Councilman-elect Dienhart invites Imker, Haddix to truce meeting

As Election Day and its related politics recede behind us, we can now look forward to the hard work that begins in January.

I came into this election promising complete transparency, open communication and promising to help end the discord within the Peachtree City Council. Here is how I intend to do that.

Transparency and communication – I think you will find that I will be the most approachable city councilman this city has ever seen. To facilitate communication I have transitioned my website (Dienhartforptc.blogspot.com) from a campaign site to a communication tool.

All my council votes will be explained via the website, within 5 days. If you want to know why I voted the way I did, this should be your first resource.

I hope that by providing the people of Peachtree City a running record of my voting record, we will begin to have the honesty and transparency that we need to have an effective government in Peachtree City.

For those wishing to comment on the website, remarks have been enabled. This is but one way we can communicate. I will also be having quarterly meet and greets, time and place to be determined. This will also be coordinated via this website.

I will be announcing the first meet and greet prior to swearing in. I look forward to an open and honest discussion on important issues.

For quick updates, you can follow me on Twitter- @Dienhartforptc. This will also transition from a campaign resource to a communication tool.

The DienhartforPTC@gmail.com also transitions on Wednesday. It will be replaced by my city-provided email in January. Longer questions or comments can be sent to this email, and I will follow up as soon as possible.

The bigger problem is council discord. The difficulties have been recognized by most that sit on current council. Several members have stated that they don’t know how to fix it.

At this time, I propose a meeting between myself, Mayor Haddix and Councilman Imker. Time is of the essence. Once I am sworn in, this meeting would be considered a quorum, and the opportunity to have a mediated face to face meeting will be gone.

I believe this meeting is crucial to our city’s success. Both men are hard-working and dedicated public servants who want what’s best for Peachtree City.

I’d like to help them find comfortable middle ground where we can all move forward and help our city to succeed. We all want what’s best for our city; let’s figure out how we can make it happen.

This council will serve the city for at least the next two years. We have a duty to ensure that this is the best council that has ever served. Any less, is a disservice to our employers, the people of Peachtree City.

There are big issues that face us. A down economy, empty retail and industrial space and falling revenue all need to be addressed — as a team.

Mr. Mayor and Councilman Imker, let’s meet and get off to a fresh start. Not just for the sake of those who we serve with, but also for the sake of those we serve.

George Dienhart

Post 2 councilman-elect

Peachtree City, Ga.

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[Dienhart was unopposed in his Post 2 election.]

Mike King
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Mr Dienhart

It's time to shut up, learn your job, and become knowledgeable on the issues facing Peachtree City not strutting like some immature peacock showing his yet developed tail feathers. I'm sure Mr Imker will listen to you if you have something germane to any particular issue, but good luck with the mayor since its obvious that the only persons he listens to are Cathy Haddix and himself.

You have learned that you do not speak for Ms Leonard nor Ms Fleish, or I hope you don't attempt it again else you may be in for another public embarrassment.

madmike
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On target King....

except Dienhart's time to shut up was months ago when he found out he was running unopposed. He may be the first politician to ever to do enough damage to deserve to be recalled prior to starting the term he was "appointed."

borntorun
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Dienhart The Savior

Great....just what PTC needs. Another dysfunctional member on Council. We currently have one (Haddix) who is a megalomaniac, another (Imker) who has a Bully Complex and one (Learnard) who I had and continue to have high hopes for but I am afraid is beginning to exhibit symptons of Egomania. Fleisch? Other than a predilection towards big hair and making sure it stays in place during Council meetings, the poor girl just doesn't appear to have much grey matter between the ears. And now having removed one (Sturbaum) who had somewhat of a Daddy Complex always wanting to gain approval and please Daddy Don, we have replaced him with one (Dienhart) who apparently suffers from a Messiah Complex in which he believes he is or is destined to become "The Savior". I agree with Todd Strickland's presentation to Council this past Thursday night. The problem really never was DAPC. The problem has been we have a Council who cannot get along, take the high road when disagreements arise and come together for what is best for PTC. And now with Deinhart The Savior it looks like more of the same. What a bunch of small headed people we have elected to look out for this great city.

NUK_1
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Grandstanding George

Looks like we have the next humongous ego in an elected position with maybe even more arrogance than the present people he's going to try and "fix." Sheesh.

Instead of just doing it, George has to write a long letter to the newspaper extolling his virtues and trying to position himself as THE MAN. So, we now have Brown, Haddix and Dienhart as resident loudmouths who-to borrow a phrase from George Busbee many years ago-are show horses instead of workhorses.

Just shut up already and try to do a decent job once you take office instead of feeding your ego or even pretending to know something about PTC when you just arrived not long ago.

DarkMadamToo
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Lesser of two evils....

Is it possible that he just does not realize that he was elected as the lesser of two evils????

Citizen_Steve
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Meeting

Nice idea to meet with other councilmembers but it might be better to simply call them and go do it instead of writing to the paper about it.

Steve

Randy Boyett
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Citizen Steve re meeting

A phone call and an offer to help in some quite way would be what you do if your intentions are truly to help. If you want to polish your ego and get attention, you write a letter to the editor.

4 years - heaven help us.

Robert W. Morgan
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Stop the Rodney King act and start working on jobs

Just pretend I go to your meet and greet and say hi. Then I will explain that Haddix and Imker will always be Haddix and Imker and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to change that. You just got elected (sort of) and you need to learn about the job and then bone up on some issues and then worry about the civility in meetings - in that order. 1 - 2- 3 OK?

The reality is that you and Imker will be serving together for 4 years. 1 or 2 of those years may include Haddix, but he is no longer relevant. The ladies run the show, Eric chimes in about the budget and you can seek out whatever role you choose - except leader and peacemaker, you are the new guy - remember?.

You can either be a stooge for the mayor - sort of a Sturnbaum II OR you can do something really productive which is become the local expert on business development, industrial recruiting and job creation for our city. There is no one on council that knows anything about it, so you can study a little, talk to county and state people and other cities and counties - even the dreaded developer and landowner and hit the ground running in January and be the undisputed council expert by April.

Any preconceived notions you have about DAPC, EDC's, FCDA, spec buildings, ARC, Sany, the Governor or anything else need to be rebooted in light of current economic conditions and the city's image which has really taken a beating because of Haddix and Brown.

madmike
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Great Synopsis RWM

Maybe we could look at this Deinhart peace initiative in a different light if his background showed some marked expertise in the area. All George has shown us thus far is that he is capable of pissing off most of the sitting council members by running his mouth in his editorials, all previous to him actually being on the council. Hardly a good start in showing he has the skills to manage his own relationships, much less manage those between other people. It is akin to King Assad of Syria being appointed as negotiator between Occupy Wherever and the local governments.
I think part of the issue, as someone here pointed out, is that Deinhart acts as if he won an election between a multitude of qualified candidates and has some sort of mandate from the people to be THE authoritative voice of the council and the civility of such. So far, he has added more to the discourse problem rather than help it. Maybe drug testing should be done on candidates before they run. Who knows.

Davids mom
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Civility vs. Incivility

We see what happens when incivility occurs - NOTHING! Civil discourse is expected in our democracy. If the participants can't achieve this- get out!

Robert W. Morgan
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DM, incivility can produce results as well

Just in the last few months incivility has given us a censure, a slap down of the mayor's hand-picked candidate, defunding and possible dismantling of DAPC, Harold Bost working behind the scenes with Greg Dunn and Steve Brown to punish Ken Steele, an expose of the thousands of houses along the WFB and of course higher taxes.

And at the national level - where to begin?

All because of incivility. Gotta love it.

Randy Boyett
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RWM - good analysis

and good recommendations. Sir George did not have a single substantiated plan offered in his campaign and some of the actions can be questioned as to ethical judgement.

He was unopposed - not elected. I am starting to think that Jimmy Hoffa could have been on the ballot and beaten him.

Stop trying to make a show Sir George - Haddix is a clog and Imker doesn't suffer fools easily. There will always be tension as Haddix is jealous of Imker's credentials and experience. Tension is not always bad in a democracy - it sometimes gets messy but hopefully it sorts out for the citizens.

Personally I'd rather have Imker doing what he is doing to look out after the City's financial health instead playing footsie with Haddix or Dienhard. I think Haddix has lost credibility with his half truths and Dienhart needs to focus - as you recommend RWM - on finding how he can be a part of the solution instead of the problem.

Robert W. Morgan
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Seems pretty simple to me

He either comes into office with a plan or at the very least a list of goals and does his best to implement or he just gets in the way. Choice A of course takes actual knowledge, a willingness to put solution before self and teamwork.

We shall see. The proper path is all laid out for him to take. He is certainly not a lost cause at this point.

Davids mom
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Incivility leads to distrust -

and an unnecessary tension that hinders progress, IMHO. (Note local, regional, and national politics).

Randy Boyett
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David's Mom - mayhbe

I agree with you in principle. But there are times when an elected official is trying to deceive that it seems necessary to use any means to combat the untruths. Incivility may be the only recourse to combat that situation if there is not much time to make a point.

Just MHO.

Davids mom
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Unfortunately

Yup.