The

Peachtree City Recreation Commission Monday night

rescinded its earlier decision to partially fund

playground equipment at Peeples Elementary School, citing

the distribution of Peeples' students inside and outside

the city limits, as well as its leaders' decision not to

approach Fayette County officials for matching funds.

The

commission had voted in Novemeber to set aside $2,500 for

the school, contingent upon the county contributing as

well. Some concern was expressed during November's

discussion about Peeples' location and the number of its

students who do not live in the city limits of Peachtree

City.

The City

Council set guidelines earlier this year for playground

funding requests, appointing the Recreation Commission to

hear all such requests first and forward its

recommendations to the council. The city frequently

receives such requests due to the fact that the school

system does not provide money for playgrounds.

Any public

school in Fayette County that has Peachtree City

residents making up at least a portion of its student

body is eligible to apply for funds, with a maximum of

$5,000 given to a single school during any five-year

period, according to the city's new policy.

Leisure

services director Randy Gaddo told the Recreation

Commission Monday night that Peeples would not be

pursuing funds from the county. He said Peeples'

principal informed of this two days after the November

meeting.

Staff

revealed that 23 of Peeples' 547 students are now living

in Peachtree City, or about 4.2 percent - 16 in the

Oaks at Timberlake, and seven in Balmoral Village.

Commission

chairman Earl Spell said that he did not think the

numbers justified the expense.

Commissioner

Luther Holt asked what the reasoning was for Peeples'

unwillingness to approach the county for money. Gaddo

replied that the principal was uncomfortable making that

move.

"That

was her decision," said Gaddo. "It was a

political decision."

Gaddo added

that the city, in setting its policy earlier this year,

formed a structured system for these kinds of requests

that does not exist at the county level.

Commissioner

Jan Shannon-Zink was distressed about the children not

having playground equipment, no matter what the reason.

"Do

they [Peeples] know we really want to help them

out?" she said. "Our hands are tied. These kids

need a playground."

Spell said

that the decision is not a permanent denial, but funding

the project is simply not appropriate at the present

time.

Commissioner

Dan Wright expressed some concern about the city's

guidelines, saying that Peeples apparently met them.

There is no minimum requirement for how many students

must live in the city limits, he said, and the City

Council should perhaps go back and be more specific about

eligibility.

Spell

replied that the commission's job is to interpret the

guidelines on a case-by-case basis.

Gaddo

echoed that sentiment, saying that the system was set up

so that the commission could use its own discretion and

take some of the responsibility from the City Council.

The city

will inform Peeples by letter that it should resubmit the

request at another time.

Commissioner

John Connolly said that he was disappointed at the lack

of effort made to request funding from the county. Gaddo

added that, while it was understandable that the school

staff would be hesitant to go to the commissioners and

outside the school board for such help, the PTO also

failed to act.

A motion to

rescind the previous funding allocation was passed

unanimously.