Annexation Costing City More

The City of Mobile's latest annexation is costing more money than leaders had planned.

The Airport Authority has notified the city it has to charge for the land on which it plans to build new police and fire stations. The Federal Aviation Administration requires the airport to get fair market rental value. The deal is still being hammered out, but, it looks like the city will have to pay about $37,000 a year for 3.5 acres of land.

"We didn't expect it on that piece of property but, that's what's being required and that's what we have to do. That's a strategic location for us, a very important location for us. So we still plan to go forward with the construction of the stations there", says Mayor Sam Jones.

The mayor says the city found out about the cost a few weeks ago. But, he says it's not a problem. The city leases property all the time.