Government

Falcon Field getting extra room on runway

Will improve safety at landing, takeoff

The Peachtree City Airport Authority is moving ahead with a project that will improve airplane safety on takeoffs and landings.

The authority Thursday night approved a project bid that will add 450 feet to the north end of the runway, which will give planes more room at takeoff and landing, according to Aviation Director John Crosby.

The additional room is not enough to allow larger aircraft to land, Crosby said. But it will provide extra room for certain corporate jets which are not currently allowed to land for insurance reasons. Read More»

Tyrone adopts budget with no millage increase

Residents whose property values decreased will get tax break

There was no fanfare last week as the Tyrone Town Council adopted the $3.15 million FY 2010-2011 General Fund budget that took effect July 1. Council members said they would keep the millage rate steady at 2.89 mills.

The budget actually represents a 3.5 percent increase, or $106,005, that was attributed to increases in employee health insurance, pension benefits and a $61,000 capital expenditure for drainage improvements on Castlewood Road, according to Town Manager Richard Newbern. Read More»

Coweta BOE to see active races in District 1 seats

The November ballot will include competition in two of the four seats up for election on the non-partisan Coweta County Board of Education. The District 1 seat held by Steve Bedrosian will be up for grabs by three contenders since Bedrosian announced recently that he would not be qualifying. The only other contested race will have District 1 At-large board member Michael Sumner facing April Parker.

In Bedrosian’s absence, the qualifying period last week saw three candidates sign up for the District 1 BOE seat. Those include Amy Dees, Andrew Krause and Larry Robertson. Read More»

Coweta CRCT scores exceed state average

Coweta CRCT scores exceed state average
By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizen.com

Scores for the 2010 Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) for individual school systems were released last week. A breakdown of the results showing the percentage of students passing the tests indicated that Coweta County students beat the state average by a range of up to10 points in every test category and in every grade level, except for the score in eighth grade Social Studies where Coweta students were a half percentage point under the state average. Read More»

Senoia to consider assisted living center

It is a proposal that the Senoia City Council has asked to be examined further before rendering a decision. An initial proposal at the July 5 meeting by Tranquil Village, LLC would have an assisted living center situated on property recently surplused by the city. City Administrator Richard Ferry will be responsible for gathering information that could lead to a contract on the property. Read More»

Coweta gets two DOT projects

Coweta County will see a chunk of the $53 million announced this week by the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (DOT) for road improvement projects around the state. Coweta’s two projects will include road work on Ga. Highway 14/U.S. Highway 29 from Newnan to Palmetto and Ga. Highway 74 from Senoia down to Woodbury in Meriwether County. Read More»

Charlie Cave: BoE’s ‘invisible candidate’

It appears to have become the case of the invisible candidate, or at least one that does not return messages. At issue is the candidacy of Charlie Cave, the challenger in the race for the Post 4 seat of the Fayette County Board of Education held by Dr. Bob Todd. To date, after repeated attempts to contact him and despite his promise to contact The Citizen to be interviewed, Cave has not been heard from. Read More»

GOP race for school board: Anti-Todd email rumor traced to Smola

Bob Todd (L) and Janet Smola (R), members of the Fayette County Board of Education.

The Great HighGrove Redistricting Rumor turns out to be a case of one sitting Board of Education member — Janet Smola — politicking against the reelection of her fellow board member, Bob Todd. Read More»

Property tax hike looms for PTC

PTC residents attend a budget hearing before the Peachtree City Council. Photo/John Munford.

Remaining issue: How much? From 0.5 to 1.25 mills on table

At 6:30 Thursday night, the Peachtree City Council will take a look at potentially raising the city’s property tax rate by 1.25 mills. Read More»

County manager: SPLOST can’t be diverted from bypass

A topic that surfaced recently from Fayette County Commission candidates Steve Brown and Allen McCarty dealing with the West Fayetteville Bypass suggested that the project could be scrapped and the previously collected 1-cent sales tax revenues generated for the project be given to the municipalities to pay for their own transportation needs. Read More»