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[Eal r• FULTON COUNTY ATLANTA, GEORGIA STATEMENT BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION ON THE FULTON COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAM APRIL 6 , 19 6 7 The 1967 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia adopted an amendment authorizing Fulton County to conduct recreational activities in unincorporated areas using County personnel. The Bill has now been signed into law by Governor Maddox. There has been some speculation in the press and elsewhere regarding the intentions of the Fulton County Commission in this matter, and we are issuing this statement to clarify our position. It is not the intention of the Fulton County Commission to establish and operate a comprehensive program of supervised recreation under the sole jurisdiction of the County government. We believe that the best interests of all c iti zens will be served if duplication of services between the City of Atla nta and Fulton C ounty a re ke pt to a minimum , c onsi ste nt alwa ys with good ope ration. �1 , m:il / -- A ,H ~,J '

\....i \ .1. ._-10.:,1 ~31 \OU JX 0tJ3 X .,__ rI I I -2- It is our purpose to provide park and recreational services as follows: 1. The County will try to provide suitable neighborhood parks and playgrounds in the unincorporated area of Fulton County, including ball fields, picnic ar:eas and playground equipment. We recently submitted an application for Federal assistance in the purchase and development of neighborhood and _ community parks. 2. The Commission has also recently approved a long-range com.:. prehensive plan for the purchase and development of large tracts of open space suitable for future use as regional parks and recreational areas. It is our intention to implement this plan as rapidly as funds, including State and/or Federal grants, are available. 3. We do not plan an elaborate supervised recreational program. A possible exception will be the limited program at Hammond Drive Park in Sandy Springs where the County has already requested the City of Atlanta to plan and submit a proposal for the operation of this facility when completed. 4. It is our intention to cooperate fully with the six municipalities in Fulton County having populations less than 5,000 people, in accordance with the Constitutional Amendments approved by the voters of Fulton County last November. This amendment permits the County government to provide not more than one -half the cost (not to exceed $5,000 . 00 for each municipality) of the annual cost of recreational programs within these municipalities. General guidelines for these programs are being developed in cooperation with the municipalities which have requested same. I �-~- . . U ...---- ·-·-········-······--·· A.JO~ / OtJ:3Xj ·as--··· -3- 5. The physical development of parks and playgrounds will be handled by the Department of Public Works with the assistance of the Department of Planning. The advisability of contractual arrangements with the City of Atlanta for the operation of recreational programs will be explored in each instance, as in the case of Hammond Drive Park. Where the cost is acceptable and the particular operation most efficient, we will request the City to provide services. The Commission is aware of the county-wide need for improved recreation and park facilities and services. We are attempting to meet these needs in an orderly and economical fashion within the framework of applicable laws. The newly enacted statute will provide greater flexibility, especially in the outlying communities where there are few recreational facilities of any sort. The Commission has no intention of frustrating or violating the basic objectives of the Plan of Improvement, namely, that duplication of services between Atlanta and Fulton County should be kept to a minimum. We heartily support this objective and are doing all in our power to provide services necessary to our citizens, with a minimum of cost and duplication . FULTON COUN'IY COMMISSION Jas. H . Aldredge, Chairman Charlie Brown, Vice Chairman Walter M . Mitchell �