A controversial Fayette County politician will be back in office next year.
Steve Brown, who battled developers and Peachtree City’s old guard as that city’s mayor from 2002 to 2005, beat incumbent Fayette County Commissioner Jack Smith Tuesday in the Republican primary. Brown has no Democratic opposition. He takes office in January.
Brown lists his occupation as freelance writer. He said the main issue in the campaign was the West Fayetteville Bypass.
“I could not find anybody who wanted that road in West Fayette,” Brown said. “It was a non-starter from the beginning.”
Brown said he favors completing the first phase of the bypass, which should be finished by early next year, and stopping the other two phases.
But Smith said that may be impossible, since voters approved the bypass as part of a 2004 special local option sales tax referendum. He said the county has already done a lot of design and engineering work on the second and third phases.
Smith was elected chairman by the other commissioners. When asked why he lost, Smith said, "Good question. I wish I knew the answer to that. If I did I'd have campaigned differently."
As mayor, Brown forced the reorganization of Peachtree City Development Authority and battled the TDK Boulevard Extension into Coweta County.
“I turned over the apple cart for some individuals who were making money off local government,” Brown said. “They were very loud and very active.”
He was defeated in 2005 by Harold Logsdon, who served one term. In this election, Brown generated plenty of opposition from Fayette’s power structure. Smith, his opponent, was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, state Sen. Ronnie Chance, former Sheriff Randall Johnson and former Peachtree City mayors.
Allen McCarty, who campaigned with Brown, beat incumbent Commissioner Eric Maxwell.
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