South Fulton residents could being a little longer to know if their future is in Coweta County.

The Coweta County Commissioners used Tuesday afternoon's meeting to express doubts about being able to make a decision on the residents' petition te annexed into Coweta County in 30 days.

The area proposed for annexation is 1,700 acres near the community of Goodes in south Fulton County.

State law requires the commissioners to decide 30 days after they have received de-annexation notice from their local Grand Jury.

The commission received the notice Tuesday and said many questions still had to be answered.

“We're the only group that's had to look at the mechanics of this,” said Commission Chairman Vernon “Mutt” Hunter.

The commissioners want answers about infrastructure and what types of services south Fulton residents want. Commissioner Jim McGuffey said he's received numerous calls about the issue and interest is definitely picking up about annexing the residents.

None of the commissioners gave any indication how they would vote on the matter and discussed the issue in pros and cons.

“They're some beautiful land up there and nice folks, but we need questions answered first,” said Hunter.

County attorney Mitch Powell was not sure what would happen if the commissioners did not decide in 30 days. He said it was possible the landowners who asked for the annexation could sue the county, but said that would probably not be their course of action.

The staff is busy sorting through the commissioners' questions, said county administrator Theron Gay, and expects to have many of the answers in the next few weeks.

Commissioner Robert Wood offered the most novel solution to the dilemma.

“I'd like to see how the people of Coweta County feel. I wish there was some way we could have a referendum on this,” he said.

Powell said he knew of no way for that to happen.

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