It was standing room only at Wednesday's meeting of the Peachtree City

Tourism Association but it wasn't a discussion of the Rotary Club of

Peachtree City seeking use of the amphitheater during a 2005 seminar that

brought the crowds out.

The issue was about the pay and classification study of all jobs under the

Tourism Association, meaning all the jobs at the tennis center and amphitheater,

and more specifically, what would happen to the tennis pros that the members

and their families have grown to love.

As association Chairman Steve Rapson explained to the crowd that stretched

outside the doors of the old pro shop at the tennis center, since the association

took over control of the amphitheater and tennis center, all of the employees

were considered interim employees and they had been told this on several

occasions. The goal of the association was to set up management and accounting

principles for both facilities and put financial and personnel controls in

place, something the association had not seen from the preceding management.

The Mercer Group had recently conducted a study which the interim employees

participated in, writing resumes and job descriptions for what their positions

were. In the executive session for Wednesday's meeting, the association

was to begin looking at the study and determining the pay and classification

for those positions. Once completed, all of the jobs would be posted and

the interim employees would have to apply for those jobs. Because employees

would have to essentially re-apply for their jobs, the uncertainty seeped

in and as many in the crowd told the members of the association, morale at

the tennis center was incredibly low.

Both Rapson and Murray Weed, vice chairman of the association, promised

that there would not be mass firings the day after the meeting but neither

would commit that every employee would be re-hired.

"We will make a reasoned, logical management decision," said Weed.

These assurances did little to soothe the nerves of the people in the audience,

who had been hearing rumors of a pro being told to apply for the head pro

position, which is already held by someone, as well as talk of a lack of

communication between staff and new executive director Linda McCarthy. McCarthy

explained that she felt there was good communication between her and staff,

stating that in the four weeks she has been on the job she has either held

or attended several meetings a week with the staff and talked with staff

members throughout the day in impromptu settings.

The citizens still felt that much of the situation, which also included

taking away the pros and their families' benefit of using tennis courts

when open, unless approved by McCarthy, was her fault. But city manager Bernie

McMullen explained that she was enforcing the association's position

and that their limited use could be credited to her as the association had

wanted to cease all benefits until all of the positions were filled on a

permanent basis.

"We had to gain control and stop all the benefits for the time being," said

McMullen, who explained that every time they turned around they found some

other benefit policy they knew nothing about. "If it wasn't in

the personnel policy (meaning the one the association passed in September),

as far as we were concerned, it didn't exist."

The chief concern for the citizens in attendance was that the pros they

or their family used would be either let go or driven from the tennis center.

"This goes beyond tennis," stated Peachtree City resident David

Burnette. "The amount of time all the pros put in with all the groups,

they go above and beyond the call of duty. We trust them."

That was one of many remarks Wednesday night to draw applause from the crowd.

Other members and concerned citizens talked about how much the center was

like a family and several threatened a mass exodus if the pros were not treated

right and were forced to go to other tennis centers.

"We appreciate the hours, dedication and efforts of the tennis pros

here," said McMullen. "But we need to make sure things are done

right and that the pros are treated right. We need to make sure the legal

and fair thing is done for the pros."

The other members of the association agreed with this statement and once

again tried to assure the citizens that they understood their appreciation

of the pros and their concern.

"This facility can't operate without the pros. We know that," said

Weed. "Most of you state you are getting quality service. That's

good. We need to hear that."

Many in the audience suggested an advisory council be set up so that the

association could meet with people who knew and cared a lot about the goings

on at the tennis center, and the association was very receptive to this.

The citizens also requested that as a sign of good faith, the court benefits

be reinstated for the pros and their immediate family. The association agreed

to place that item on their next agenda.

A press release issued by McMullen before Wednesday's meeting quotes

Rapson as stating that the authority wanted to reassure employees that all

positions will be interviewed and the best candidates hired or rehired.

"We understand that advertising all the positions will cause some anxiety,

but the process is primarily intended to hire permanent employees for the

PCTA upon adoption of the classification and pay plan," said Rapson.

After nearly two hours, the meeting progressed to less controversial items

and a majority of the crowd left. After discussing all of the items on the

agenda, the association met in executive session. Coming out of the executive

session, the association agreed to hold monthly meetings with all employees

and to implement advisory councils for both the amphitheater and tennis center.

The postings for all job opportunities were posted Thursday morning but the

pay structure for the pros has yet to be determined.

The next meeting of the Peachtree City Tourism Association is Wednesday,

Nov. 3, at 6 p.m.