The Coweta 441 Podcast

**Disclaimer: Mental health & suicide are discussed during this episode**Episode 29 focuses on an important community offering that aims to fill a gap within mental health — Coweta Cares.As a society, we’re seeing a growing awareness of the importance of mental health and a broader focus on overall well‑being. Mental health concerns are becoming more prevalent across all age groups, including here in Coweta County. That’s how Coweta Cares came about. The program addresses a critical community need by providing frontline mental health assessments and care — care that is appropriate to the situation, capable of offering ongoing support and coordination, and, in many cases, delivered without the need for an emergency room visit or law enforcement involvement. Coweta Cares is a community partnership between Coweta County Fire Rescue and Pathways Center.Tune in to this special episode featuring Brian Beckworth, Division Chief of EMS at Coweta County Fire Rescue, and Courtney Peirce, PhD, LPC, CPCS, Clinical Director of Specialty Programs at Pathways.

Back by popular demand, we are thrilled to have another episode of our “A Day in the Life” segment featuring two of our frontline employees from the Coweta County Tax Commissioner’s Office – Alex Myers, Assistant Tax Manager and Tara Ortiz, Tax/Tag Agent.The Tax Commissioner's Office handles property tax collection, vehicle registration, issuing decals and keeping accurate records for the County. It’s often one of the first places residents interact with the County – whether you’re renewing a tag or paying your property taxes.The office has recently made several updates including a new queuing system implemented in September 2025 to simplify the check-in process for visitors when they arrive at the office and allow them to set up appointments. Tag renewal kiosks are also available at the Newnan Crossing Kroger, the Publix in Senoia and the Thomas Crossroads Kroger. And starting in March of this year, the Tax Commissioner’s Office went mobile. Take a listen to learn more about what it's like a day in the life in the Tax Commissioner's Office.Tax Commissioner's Office Website

Back by popular demand!Host Michael Fouts is joined by two employees from Coweta County's Geographic Information Systems Department, or more commonly known as GIS - Clint Richmond, GIS Director and Taylor Gianuzzi, GIS Technician.GIS plays a pivotal behind‑the‑scenes role in our community by bringing together mapping and data management. The software helps create, organize, analyze, and visualize many types of information, making it easier to understand patterns and relationships in a geographic context. For both the public and internal departments, GIS turns complex data into insights that support planning, communication, and problem‑solving.Day to day, the team maintains tax parcel, address, and road information, supporting everything from efficient public safety response to thoughtful community development. Listen to the segment to learn more. You can also check out the new GIS Hub online to view documents, maps and more. 

Host Michael Fouts is joined by Mark Whitlock, CEO of the Central Educational Center (CEC), to spotlight the CEC. The CEC is a college and career academy in Coweta County that recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. It is a unique "joint venture" among businesses and industries, the Coweta County School System and the West Georgia Technical College. Their mission is to "ensure competitive talent for current and future careers."Tune in for this special episode to learn all about the CEC, how it works and why it is so beneficial in Coweta County.

Did you know that the Coweta County Environmental Management Division (part of Public Works) offers several waste management services to help residents properly dispose of trash and recycling?Host Michael Fouts is joined by Fleet/Environmental Management Director Matt Lovett to learn more about all those offerings pertaining to trash and recycling.Learn about the County's C&D Landfill, Transfer Station, Compactor Sites and more. 

For our latest episode, Host Michael Fouts is joined with Michael Smith who serves as the Training Chairperson of the Coweta County Special Olympics Board, along with Parks & Recreation Director Jim Gay and Assistant Director Kevin Carlisle. The Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes, both children and adults, with intellectual disabilities. They work with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches. Our local Coweta County chapter has volunteers who work and meet with the athletes on a variety of sports. These sports give the athletes continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship.Be sure to follow the Special Olympics Georgia - Coweta County Facebook Page on the latest news, events and learn about how you can get involved. We are grateful for all this organization does for our community! We also appreciate the partnership with our Parks & Recreation Department. 

Coweta County's Public Works: Road Maintenance Division plays a pivotal role in the infrastructure of Coweta County. The team is responsible for maintaining County roadways, bridges, drainage structures, and vegetation along all County maintained roads. They also utilize employee led crews and inmate labor. For this "A Day in the Life" episode, Host Michael Fouts is joined by Raymond Benton, Division Chief, and Bradley Cross, Right of Way Maintenance Officer, to learn more about what their job is like behind-the-scenes. Learn more about the Road Maintenance Division Division on the County website.

Did you know that HB 581 created the opportunity for voters to approve a one percent sales tax (FLOST - or Floating Local Option Sales Tax) to reduce property taxes? This will be on the November 4, 2025 ballot.Join us for Episode 22 as Host & Coweta County Administrator Michael Fouts talks about all things FLOST with City of Newnan Manager Cleatus Phillips. If approved by Coweta voters, FLOST will be a new sales tax that can be levied up to one percent for a five-year period and collected countywide. FLOST proceeds must be used exclusively to reduce property taxes. To learn more, visit www.cowetaflost.com. 

Did you know that the Coweta County Development Authority promotes economic prosperity by attracting new businesses and supporting the expansion of existing companies? Host Michael Fouts sits down with Sarah Jacobs, President of the Development Authority, to learn about what the authority is, what they are/ are not responsible for, success stories, tax abatements, why businesses want to invest and grow in Coweta County, and so much more. To learn more about the Development Authority, visit www.choosecoweta.com. 

Take a deep dive into all things related to the Coweta County Government budget.During this episode, Assistant Administrator Kelly Mickle joins us to talk about all things related to budget and finance. Learn about how much it costs to operate Coweta County, how the budget is funded, how the budget and millage rate work together, and more. To learn about current and past approved budgets, please visit the Coweta County Finance page here. The FY26 budget is currently under review. The public hearing is on Tuesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. in the Commission Chambers (2nd floor of 37 Perry Street, Newnan, GA 30263).