Everything goes up in price, including the cost of animal control. The Fairburn City Council April 24 voted to approve the recent Fulton County estimate that increases the annual animal control service to $52,904, or 10.7 percent, beginning in July. Council members also agreed to re-examine the issue if the new estimate exceeds 10.7 percent.

City Administrator Jim Williams reviewed the city’s agreement last year with Fulton County. That agreement called for an estimated payment of $47,777 to cover the period from July 2005 through June 2006. The actual cost of the service will be calculated in June, Williams said. Once that is done, the county will provide the city’s portion of the cost.

“We may be fine or we may be asked to pay additional dollars. I don’t feel that it is in the city’s best interest at this time to go into the animal control business or to find another service provider,” Williams said. But if actual costs are more than next year’s estimate I think we should bring it back and look at it.”