Recent discussions on Fairburn’s proposed $22.5 million city budget may conclude Sept. 25 at the upcoming council meeting. The proposed General Fund budget totals $6.413 million while the various enterprise budgets total $16.118 million. Taken together, the total budget package represents a $207,643 increase over the 2005-2006 budgets. The millage rate is proposed to decrease from 5.448 mills to 5.0 mills.

The largest increases in the General Fund are found in the police and fire budgets. The police department budget is proposed to increase by $635,388 while the fire department will increase by $652,875. Those increases, said City Administrator Jim Williams, are due to enhancing the level of service provision and staffing needed to offer Fairburn residents increasingly higher public safety protection. Also showing a $134,461 increase is the Public Works Department.

Williams said the overall increases in public works and public safety represent an aggressive stance by the city to support those efforts in a rapidly growing city.

A coming change in the city’s enterprise funds category involves the proposed sale of the city-owned Internet and cable television service to Comcast. The budget shows no revenue for 2006-2007 in the cable and internet budget due to the impending sale, though $300,000 was maintained in the expenditures area to pay for a 2-3 month phase-out of the services. Though costs, Williams said, should be reimbursed to the city.

A discussion item during budget talks included the future creation of a Parks & Recreation Department, a move initiated in recent months by Councilman Scott Vaughan.