Unless an early holiday miracle

occurs, Fairburn's Duncan park will be shut down tomorrow.

Fairburn city administrator

Jim Williams said the city will continue to work with Fulton County staff

to try and find a solution to reopen the park that serves hundreds of

residents in South Fulton County.

But the most pressing priority

now, Williams said, is finding somewhere for the 11 students who were

participating in an after school program at the park.

"We thought we had found

a solution, but we still can't find a place for these children yet,"

he said.

Williams is not sure where

the children will head Monday afternoon when school is over.

The closing of the park is

the latest chapter between Fulton County and Fairburn over who should

pay for the park's operations.

Fulton officials have cited

a state law that states when a municipality reaches 5,000 in population

and annexes parks into its municipalities, it must start picking up the

costs.

Fairburn's population topped

the 5,000 mark in the last Census and the political war began over who

should pay for the park.

Fulton County Commissioner

Bill Edwards has maintained the law is clear.

During the park struggle, Edwards

pointed to recent news articles showing how rapidly Fairburn is growing

and suggested placing a recreational tax on the citizens to pay for the

facility.

Edwards said he can't pay anymore

for the facility, since it would set a precedent for future municipalities

who annex parks into their city limits.