Unless an early

holiday miracle occurs, Fairburn's Duncan park will be shut down this

weekend.

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.

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