The Fayette County Commission has chosen to meet for a retreat in Callaway Gardens. We will meet Tuesday evening, Aug. 7, and Wednesday, Aug. 8. I have attended other commission retreats in the past and they were all held here in the county.

I prefer to be able to easily bring staff to a retreat. I prefer to spend local tax dollars locally. I prefer that the press can easily attend the meeting and I prefer that the public be able to attend, even if they just stop by.

You can do that locally; you can’t if you have to drive 50 or 60 miles, one way.

We have two world-class facilities here in Fayette County. But, for some reason that is not plain to me, the other commissioners want to meet out of this county.

I’ve been told that the cost of the meeting room and meals may be comparable with a local site. In addition to that expense, taxpayers are paying for rooms so that commissioners, and the staff that is attending, can stay overnight.

Callaway Gardens is too far away from the county to allow us to meet in the evening and then early the next morning. The room charge is $169. I think that there were nine people staying overnight. That is a total of $1,521.

I do not agree with this and have asked that the county not reserve, and pay for, a room for me. I have made my own arrangements and will pay for my own room. I would rather not have this expense but I don’t want the public to have it either.

Also, since I don’t approve of the location, I won’t accept mileage reimbursement.

Peter Pfeifer

Fayette County Commission, Post 3

Peachtree City, Ga.