Judge Stephen Boswell has ordered

that mediation of Fayette County's tax equity dispute be conducted in

private, and that the parties not talk about the discussions.

"In order to provide an

environment conducive to resolution, mediations are conducted in private

and information provided is confidential as between the parties and the

mediator," said Boswell in his mediation order.

Meanwhile, the newest party

to the discussions, Peachtree City Mayor-elect Steve Brown, said he is

optimistic following the first mediation session Monday morning.

The governments of Fayette

and its three largest cities opened negotiations Monday with court-appointed

mediator Timothy Keim in hopes of resolving the long-standing, often heated

dispute. Talks continue this Friday.

Officials in Fayetteville,

Peachtree City and Tyrone say their residents are taxed for more services

than they receive from the county about $2 million a year and last January

they took that contention to court, asking a visiting judge to appoint

a mediator and order the county to the table.

City leaders insist that the

inequity must be addressed because of a state law that prohibits taxing

residents of a city for services primarily received by residents of the

unincorporated county.

County leaders say there's

no tax inequity, and broke off discussions with city officials on the

matter last year. County attorneys challenged the cities' request for

mandatory mediation, but lost that case in November.

The parties now have 60 days

to reach agreement, or the dispute will probably go