as a "big group

hug" by some attendees. Given the contentious mood that's dominated

city government in recent months, that assessment wasn't far off

the mark.

The "feel good" council

meeting of the year opened with a long and well-deserved salute to the

city's Police Department, which recently earned re-accreditation

from the international board that evaluates the effectiveness of law enforcement

agencies.

With a packed audience listening

and more than two dozen of Peachtree City's sworn officers lining

the back walls, Chief James Murray said he made it a goal of achieving

certification for the force when hired in 1989, and the city became the

142nd in the nation to be recognized in 1992. Re-accreditation came in

1997 and again in 2000, but the 2003 award seemed especially sweet to

Murray.

"Even though it's

been 15 years since we first set down this road, there are still fewer

than 500 departments around the country that are nationally accredited,"

said Murray, who heaped praise on leadership in the department for maintaining

the professionalism that has won the city such recognizition.

Mayor Steve Brown, who accompanied

Murray and City Manager Bernard McMullen to Colorado last month to witness

the final re-accreditation hearing, said he counted 12 mentions of the

word "excellent" when Peachtree City's evaulation came

before the panel.

"It's one thing to

reach the level of accreditation, but it's another to be told you

are the very top, the best in the nation," said Brown.

Sharing the spotlight Dec.

4 were the 35 recent graduates of the Citizen's Police Academy, a

program unique to Peachtree City that puts normal citizens through the

rigors of police training.

"This is what community

policing is all about," said Murray of the program.

In addition, Regions Bank in

Peachtree City showed its appreciation to the department for always keeping

an eye on their employees when ATMs have to be refilled or armored truck

deliveries are made.

When it came time to conduct

official business, the good spirit didn't subside.

The council unanimously adopted

a new city slogan and logo, describing it as "warm," "relaxing"

and "about time," and without hestitation entered an amended

intergovernmental agreement with the Airport Authority that will allow

the agency to borrow more than $350,000 for improvements. Councilman Steve

Rapson praised the authority and Chairman Cathy Nelmes for "always

having a solid long-range plan in place and doing their homework."

In other business, Smokey Bones

Barbecue and Sports Grill was granted its request for a liquor license,

but not before Councilman Annie McMenamin took the opportunity to heap

praise on the company for revitalizing the old Don Pablo's restaurant

instead of building a new one.

"I've always been

pleased when a company comes into town and refurbishes an old building,"

said McMenamin. "And I'm a big fan of barbecue."

A company representative said

the company has 55 restaurants nationwide, and all but five were opened

in renovated spaces.

The Peachtree City Smokey Bones

opens March 3, 2004, he said.