In the Beginning… Peachtree Corners Community Development Director and first full-time city employee Diana Wheeler recounts the early days.
By Diana Wheeler
Ten years ago, when I was offered the opportunity to become Peachtree Corners’ first employee, I eagerly accepted because I thought that with over 25 years of government experience, I could make a real contribution to this new city. I didn’t realize until I visited the first City Hall building for the very first time that I would be contributing more than just my knowledge and experience. I would also be contributing my cell phone, car, laptop and credit card. The fledgling city of Peachtree Corners had a framework for
governance in place and several part-time consultants to manage operations, but there were no other permanent employees or much of anything else. The space that had been leased for City Hall was an old, empty building with glass walls and a poor ventilation system. I had my pick of any empty office I wanted. With my architectural training and an understanding of the building’s orientation, I could tell immediately that I would have a choice of either being too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. (I went with too cold in the winter and invested in a space heater.)
Setting, and resetting, priorities
From top left clockwide,
I spent that first morning in August 2012 making a list of everything that needed to be done and then got to work on my list. The first item was a call to the cable company to sign up for internet service. There was only so much I could do on my phone. Without computers and internet, there would be no way to start up this start-up. Next on my list was a trip to a
John Wheeler plays the national anthem at the first City Hall Grand Opening, January 2013 Diana Wheeler addresses the audience in the first City Council chambers, March 2014 City Council cuts the ribbon to City Hall at the Grand Opening, January 2013 Mayor Mike Mason unveils the city name and logo at the first City Hall Grand Opening, January 2013 (Photos courtesy of the City of Peachtree Corners)
August/September 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine
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