Administrator forsees a busy year

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@thecitizennews.com

It’s been a busy year in Coweta County, and the future looks even busier.

In the annual state of the county address delivered Tuesday, County Administrator Theron Gay said the county has completed a lot of projects this year, but will have even more critical decisions in the future.

Gay said the county has been working hard this year on insuring that residents have enough clean, safe drinking water.

The county has partnered with Newnan Utilities to provide water to the county and is also working on building the B.T. Brown Reservoir in the northern part of the county for future water needs.

The county also is working to provide better roads for the rapidly expanding population. Last year, the county and DOT completed the widening of Ga. Highway 34 from White Oak to Thomas Crossroads.

Gay said the county also is working with Peachtree City, the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Department of Transportation to get the rest of Hwy. 34 to Peachtree City widened to four lanes by 2005.

One of the county’s biggest achievements last year, Gay said, was purchasing industrial property in the Shenandoah and Creekside industrial parks.

When the county first announced its intentions, many citizens openly questioned the idea of the county getting into the industrial recruitment business.

But so far, land sales have totalled $2.25 million and another $3.8 million in sales is pending, said Gay.

The administrator also said that Coweta is the ninth fastest growing county in the state with an estimated 1999 population of 89,401. To ensure the quality of life remains, Gay said the Coweta County Commission has taken proactive steps.

The commission has doubled the minimum lot size to 1.6 acres and called for protection of natural growth in all future developments.

In addition to monitoring the growth, the commission has not raised the property tax rate in seven years and has positioned the county as the 13th lowest in the state for millage rate in maintenance and operation functions.

The county also has added recreation facilities, Gay said. The Hunter Complex on Ga. Highway 16 was opened in December and next year the county will open a huge new fairgrounds facility on Pine Road in Newnan.

While some citizens have not always agreed with the decisions of the commission, Gay said the decisions were always made for the best interest of all the residents. He encourages citizens to keep providing input and said the county is ready to manage the upcoming growth and maintain the quality of life.