Gwinnett Daily Post

PEACHTREE CORNERS -- When Mike Mason first began his role as Peachtree Corners' inaugural mayor, he was asked if he was scared or excited.

The answer then, he joked Tuesday, was yes.

But just three weeks or so after the first City Council meeting of Gwinnett's newest city, Mason is changing his tune a little bit.

"It hasn't been as scary," he said following Tuesday's brief meeting at a local YMCA. "It's just work."

In the first weeks since that initial April 17 meeting, Mason and the council have hired a temporary city clerk and attorney, brought several advisers on, formally notified the county regarding services and begun the process to find a city manager.

Tuesday they held the first reading of the ordinance that will officially create a city manager position. That's expected to be voted upon at the next meeting.

John McDonough -- Sandy Springs' city manager and one of the consultants brought in to help lay Peachtree Corners' foundation -- said Tuesday work had begun on several other actions, including finding a more permanent (albeit temporary) meeting site for "city hall" and requests for proposals for the city's banking services.

The council will hold a strategic planning session on Friday.

Joan Jones, Peachtree Corners' interim city clerk, fills the same position with Johns Creek, and was there when that city was started. She lends a unique perspective to the process.

"(The council) doesn't want to jump the gun, and they don't want to be cookie-cutter," she said. "They do have special needs that they want to take care of. They're cautious."