ROSWELL, Ga. — As Roswell city leaders admit they miscalculated public support for a massive tennis center at Big Creek Park, one is now facing criticism and a possible ethics complaint for public comments he made that some say are contrary to ones he made in a closed-door meeting.
Channel 2's North Fulton County Bureau Chief Mike Petchenik first broke the news of the proposal from a private foundation, headed by car dealer Vernon Krause, to lease property at the Old Alabama Road Park to build the largest tennis facility of its kind in the name of his late daughter, Angela.
When the news hit, more than 20,000 people signed a petition opposing the project at the popular park.
Mayor Lori Henry and Krause ultimately abandoned the project at that location, promising to hold town hall meetings with residents about another future location.
“It was a mistake. It was a mistake by the city of Roswell to bring that to the public in that form,” Councilman Sean Groer told Petchenik.
TRENDING STORIES:
Groer told Petchenik the project was discussed during a July 30 closed council session, nearly two weeks before the city’s public information department contacted Petchenik about running a story.
Documents, obtained by Groer’s attorney, Kurt Hilbert, indicate council members voted 6-0 in the meeting in favor of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the Krause Family Foundation.
Groer said the council was very excited about the $50 million investment in the city.
“This was a possibility to bring what we’d heard from our people, which was economic stability to the East side of Roswell,” Groer said. “The intention was we receive a site plan and the council votes in the public on what that site plan is and whether the project should move forward.”
One provision in the MOU would have allowed the foundation to clear the land for construction, but if the lease fell through with the city, it would have required Roswell to pay the foundation back for those expenses.
“We could have done better. We should have done better,” Groer said. “This was always meant to be the first step of a process.”
In the days after public backlash mounted against the project, Groer’s colleague, Councilman Marcelo Zapata, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Arielle Kass he balked at the proposal:
When Roswell City Councilman Marcelo Zapata first heard about a plan to build a massive tennis center in a city park, he balked.
There was no market analysis. No business plan. No traffic impact study. And no input from residents.
Still, city officials moved forward.
“From my viewpoint, the process was not the best one. I’m happy that the community came out and spoke up loud,” Zapata said. “I hope we all learn from this experience. I think we’re going to do things better in the future.”
Groer said Zapata’s public statements aren’t in line with what he said in the closed meeting, which was only made public because Zapata mentioned it in the open.
He said none of the council members, himself included, asked any follow up questions of the city attorney.
“What I read in the AJC versus what I saw behind closed doors were two very different things,” Groer said. “This is a situation where you either admit that you’re wrong, admit to the public that you could have done a better job or you could use this as a momentum for other intentions.”
Zapata is up for reelection, and Hilbert wonders about his motivations for the comments.
“He misrepresented to the public what happened in that closure meeting,” Hilbert said. “Certainly it appears he was seeking to get political gain from this. I don’t know why he would say certain things to the media when he clearly, knowingly, voluntarily and unanimously voted for this project.”
Hilbert said he’s now exploring an ethics complaint against Zapata on behalf of Groer.
When confronted with Groer’s concerns, Zapata told Kass he would have “check the minutes” of the meeting before responding to her questions.
Zapata didn’t respond to a phone call or text from Petchenik Monday seeking clarification.
Cox Media Group
