Friday, June 15,
2001
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Fairburn officials mum on Fayette annexation plans By JOHN
THOMPSON
and DAVE
HAMRICK
Fairburn officials were unusually quiet during Monday's meeting about a recent annexation discussion with Fayette County. After the meeting, City Administrator Tony Cox said the council discussed the issue in executive session because the council is looking at legal options in the case. "The annexation issue is not done by any stretch," Cox said. The estate of Nannie C. Gladin had petitioned the city of Fairburn for annexation of a 42.3-acre site, about half of it in Fayette County and half in Fulton County. Without having discussed the matter with the City Council, city officials notified Fayette County of the petition. That triggered a new provision in state law governing annexation requests across county lines. The county involved is required to either reject the petition immediately, or call a joint meeting of the two governing bodies within 15 days to discuss the matter. But Fayette officials interpreted "governing bodies" to mean a quorum of both the County Commission and the City Council, while Fairburn officials believed only representation by both bodies would be required. When only Mayor Betty Hannah, City Attorney Bradford Sears and City Manager Tony Cox showed up at the commission meeting last week, commission Chairman Greg Dunn wouldn't allow the group to speak. "My feeling is we should put an end to this right now," said Dunn. He said his interpretation of the law was that the commission could discuss the matter with Fairburn officials only if a quorum of the City Council were present. Commissioner Linda Wells, who made her opposition to the annexation clear from the first moment it was brought to the commission, made the motion to deny the petition. Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the motion. Concerns expressed by Wells were that if the city were allowed to annex across county lines, it could then annex farther into the county without the county's permission, possibly fostering more high-density development. Also, the county is in a dispute with the city over the city's plans to provide sewer service to the Fayette town of Tyrone, and Wells feared the county would lose its right to file suit in that dispute if Fairburn were to become a Fayette County city. If Fairburn City Council later decides that it wants to approve the annexation in spite of the County Commission's denial, its only recourse will be to file a petition in Fayette Superior Court.
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