Vision 2015

VISION 2015

Sunday, March 22, 2015 | The Newnan Times-Herald

COUNTY GROWTH ....................................................................................... PAGE 2D

Countdown to county projects

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com

Coweta County is continuing to expand offerings for its citizens.

The county is moving forward with plans for a new community center at the Central complex, located off Ga. Hwy. 154 and Lower Fayetteville Road. The community center, which will be similar to the county’s existing centers in Sargent, Welcome and Senoia, will be located on a tract of land adjacent to the Coweta Sheriff's office’s east side precinct and near the Central Library.

Community centers, which can be rented for events and gatherings, have a large meeting/dining space with tables, a kitchen and restrooms. There’s a high demand for the current centers, and they are rented frequently.

COUNTDOWN CONTINUED INSIDE

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS .......................................... PAGE 4D

What the UWG means for Coweta

By CLAY NEELY clay@newnan.com

The opening of the University of West Georgia’s Newnan campus signals another milestone in the community.

“Not only does it aim to add to our quality of life, but also creates another opportunity to provide higher education for our citizens,” according to Mayor Keith Brady.

“In the past, residents had to leave our city to continue their education, but not anymore,” Brady said. “It’s a continuation of our community’s ability to provide education, employment, health care, recreation – we are mature and prospering and keeping an eye on what we need.” UWG CONTINUED INSIDE

EDUCATION .................................................... PAGE 5D

CCSS faces big changes

By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com

In 2015 the Coweta County School System is facing one of its biggest changes to date, becoming an Investing in Educational Excellence (IE2) school system.

If its application and contract with the State Board of Education are approved this summer, CCSS will have more flexibility from state education laws and rules. With this increased flexibility, IE2 will also bring CCSS more accountability with student achievement.

SCHOOLS CONTINUED INSIDE

COMMUNITY SAFETY .............................................. PAGE 6D

CCFD and EMS combine

By WES MAYER

wesley@newnan.com

The Coweta County Fire Department is looking forward to a few changes in its five-year plan, but at the moment, the department is busy transitioning to taking over all emergency medical services in Coweta County.

The department will officially be taking over the county’s emergency medical services on May 1, said Coweta County Fire Chief Johnny Teeters. At the moment, the department is manning one ambulance, but when the county’s contract with American Medical Response ends at the end of April, the department will be operating seven ambulances. The one ambulance the county currently operates responds to calls around downtown Newnan.

CCFD CONTINUED INSIDE

CITIES ............................................................................................. PAGE 9D

Small-town living across Coweta

By W. WINSTON SKINNER winston@newnan.com Across Coweta County, small towns offer charming ambience – friendly churches and opportunities to visit the post office and know one’s neighbors.

Grantville in southwest Coweta County is the county’s third largest municipality – behind Newnan and Senoia. Doug Jewell is the town’s mayor, and council members are Leonard Gomez, Ruby Hines, Willie Kee and David Riley.

Grantville is the only municipality in the county that sells its citizens electricity, water and natural gas. There are several parks in town, including a popular water park when the weather is warm. The city has a recreation department and houses the area senior citizens center in the Glanton Complex, which also contains city offices.

LIVING CONTINUED INSIDE The council meets the second and fourth Mondays at 6:30 p.m.

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2D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

VISION 2015

COUNTY GROWTH

Economic growth continues in Coweta

PHOTO BY JEFFREY LEO

Grading for the new section of the Newnan Bypass is complete and crews have been busy moving dirt and laying pipe for the new road, which is set to be open to traffic in the summer of 2016.

Major road projects in works

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com

Several major road projects are in the works in Coweta, and as they wrap up, the biggest of all – the new Interstate 85 interchange on Poplar Road - will be getting started.

The interchange construction is still a ways away, but preliminary work has been going on for years.

The interchange project is currently in the right-of-way acquisition phase, with construction set to begin in 2016, said Tod Handley, Coweta’s director of transportation and engineering. The construction work is expected to take two years.

A round the sa me time construction work begins on the interchange project, the Newnan Bypass Extension will be complete and open to traffic. Cowetans will also be traversing two new roundabouts, with a third on the way.

The roundabout on Lower Fayetteville Road at t he entrance to the Newnan Centre is nearing completion.

Another one will be built at the “Five Points” intersection of Turkey Creek, Poplar and East Newnan roads and Martin Luther King Drive.

In addition to the roundabout itself, portions of East Newnan and Turkey Creek roads will be realigned, and a portion of each road will become a dead-end with a cul-de-sac.

Clearing and grading for the project is set to begin soon, with hopes to have most of the site preparation work done by the time school starts in the fall. It’s a joint project of Coweta County and the city of Newnan, and, at the request of the Central Edu-

COUNTDOWN Continued from page 1D

Construction will likely begin in late 2015. The project will be funded with the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Across the way, work is continuing on the expansion of the Central Park soccer complex.

A “comfort station” with restrooms, vending, a covered picnic area and an air-conditioned space for residents to cool off is nearing completion. The county has made changes to the parking lot, and three new fields have been built. The two largest fields have lights now, and the walking trail has been expanded and improved. There’s also a playground.

The county owns additional land on the site for possible expansion, as well as a vacant house which may be used as office and storage space for the soccer teams.

Another project in the works is a new vehicle and heavy equipment maintenance and repair shop for county vehicles. Currently, there are separate auto and heavy equipment shops, where work is done on all county vehicles except fire engines, ambulances and transit vehicles. Those are taken care of at the Coweta County Fire Department’s maintenance facility.

The heavy equipment facility is currently behind the g ua rd line at t he Coweta County Prison, and both facilities are old and a bit on the small side. Both were built in the 1970s.

The new facility will be bu i lt on Selt Road , ne a r Coweta County Animal Con-

cational Center, lane closures will be limited during the before and after school rush hours.

The Five Points project is expected to take about a year to finish. The contract completion date is March 7, 2016.

The Bypass project is set to be finished in the summer of 2016. The expected date for completion of all work except landscaping is June 2016, said Kimberly Larson, spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The project consists of a lot more than just the extension of the Bypass from its current end at Turkey Creek Road to Ga. Hwy. 16 East near Interstate 85. Hwy. 16 will be widened to four lanes from the Bypass intersection to U.S. 29.

The problematic intersection of U.S. 29, Hwy. 16 and Pine Road will be reconfigured to a four-point intersection with a traffic light, and U.S. 29 will be widened to four lanes from Interstate 85 to just past the Pine Road intersection.

Coweta County’s biggest roundabout will be built at the four-way intersection of Ga. Hwys. 16 and 54 between Sharpsburg and Turin. Plans are for a two-lane roundabout, with multiple dedicated turn lanes. The project is being done by the GDOT. Construction is scheduled for fiscal year 2017, which begins July 1, 2016.

These are the major projects, but several other road projects will be done in the next few years.

A long-awa ited sa fet y improvement will be the installation of traffic lights at each end of Lora Smith Road. Coweta County has been trying to get GDOT to approve a traffic light for

trol. Land clearing has been done, but there will be extensive civil engineering work needed. Architectural plans will be done this year, with construction likely in 2016.

The county is also planning to fence the old pauper cemetery, and has marked it permanently on the deed for the land, off Hospital Road adjacent to Evans Middle School.

Ongoi ng road ma i ntenance always takes up a lot of Coweta County’s time – and money. This year, county and contract crews will rehabilitate and resurface over 40 miles of county roads this spring and summer.

This year, the county will be repairing some of those roads with a “double surface treatment.” Also known as “chip seal,” it's an old way of repairing roads that have fallen into disrepair in recent years.

The county will be trying it out on about nine miles of roadway this year. The process will only be used on roads with traffic volumes of 200 or fewer vehicles per day.

There will be deep patching of failed areas, and then a “leveling course” to smooth things out. The double surface treatment consists of a layer of liquid asphalt -- aka “tar” -with a layer of smooth stones rolled over the surface. Then there is a second liquid layer, and a second layer of smaller stones. It’s a slightly rougher pavement surface than standard paving, with a bit more road noise, but it is significantly cheaper.

Coweta’s primary way of repairing severely deteriorated roads is “full depth reclamation.” It costs roughly $265,000 per mile, according to Tod Handley, Coweta’s director of transportation and engineering. Roads with fewer problems get the “crack relief

the intersection of Lora Smith and Hwy. 34 East for years; GDOT has finally agreed. A light will also be installed at Lora Smith and Lower Fayetteville Road. Handley said that he expects the Lora Smith work to be bid as one project, with a contract time of n ine mont hs.

Construction is expected to begin some time this year.

Coweta Cou nt y a lso plans to work on the realignment of Howard Road this year.

In 2016, Coweta County will begin the intersection improvement on Smokey Road at Old Corinth/Belk Road, and the relocat ion of the intersection of Old. Hwy. 85 at Ga. Hwy. 16 East. The intersec t ion relocation will be done to improve sight distance for motorists.

P roje c t s i n t he future include a twofoot winding of Sullivan Road, realignment of Herring Road and U.S. 29, drainage improvement and rehabilitation on Amlajack Boulevard and an intersection improvement at Eastside School Road and Old Hwy. 85.

By CLAY NEELY clay@newnan.com

The economic growth that Coweta County has experienced over the last several years shows no sign of slowing down.

As noted by the University of West Georgia, one out of every eight jobs in Coweta is currently tied to the health care industry.

According to Greg Wright, president of the Coweta County Development Authority, the continued growth in the health care sector will continue into the future for Coweta County. “ Wit h t he g row t h of P ied mont Newnan Hospital, the expansion at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, the opening of HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Newnan, and the development of new medical offices, Coweta can expect this trend to continue,” said Greg Wright, president of the Coweta County Development Authority.

In 2014, the Development Authority presided over several new projects such as the Niagara Bottling facility, Spancrete, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Newnan, along with several others.

“I think the Niagara Bottling project has had a tremendous impact on our local economic development efforts,” Wright said.

“Niagara is an outstanding company, so having the jobs and the capital investment in Coweta County will have an immediate and lasting impact on the community.”

“The speed in which the project moved has helped promote Coweta County as a community that can get large industrial projects done in a timely manner,” Wright continued. “Companies want to move quickly once they decide on where to locate or expand, so having completed a project like Niagara so quickly gives us an advantage

interlayer” treatment, which costs about $150,000 per mile.

Double surface treatment runs about $100,000 per mile, and with county crews doing some of the work, the cost could be even lower.

Coweta continues to be a popular place for the film and television industry – and a popular place for fans to visit.

In just one week in February, Coweta’s Film Ready liaison, Tray Baggarly of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, got calls from six location managers or scouts. “Four were scouting our county for major motion pictures,” Baggarly said.

Two were interested in the now-vacant former Piedmont Newnan Hospital on Hospital Road. It was used last year for filming of “The Walking Dead.” “ You don’ t h ave m a ny empty hospitals in the country and they’re hearing about this one,” Baggarly said. One project was a documentary and another was a commercial.

Baggarly said they are seeing international visitors coming to Coweta to see where “T he Wa l k ing Dead” was filmed. “We had five people from Peru, and their sole reason for being here was” to see “Walking Dead” filming sites.

There was a similar group from France. “Last fall, in one week, we had 10 visitors from Switzerland, Germany and Austria. All of them were here for these ‘The Walking Dead’ locations. It’s unbelievable,” Baggarly said.

In December, a German travel writer visited. “We thought, while he was here, we’d show him our state park” and other sites, Baggarly said.

“He didn’t want to see any of that. He wanted to see where ‘ T he Wa l k i ng Dead’ wa s filmed. That was it.”

when working with companies with aggressive time schedules.”

And while recruitment of new businesses to the area remains strong, Wright contends that the continued growth of existing industries in the community is a good sign.

“As people in sales know, it is easier to keep an existing customer than it is to find a new one, so we place a great deal of emphasis on meeting the needs of our existing industries,” Wright said.

“Over the past year, we have seen our industries - both large and small - adding new jobs, constructing new buildings or additions, or buying new equipment,” Wright continued. “This is a great sign for the future of our economy.”

Coweta remains well-positioned for industrial growth into the future, as Wright notes the availability of industrial property at each of the interchanges in the county.

The work the Pattillo Industrial Real Estate has done to clear its largest industrial site, to remove the undergrowth on many of its other sites and to extend Coweta Industrial Parkway to provide access to additional sites makes the entire industrial park more attractive for prospects, according to Wright.

The rezoning of the Bridgeport property at Exit 41 gives Coweta another option for companies that need large tracts of industrial land that can provide easy access to the interstate, to CSX rail and to the Newnan Coweta Airport.

“From a workforce standpoint, we expect great things in the future,” Wright said.

“The enrollment numbers at West Georgia Technical College continue to grow, and the University of West Georgia has provided a great educational opportunity in Newnan for decades.”

“The CEC remains the model for technical and adult education in the nation,” Wright said. “It is one of the key selling points for our community.”

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4D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

VISION 2015

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS

Newnan ready for next level of business recruitment

BY CLAY NEELY CLAY@NEWNAN.COM

The growth of Coweta County continues to attract new industries and businesses to the community.

With amenities including education, recreation, and the ability to shop at both unique and national stores, the region is poised to bring in new business.

As business development director for the city of Newnan, Hasco Craver IV is attempting to recruit larger companies to the area to establish secondary offices, specifically targeting life sciences (healthcare), information technology and corporate headquarters.

“We feel that we can go after these projects as our community now provides the quality of life and amenities that these types of projects are looking for,” Craver said. “Companies want to be able to attract talent and their ability to do so if based on where a prospect can live,” Craver said.

According to Craver, the city is aiming

to recruit larger companies seeking secondary office locations. These types of offices usually employ 50 to 100, and their presence is a sign that the community is a desirable place to live.

“We have identified a few sites and are drawing plans for them to use as promotional collateral,” Craver said.

Craver also sees the city being a destination for high-growth companies that are looking to locate their facility along the I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Montgomery, citing that companies both domestic and international often seek a location that puts them in close proximity to an airport the size of Hartsfield-Jackson.

Going after the next available green space to develop new business isn’t necessarily the best method of attracting industry, according to Craver.

The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society’s second public art project is titled “Trains, Horses and Pickup Trucks: All Roads Lead To Newnan.”

RECRUIT, page 5D

Horses, trucks, trains to decorate downtown PUBLIC ART TO FOCUS ON TRANSPORTATION

By W. WINSTON SKINNER winston@newnan.com

PHOTO BY WINSTON SKINNER

Amy Tisenchek explains a facet of the UWG-Newnan Hospital project as she and Dr. Ernest Barron, right, look out a window. Behind them is Tray Baggarly. Rosa Connally is in the foreground.

UWG

Continued from page 1D While Brady feels that the opening of the University in August may not provide an immediate economic “ripple effect,” he believes that the presence of the university will seamlessly integrate itself into a thriving downtown economy.

“There will be many opportunities in our private sector,” Brady said. “Merchants will cater to students and it will create a hugely positive impact on our community for generations.”

“We have a university that offers general core curriculum and the chance to obtain a four-year degree,” Brady continued. “It’s one of the reasons why the city was willing to take on debt when we haven’t before.”

In addition to the educational opportunities the project and new campus will bring to Newnan, UWG’s Center for Business and Economic Research reported the university is expected to generate between $1.4 million and $3.4 million annually in the community.

The opening of West Georgia University also joins in the life cycle that Coweta County continues to fulfill for its citizens.

“The connection of the community is the only way we’ll be successful,” said UWG President Dr. Kyle Marrero. “To have a com-

munity come together for a project like this doesn’t happen everywhere.”

Marrero said 500 unduplicated students are enrolled currently at the Newnan campus, currently located in the Shenandoah Industrial Park. By 2018, his goal is to have 3,000 unduplicated students at the new campus.

As business development director for the city of Newnan, Hasco Craver IV believes that the availability of collegiate education benefits not only the young but also those who are seeking to continue their education, regardless of their age or skill set.

“We are producing tomorrow’s business owners and staff members,” Craver said.

“When we are working to recruit new industry to our area, they know they are looking at an asset that offers them the chance to send their staff or team members to this institution to continue their education.”

According to Craver, one of the major things that businesses are looking for is a pipeline for further education, often inquiring about the proximity to major universities and training schools.

“The CEC (Central Education Center) and WGTC (West Georgia Technical College) are very nimble,” Craver said. “These schools can design very specific degrees and training programs on the fly that are aimed

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other locations.

The horses attracted lots of attention and brought hundreds of people into the downtown area to view them.

A few of them remain on public display – either downtown or at other spots in Newnan and Coweta.

The new art pieces are to be displayed for three to six months. Then sponsors will be able to display the piece at their business, their home or another location.

Sold were 18 trucks, six engines, three horses and a caboose. “These really are pieces of amazing art,” said Barbara Tumperi, chairman of the All Roads Lead To Newnan committee.

The caboose, which will be large enough for children to sit on while having photos made, was purchased by Newnan Utilities and will be moved to Carl Miller Park after the downtown exhibit is over.

Serving on the committee for the public art with Tumperi are Lisa Harwell, Jeremy Henson, Bette Hickman, Sarah LaMance and Pamela Prange.

The children’s museum will be in a brick home on Clark Street behind the McRitchie-Hollis Museum. It is envisioned as having a hands-on approach with exhibits appealing to children – and involving them in learning while having fun.

Sometime this summer, downtown Newnan will be f illed with public art – f iberglass trucks, trains and horses painted by local artists.

The pieces are part of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society’s second public art project, “Trains, Horses and Pickup Trucks: All Roads Lead To Newnan.” The pieces arrived in February and then went to various locations for artists to use paint – and their creativity – to make each one unique.

The 2015 art event places its focus on transportation and will highlight three modes of transit that have had a major impact on Coweta County’s history.

The proceeds of the event will benefit the society’s planned children’s museum.

T he f i rst m ajor f u nd ra i ser was A Horsey Affair in 2012.

Large fiberglass horses were directly purchased by sponsors and at cerpainted by local artists. tain T he hor se s were d i sgroups we played a rou nd t he are trying to Court Square in recruit.” downtown Newnan “ H av i n g t he a nd at a few CEC in our backyard is a luxur y,” Craver cont i nued .

“T hey invented what they do in terms of specialized education, and to have the originator here is a strong benefit to our community.”

For Brady, it’s another example of a community pooling its resources to create another avenue of opportunity.

“We’re very excited about this, and we’re very fortunate to come out of the downturn quicker than other areas,” Brady said. “It’s MEMBERSHIP may be EASIER the byproduct of hard work, dedication and than you think! having a community where everyone pulls together.”

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Sunday, March 22, 2015 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 5D

VISION 2015

EDUCATION

RECRUIT

Continued from page 4D

PHOTO BY JEFF LEO

East Coweta High School students celebrate after the 2014 graduation ceremony.

SCHOOLS Continued from page 1D

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“In the listening sessions and other discussions that we have held with stakeholders, the response toward IE2 has been favorable,” said Superintendent Steve Barker. “We have heard from stakeholders that this is a good direction and a good opportunity for our schools.”

An IE2 school system is a flexibility option offered by the State Board of Education, which allows school systems to continue receiving waivers from some state laws and rules. The state board is now requiring all the school systems in Georgia to choose a flexibility option

by June 30 to continue receiving waivers.

Of the three flexibility options, two allow waivers – Investing in Educational Excellence (IE2) or Charter System. The third option is a Status Quo System, which does not allow any waivers.

In the IE2 option, waivers must be specified up front. With the Charter System, the school district is given a blanket waiver.

“For now, the Coweta County School System has substantially completed local work on the application,” said Mark Whitlock, director of public policy for the school system and the chairman of the system committee that has developed the IE2 application. Whitlock also serves as the CEO of Coweta’s Central Educational Center.

According to Whitlock, he and CCSS hope to have their IE2 contract approved by the State Board of Education and be able to move forward this summer.

“A negotiated contract would need to be approved by the local board of education,” he said. “If that occurs, Coweta could begin as an IE2 district in the 2015-2016 school year, transitioning into the new flexibility and establishing accountability data that year, followed by five years of normal accountability under the contract.”

Even though, CCSS will be changing to a different type of school system, it will not change it dramatically.

“We will be the same system, but with even greater ability to innovate,” said Whitlock.

“We have been operating as an innovative system for years, and IE2 will allow us to continue that and expand upon it.”

“Stakeholders at the school level and along grade levels, will be able to identify further innovative approaches to better serving students and improving student achievement,”

said Barker. “Our system will be in a position to take advantage of additional flexibility.”

“That might allow unique curriculum opportunities, scheduling changes, unique course credit options, partnerships or other opportunities that we might not have been able to implement in the past,” he added.

C C S S s t r a t e g i c pl a n was adopted around this approach to a school system, so it fits in and expands on what the school system has already been doing.

“It ca lls for ma inta ining the innovations we have developed over yea rs i n Coweta and expanding opportunities to better meet student needs,” said Whitlock of the change. “IE2 is a part of and a continuation of our school system’s overall approach.”

CCSS originally intended to be a Charter System, and announced its intent at the school board’s June meeting in 2014.

In January 2015, the school board approved switching the letter of intent from a Charter System to an IE2 System.

Barker said the state had recently clarified some of the consequences for the IE2 option, which made it a better option for CCSS. “With those clarifications made at the state level, the IE2 option does afford us the ability to gain waivers, gain flexibility, and build our improvement plan for the next five years, under our strategic plan, just as a charter system would allow … Given all of those parameters and the new information, my recommendation … (was) we revise our letter of intent toward an IE2 system,” he said.

Those consequences now include: Determining improvement efforts for a school at the local level, monitoring those improvement efforts, utilizing state department resources in terms of consulting, and helping with improvement.

Even with the change, Barker said there was no “lost work,” and CCSS was still on a “good timetable” for the new flexibility option.

By redeveloping existing shopping centers, it means a minimum investment in private dollars and also means a greater benefit to the city.

“In some instances, new construction is the only answer, but if we can promote the reuse of an old commercial box center, it makes perfect sense and is the best use of our resources,” Craver said.

By redeveloping existing infrastructure, it would help beautify the areas which exist between Ashley Park and downtown Newnan.

Last year, the city expanded its economic development policy by adding an addendum by listing existing industry incentives.

“If you fit within these certain types, we can give you this,” Craver said. “It’s not a guarantee but it helps the outside community understand what we’re looking for.”

In terms of new development, the city is looking for three specific industry development types – life sciences (health care), information technology and corporate headquarters.

“Those are the three types that if they want to come for new development and investment, we feel we can offer our most attractive incentive package,” Craver said.

“We’re very specif ic in attempting to recruit in these types of areas.”

By offering a variety of incentives such as expedited permitting, waiving fees associated with opening businesses and construction projects, plan review fees, occupation tax fees, the city and county can help recruit new growth to the area.

“In order to remain competitive, you have to be willing to provide certain types of incentives to certain types of projects,” Craver said. “What we have done in Newnan is instead of giving everyone an incentive, regardless of their project, we have chosen to be very specific.

“Because we’re good stewards of our city’s resources, we’re specific on what we will give and what we will not give.”

PHOTO BY JEFFREY LEO

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6D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

VISION 2015

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Newnan Police Department to get involved in community

By WES MAYER

wesley@newnan.com

Now that the Newnan Police Department has made the move into the new Public Safety Complex, the department is going to focus on furthering officers’ training and becoming more involved with the community.

The police department moved into the new and much larger Public Safety Complex in February.

CCFD

Continued from page 1D “We just felt it was time to bring some structure and continuity to it,” Teeters said about the transition. “Now we will have complete control and take care of all the management.”

To drive and work in the ambulances, the department has recently hired a number of fulltime and part-time employees who are trained as both firefighters and paramedics, Teeters said.

Existing employees who are not trained as paramedics are in the process of being cross-trained, and the entire department should be trained by the end of April.

Operating as both firefighters and paramedics, units will be able to rotate between the ambulances and fire trucks, and this should help save the department money and will help the department offset the costs of maintaining the ambulances. The additional training should also help lower the county’s Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, Teeters said, which will lower insurance rates for Coweta homeowners. The county’s ISO rating is currently 4 – with 1 being the best.

The department is also busy studying the county’s demographics to determine where the most emergency medical calls are located, Teeters said. From data, they are able to tell most calls, about 30 to 40 percent, are focused around Newnan and the Thomas Crossroads area.

Upcoming plans for the fire department include replacing an ambulance that has exceeded the 200,000 mile-marker and a fire engine that is more than 10 years old, Teeters said. Plans are also under way to replace the department’s oldest fire station, Station 5, on Smokey Road.

All the stations have recently been renovated to improve the exteriors and furnishings and to update the facilities for female employees. Teeters said the department is hiring more and more

Before, the police department was mostly housed in the Municipal Building on Jefferson Street, but the department had grown to the point that other divisions had to split up and move to different buildings, including Newnan fire

NPD, page 8D

women, including five last month, so all the stations need to have separate bathrooms, showers and beds, so women will be able to work at or move around to any station. The final two stations that need to be renovated, other than Station 5, are Station 14 on Tommy Lee Cook Road and Station 15 on Gordon Road.

The stations have all been recently equipped with Plymovent systems to keep the air in the fire stations and vehicle bays clean. The vents can be attached to the fire vehicles’ exhaust and prevent fumes from building up in the stations, Teeters said.

“We are very in tuned to health,” Teeters said, “ and we want to eradicate anything we see as a health hazard to our employees.”

F u r t h e r pl a n s for t h e department include hiring a full-time inspector to review commercial buildings in the county such as schools and daycare centers and maintain their safety, Teeters said. In about five years, with the construction of the new bypass near Station 1 on Turkey Creek Road, the department may also look at building a new training center – it currently shares the training center on Greison Trail with the Newnan Fire Department. As for expanding the actual number of fire stations, Teeters said that may also be about five years down the road.

Coweta County Sheriff’s Office keeps ahead of curve

By WES MAYER

wesley@newnan.com

This year, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office has made and is looking forward to a number of changes the department hopes will improve the safety of its officers and the people of Coweta County.

“We have a lot of projects coming up in the next several years,” said Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager, “and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

The biggest change coming to the sheriff’s office is the completion of its new video visitation center, which will add on to and remodel the Coweta County Jail’s current lobby. The new center is in the process of being built and is expected to be finished by the first of June, Yeager said.

The Coweta County Jail is actually one of the last county jails in Georgia that still allows visitors to meet with inmates face-to-face, Yeager said. Now, jail deputies must move people from an unsecure area of the building into a secure area to meet with an inmate, who is also moved, in a room separated by glass. Recently, there has been an increase in visitors attempting to bring contraband, such as marijuana or lewd photos, into the jail when they visit, Yeager said.

The video visitation center will cut all that out.

Instead, visitors will speak to inmates via computers in the center – they will be able to see each other on the computer screens and converse through headsets. The only people who will be able to visit inmates in person will be their attorneys, Yeager said.

The center will serve as the same place where people go to bond out inmates, view video court and have fingerprinting done for background checks. For the officers and jail employees, the video visitation center will have more office space, a new squad room and a personal locker area. Part of the old jail lobby will be turned into more offices and allow the jail’s infirmary to be expanded.

“I think it’s going to be a good system, and a good situation for everyone,” Yeager said.

Further down the road, in maybe three years, the sheriff’s office will be looking into adding another pod to the Coweta County Jail, raising the capacity of the jail by about 200 inmates, Yeager said. For this, they expect they will expand toward the old jail, which has been demolished. Whenever the addition happens, they will also work on renovating the old pods of the jail and updating their security technology.

“It’s neverending, and everything changes,” Yeager said. “We’re just trying to keep up and make sure we

CCSO, page 8D

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8D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

VISION 2015

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Fire Department preparing for Station 4 down the road

By WES MAYER

wesley@newnan.com

The Newnan Fire Department is steadily preparing for a major expansion that will greatly assist the department.

Over the next three years, the department is hoping to hire personnel for an upcoming fourth fire station.

Right now, the Newnan Fire Department has three stations – Station 1 on Jefferson Street, Station 2 on Lower Fayetteville Road and Station 3 on Temple Avenue.

The department plans to build Station 4 on Millard Farmer Industrial Boulevard.

“We’ve run the numbers,” Whitley said, “and the new fire station will take 900 to 1,000 calls to the north half of the city off Station 1 and Station 3. And it will give us a much closer response time.”

In the last six months, the department has hired four new firefighters, and plans to hire until six to nine firefighters are trained and ready to man Station 4. Each new firefighter is starting out at Station 1, to become familiar with the city. The plan is to have 17 firefighters on duty at all times once Station 4 is built.

Now that the Newnan Police Department has moved personnel out of Station 3 to the new Public Safety Complex, the fire department is going to remodel Station 3 to make it a full-fledged fire station. This includes adding bunks for firefighters, a weight room, a communications room and larger office spaces.

With the Newnan Police Department moving out

NPD

of the Municipal Building, the fire department has considered moving the departments administration into their place.

Station 1 will also be remodeled, Whitley said, and there are some preliminary plans of connecting the second floor of the Municipal Building to the second floor of Station 1.

T h e de p a r t m e nt i s a l s o happy the new traffic circle is being built on Lower Fayetteville Road, a short distance from Station 2. Whitley said the department hasn’t had any difficulty with traffic circles, and he thinks the new circle will help slow down the traffic on Lower Fayetteville and prevent more accidents.

O ve r a l l , W h itley said the goal of t he New n a n Fi re Depa r t ment is to expa nd the ra n kPHOTO BY SARAH CAMPBELL ing off icer strucThe Coweta County Fire Department’s new maintenance facility is a big hit with long-time mechanic Randy ture and add more Bryant, who no longer has to work on fire engines out in the elements. Bryant is pictured here with Chief Johnny personnel.

Teeters.

CCSO

Continued from page 6D station three on Temple Avenue. Now the entire police department is back under one roof.

“They love it,” said Newnan Police Chief Douglas “Buster” Meadows. “You can tell a difference in everybody.

We’re all back together and I haven’t heard anyone complain. It’s a nice building and we’re proud of it.”

At the moment, the entire department consists of 85 sworn police officers, Meadows said, and two new patrol officers were recently hired. Now that the department is in a bigger space, it will also be looking to hire more administrative positions, including office assistants to Meadows and deputy chiefs Rodney Riggs and Wayne Jones.

Officer Edward Lee has also become the department’s new community resource officer, Meadows said. Lee will have the task of getting out into the Newnan neighborhoods and meeting with the community. He will also speak at schools, work with community programs and organize neighborhood watch programs.

“Lee is just a laid back, grounded, good officer,” Meadows said. “ And most importantly, he know how to talk to both grownups and kids.”

One of the biggest changes coming to the police department will be body-worn cameras for all its officers, Meadows said. The cameras, made by Taser International, will be mounted to the frames of glasses, so the camera will record everything the officer sees. Meadows said they tried the chest and shoulder mounted cameras, but they don’t work as well.

The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office invested in bodyworn cameras last year, and have been very successful with them. The videos recorded by the cameras are all saved to a secure website, and if needed, the police department can easily review the videos or send them to the

d i st r ic t at tor ney ’s office. Meadows said the police department Continued from page 6D h a s enoug h f u nd s from SPLOST to supstay safe and secure.” ply every officer with Recently, on March 16, the sheriff ’s office a camera, and they reorganized its crime suppression unit, Yeager also plan on ordering said. Previously, the crime suppression unit 20 extra cameras just was composed of narcotics investigators, field in case. ops and K-9 units. Now, the narcotics unit has Last but not least, been separated, and the field ops and K-9 depthe department is lookuties have transferred to the patrol division to ing into Narcan, the form the E shift. opioid antagonist mediBefore, the patrol division only had four cine which helps resusshifts – A, B, C and D, which will still rotate citate people who have 12-hour shifts. Deputies in the new E shift overdosed on opi ate s will be split up and staggered, so there will such as oxycontin or herbe field ops and K-9 units working about oin. A few Newnan police 16 hours a day. Deputies in the E shift will officers have gone through assist the other patrol shifts, help serve some training on how to use search warrants, work in the justice centhe medicine, but the departter and patrol areas of the county that ment is still seeking a doctor have issues like burglaries, thefts or as an official medical advisor. traffic complaints, Yeager said.

Lt. Wesley Sweatman will also be I n add it ion , C apt . M a rk Fenin charge with the legal aspect of ninger, who oversaw the field ops the medicine, to make sure officers unit, became the assistant patrol adhere to the law when they respond division commander under Lt. to a 911 call involving an illegal drug Col. Mike Kinsey, and he will overdose. help work with all five patrol Overall, Meadows said the entire shifts. department will work on getting out into “We’re not really changthe community and getting in touch with ing the operations of the citizens on a regular basis. Officers will also sheriff ’s off ice,” Yeabe busy with more quality training and more ger said, “just assignadvanced training to prepare them for ranking i ng person nel to positions in the future. different

responsibilities.”

Sheriff’s deputies also recently started carrying Narcan, an opioid antagonist medicine that helps resuscitate people who have overdosed on an opiate. Officers are often the first responders to a 911 call, Yeager said, and they need to be able to handle a variety of situations.

With Narcan, deputies can potentially save a person’s life.

Last year, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office also became the first sheriff’s office in Georgia to adopt body-worn cameras for its deputies. Now, a deputy’s entire shift and everything they see is recorded using one of these cameras, and the recorded videos can be reviewed at any time and sent to the district attorney’s office as evidence.

These cameras have drastically reduced the complaints against the sheriff’s office, Yeager said.

In a few cases, when people have complained to him directly, claiming a deputy was insulting, aggressive or overstepped their authority, Yeager said he can go back to the recording and see for himself what happened. Sometimes, when he explains to the person that the situation was recorded, that person will change their mind and take back their complaint.

“Many times, our officers will come to me and tell me of all the equipment they have, this [the body-worn camera] is the best,” Yeager said. “As we see new trends, we’re going to take a look at them and deliver the best we can to the citizens of this county.”

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Sunday, March 22, 2015 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 9D

VISION 2015

CITIES

New development for Senoia in 2015

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

Local nonprofits help those in need

pay for stormwater management needs. Stormwater utility charges are based on the amount The picturesque town of Senoia has seen steady of impervious surface on each piece of develgrowth in the past few years, particularly in its com- oped property. For residential properties, the mercial sector – even while the rest of the country was cost is typically standardized for an average mired in recession. The population has ticked up, too. home.

“The stormwater plan is the major That growth in population means the city now has

By Sarah Fay Campbell to meet additional requirements for stormwater man- thing” going on in the city right now, sarah@newnan.com agement, and Senoia is about to embark on a tremen- Owens said.

It has coincided with plans for dous undertaking of creating a “regional” stormwater Several organizations can major development in the downmanagement facility. be found in Coweta County The council recently discussed a plan that would town area, along Barnes Street at for those in need. pipe all rainwater that f lows through downtown Travis Street.

For those seeking food or shelDeveloper and movie stuSenoia to the Marimac Lakes park, where it would flow ter, there are One Roof, Bridging into one of the smaller ponds. The pond, sometimes dio president Scott Tigchelaar the Gap and the Salvation Army. referred to as the “frog pond,” is on the right of the plans to expand the downEach provides food a nd li m ited town shopping district. Plans access road to the park, near the library. financial assistance. One Roof and The project will be expensive, and will take a few are for the vacant space the Salvation Army can also provide years to complete. The current price estimate is on Main Street, between clothing and household items. the Masonic Lodge and around $1.8, said Senoia Mayor Larry Owens.

The Coweta Samaritan Clinic is a free The council has asked consultants to move forward primary care health facility for those with putting together plans for a “stormwater utility.” who make under 200 percent of the curThis will be a charge on property owners that will help rent poverty level. Patients are accepted by SENOIA, page 10D appointment only.

You r Tow n Hea lt h / Pa l met to Hea lt h Council is a subsidized clinic offering priPurcell and Susan Reimer. mary care, dental care and mental health Davis Camp, who served as care, as well as deeply subsidized prescription Haralson’s mayor for several Continued from page 1D drugs for those without insurance. Services years, returned to that post on are available to patients of all income levels; March 17. Council members are Sharpsburg’s city offices are located in the charges are on a sliding scale based on income.

Scott Beaumont, Bonita RoseA&O Bridges Center, which is also used for There is also a walk-in clinic in Palmetto in mas and Fred Rudbeck. The recreation. The town has a large post office where visits are $40. Your Town Health has council meets the second Monand a growing business district. also has small offices with various services in Council meetings are held the first Monday day of each month at 7 p.m.

Greenville, Manchester, Carrollton, Barnesville H a r a l son , wh ic h – l i ke of each month at 7 p.m. Wendell Staley is the and Zebulon. mayor, and Clay Cole, Celene Davenport, Der- Grantville – straddles the T hose seek i ng jobs ca n v isit t he Goodrick McElwaney and Keith Rhodes serve on Coweta-Meriwether line, has will Career Centers at the Newnan Main and the council. Donna Camp is Sharpsburg’s city a Christmas celebration and Newnan East Goodwill locations, or the GeorIndependence Day celebration clerk. gia Department of Labor Career Center. GoodMoreland is known for its history and its lit- each year. Moreland is also will Career Centers offer free use of computers, erary ties of authors Lewis Grizzard and Ers- known for a huge barbecue and scanners, fax machines, printers and telephones. kine Caldwell. The Moreland Cultural Arts festival held in conjunction The facilities also offer assistance with resumes Alliance celebrates the legacies of both authors with the July 4 holiday. and job searches, along with job readiness and A portion of Palmetto is in and the town’s history through museums, a preparation classes.

Coweta County, though most of demonstration garden and events.

Both Bridging the Gap and One Roof are seeThe council meets the first Monday of each the city is in Fulton County. The ing big changes in their facilities. month at 7:30 p.m. Dick Ford is the mayor, and council holds a work session at 7 Bridging the Gap recently won a $20,000 council members are Allyn Bell, Jeff Burgess, p.m. on Thursday before the first grant that will allow it to expand its laundry David Lee and Troy Payne. Jimmy Haynes is Monday of each month, and the and shower facilities. The organization has a council meets the first Monday of the town clerk. free food giveaway each Saturday, and serves Turin and Haralson are two of the smaller each month at 7:30 p.m. a hot meal Saturday mornings. Homeless or J. Clark Boddie is mayor. Countowns in the county, and they share a clerk, those in need can visit during regular weekday hours for showers, laundry and hot Paulette Brown. Turin’s council meets in the cil members are Michael Arnold, meals.

Walter B. Hill Community Center, a restored Tara Miller, Laura Mullis, Larry “Bridging the Gap is currently serving Rosenwald school building, on the third Tues- Parrott, Leon Sumlin and Patty O’Hara Willey. Palmetto has a local over 1,000 people a month,” reported day of each month at 7 p.m.

Founder and Executive Director Alan Starr is mayor, and council members history museum in the historic depot are Tony Crunkleton, George Harris, Cindy downtown. sarah@newnan.com

LIVING

Alison Wallace.

There is one shower and a washer and a dryer.

With the grant funds, plans are to add two more showers, two washers, and two dryers.

One Roof, which also houses the Coweta Community Food Pantry, has recently moved to a new location in the Westside Plaza shopping center, at 251, 253 and 255 Temple Avenue.

The new store is much larger, and better visibility has led to more donations – and more shoppers. Executive Director Derenda Rowe hopes to be able to use the sidewalk and parking lot space for fundraisers.

Cowetans can now come to the One Roof office on food pantry days – Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m., to apply for assistance.

The separate office space allows things to be more streamlined. You can get a voucher for food from the pantry, and ask about financial assistance.

One Roof provides limited financial assistance.

“People ask for financial assistance for rent, utility bills. Sometimes they’re homeless and they need a motel room, so they might ask for that,” Rowe said.

“We try to help with as many things as we can.”

One Roof can also help provide household items from the thrift store, as well as provide clothes and personal care products like soaps and shampoo.

Baby items such as diapers and wipes are also available in the food pantry.

For information on local need-based nonprofits, contact the individual organizations.

• One Roof/Coweta Community Food Pantry: 251, 253, 255 Temple Avenue, Newnan. www.oneroofoutreach.org . 770-683-7705. One-roof@hotmail.com • Bridging the Gap: 19 First Ave., Newnan. www. btgcommunity.org . 770-683-9110.

• Your Town Health: 643 Main Street, Palmetto.

770-463-4644. www.yourtownhealth.com .

• Coweta Samaritan Clinic: 137 Jackson Street, Newnan. 770-683-5272. www.cowetasamaritanclinic.org . Info@cowetasamaritanclinic.org .

• The Salvation Army: 670 Jefferson Street, Newnan. 770-251-8181 .

• Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers career centers: Newnan West: 228 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan. 770-254-8480. Newnan East: 3121 E. Hwy. 34 Newnan (Thomas Crossroads). 678-854-6839.

• Newnan Career Center of the Georgia Department of Labor: 30 Bledsoe Road, Newnan. 770-254-7220.

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10D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

VISION 2015

CITIES

SENOIA

Continued from page 9D French Market Antiques, to become a pedestrian walkway with f lanked with shops on either side. French Market itself will be demolished. Loft apartments will be on the upper floors.

The walkway will lead to Barnes Street where there will be a courtyard, a fine dining restaurant, commercial buildings and more loft apartments. Currently, there is a shortage of available retail space downtown.

At the rezoning hearing in December, Tigchelaar said the project would “really make Barnes, at least the lower half of it, kind of like a second Main Street.”

Civil engineering for the project is currently under way and “we are working on getting our blueprints finalized,” Tigchelaar said.

He hopes to have the entire project completed by fall, or at least by Christmas.

“It’s going to add a huge new dynamic to the downtown,” he said. “It’s going to add some much-needed retail space, and for the first time it’s going to bring loft living to downtown Senoia.”

Because the entire stormwater project won’t be done in time to serve the new Barnes Street development, the stormwater will temporarily be piped to the stormwater pond on the Gin Property.

The other major thing going on in Senoia is the development of the new Leroy Johnson Park. The large recreation facility, on the outskirts of town, is being built by Coweta County, and will feature baseball fields, multipurpose fields, a gym and tennis courts, in two phases.

“It’s an exciting project,” said Owens. The first phase is set to open in the fall or 2016 or spring of 2017. Once the park is open, the existing Leroy Johnson Park on Howard Road

Building blocks in place for more fun for all ages in Coweta will close, and it has the potential to be used

By Bradley Hartsell as an industrial site. bradley@newnan.com There will be more commercial development coming along Ga. Hwy. 16. A new Newnan and Coweta County multi-tenant building is under construccontinue to grow, and what was tion in the Cumberland Village shoponce a rural way of life is quickly ping center, and the new Cumberland becoming something close to the Village West is being built across the hustle and bustle of a big city like highway.

Atlanta.

“We’re trying to encourage some Newnan has been dubbed a “medical growth out on 16. Things that mecca,” with a Cancer Treatment Cendon’t necessarily fit downtown,” ters of America facility being located just Owens said.

Residential growth is also off Hwy. 34. Senoia has become a tourstarting to pick up. A new phase ist destination for the most popular cable of Heritage Point is getting drama of all time, “The Walking Dead.” started, as is new subdivision A college campus, the University of West Fieldstone, adjacent to Leroy Georgia, will open in Newnan just in time for Johnson Park. And the city its fall semester. has just annexed 35 acres on Hasco Craver, business development manMorgan Road for a new resiager of Main Street Newnan, says craft resdential development. taurants and speciality retail are a “part of the Film wise, Senoia continfuture” for downtown Newnan. These types of ues to be the major set for businesses will help revitalize historic down“The Walking Dead,” and town, according to Craver. Newnan’s develfans continue to pour in to opment planners hope the city will appeal to see where the show was families with an interest in a unique dining filmed. experience.

Most of the Gin PropAs Coweta continues to diversify, the building erty development has been walled in to serve as the blocks are in place to appeal to all generations. walled safe zone of AlexanA place like NCG Cinemas in Sharpsburg has dria in the show. become a key destination, as it connects Coweta The current permit allowCounty with Peachtree City. General Maning the wall and the assoager Larry Cusson says they are always asking ciated road closures lasts themselves, “Why do customers come back?” through the end of 2016.

For him, being a family-friendly venue is “ ‘ T h e Wa l k i n g D e a d ’ what is most important. They have birthdoesn’t look like it’s going day party specials, where family and friends anywhere in the foreseeable can watch a movie and celebrate afterwards future,” said Tigchelaar, who with a party themed around the movie. lives inside the wall. “They’ve But beyond special events, even the built a significant set in downdecor is ta i lored to rema i n fa m i lytown Senoia so we hope they’re friendly for those in Coweta County not with us for the long term … we wanting their children to see graphic love them.”

material.

“We want this to be a place for families who are just wanting to take a normal night out, so we try to have [promotional] items that kids love, like souvenirs. We know Mom and Dad want to bring them to something that’s going to be safe, there’s [promotional] material we get sent that we won’t put up because we want families to feel safe, and not having their kids see certain things on a new R-rated movie. We’re very careful about what we put up,” said Cusson.

“We want everyone to escape from the world if they need to and just have fun.”

While NCG Cinemas is especially concerned with being a place for kids, it’s still a place where teenagers and adults of all ages can enjoy a thrilling action movie or a raunchy comedy. Then, of course, there’s a place like Monkey Joe’s, which is geared for children.

“We get a lot of people spending family days here and they’ll tell us, ‘We’ll be back!’” said General Manager Misha Benson, remarking on Monkey Joe’s being a place for kids.

“We’re pretty much the best game in town, as far as the younger kids are concerned. A lot of parents don’t want to take their kids to places with teenagers, because they usually just run all over the little ones. But here, it’s a safe place for kids.”

But Coweta County isn’t a “kids only” retreat, either.

Live music and cold drinks can still be had all over the county, with Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Social Club in Senoia and The Alamo on the Newnan Square, two of the most popular weekend venues. The two bars serve as examples of what is found throughout the county in businesses like Jekyll & Hydes Grill, The Foundry Grillworks, Brickhouse Tavern and Grill and Ten East Washington, among others.

With the building blocks in place for all ages, Coweta County has gotten a head start on “the future,” as Craver says.

Eight Years Ago We Had A Vision...

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Sunday, March 22, 2015 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 11D

VISION 2015

CITIES

Newnan continues to grow and improve

By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com

Coweta County Animal Control 91 Selt Road, Newnan 770-254-3725 Emergencies after 5 p.m.

770-254-3728 Coweta County Tag Office 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 770-254-2631 Georgia Department of Driver’s Services (driver’s license) 128 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan 770-254-7203

NO

RF

OR

Newnan 770-254-2355

Coweta County Recreation Department 39 Hospital Road 770-254-3750

Senoia Police Department (non emergency) 505 Howard Road, Senoia 770-599-3256

Newnan City Hall 25 LaGrange Street, Newnan 770-253-2682

Grantville City Hall 123 LaGrange Street, Grantville 770-583-2280

Newnan Police Department (non emergency) 1 Joseph-Hannah Blvd,

34

29

16

Coweta County Sheriff’s Office (non emergency) 560 Greison Trail, Newnan 770-253-1502

K

14

16

R.R

.

SITE

C SX

29

TR A

16

16

NSP

27

N ATIO OR T

ALT

Senoia City Hall 80 Main Street, Senoia 770-599-3679

Grantville Police Department (non-emergency)

123 LaGrange Street, Grantville 770-583-2266 Newnan Utilities 70 Sewell Road, Newnan 770-683-5516 Coweta Fayette EMC 807 Collinsworth Road, Palmetto 14 Hospital Road, Newnan 770-502-0226 Coweta Water and Sewer Authority 545 Corinth Road, Newnan 770-254-3710

Job

85

NEWNAN

RN HE UT SO

As the city of Newnan continues to grow and expand, its long-term vision remains the same.

“Our long-term goal is to grow and build a city people want to live in and raise and grow their families,” said Newnan Mayor Keith Brady.

“The things we do along the way go to that.”

Brady said that, in 2014, two projects helped fulfill the long term vision: the public safety complex and the University of West Georgia campus in Newnan. This year, the two major projects are the McIntosh Parkway and the Jefferson Street/Jackson Street Streetscape.

T he McIntosh Pa rk way P roject, or ig i n a l ly t it led the East Washington Street Extension, will provide an east-west parkway parallel to and south of Bullsboro Drive.

“The project will provide an east/west corridor alternate to Lower Fayetteville Road and Bullsboro Drive,” said Newnan City Manager Cleatus Phillips. “It will also create a direct connection between downtown Newnan and Ashley Park and thus an opportunity for both to benefit from each other.”

This connectivity will also help traffic.

“As a n additiona l east/ west route, it will obviously reduce traffic along Lower Fayetteville Road and Bullsboro Drive but exact numbers are difficult to project,” said

Phillips.

“The completion of McIntosh Parkway will mean the addition of an avenue from downtown to Ashley Park,” said Brady. “As we continue to grow, this thoroughfare will relieve the flow of traffic on Bullsboro and Lower Fayetteville. As a result the traveler in Newnan will see a shorter commute; it seems as though everyone is always in a hurry.”

Reducing traffic is not the only benefit the new parkway will bring to Newnan. It will also include a multi-use path “to encourage pedestrian and biking options between downtown Newnan, Ashley Park, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. “ “We are also anticipating both new and redevelopment opportunities along the project route,” added Phillips.

The estimated total cost of the project is $6.9 million. Newnan previously earmarked $5.2 million from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds and transportation impact fees. The remaining balance is covered by a $1.75 million grant from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank.

T he g r a nt i s a l low i n g Newnan to complete the project at one time and not in two separate phases.

Michael Klahr, engineer for the city of Newnan, said he expects the bidding for the project to begin around June, with it being open for travel in Spring of 2017.

Helpful telephone information

LOCATION MAP

Newnan South Industrial Park developed by

CRAIN-HEADLEY, INC. P.O. Box 719 Newnan, Georgia 30264 (770) 253-8027 • (770) 253-5622

Networking

The Job Networking ministry of Newnan First United Methodist Church was formed to serve the unemployed and under-employed in our community.

Our Vision - To create an all-inclusive job networking ministry for our community by providing support, guidance, and opportunities for those unemployed, under-employed, and their families.

Our Mission - To provide help, encouragement, and mentoring for those seeking new opportunities and to challenge them to consider their spiritual needs and family relationships during this emotional time.

Like us on Facebook, and join our Yahoo! message board to get job leads, tips, ask questions, and learn about upcoming events.

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall of Newnan FUMC. All are welcome and this event is FREE.

Newnan First United Methodist Church 33 Greenville St. • Newnan • 770-253-7400

www.edwardjones.com

Meeting on your schedule, not ours.

Face-to-face meetings. One-on-one relationships.

How did Edward Jones become one of the biggest financial services companies in the country? By not acting like one.

With more than 10,000 offices. Including the six in Coweta County.

Art Holbrook CFP ®, AAMS®, CRPC® Financial Advisor 6 Jefferson Pkwy.

Newnan, GA 30263 770-251-3500

Baskin Brown III, AAMS® Financial Advisor 10 The Boulevard Suite 5 Newnan, GA 30263 770-251-8316

Jennifer E. Camp Financial Advisor

Ashley Stapleton Financial Advisor

53 Main Street Suite B Senoia, GA 30276 770-599-3981

7 East Broad Street Newnan, GA 30263 770-251-8391

Jim Smothers, AAMS® Financial Advisor 820 Ebenezer Church Rd Suite 104 Sharpsburg, GA 30277 770-252-2391

Josh Colwell, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1741 Newnan Crossing Boulevard East, Suite D Newnan, GA 30265 770-252-3742

Member SIPC

12D — The Newnan Times-Herald | Sunday, March 22, 2015

Million Dollar Club “R T N

Newnan-Coweta Board of REALTORS

®

OARING

Silver Phoenix Members

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 25 years.]

O

EW

2014

THANK YOU to our

HEIGHTS”

Crystal Phoenix Thomas W. (Chip) Barron

Frank H. Barron

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Bud Freeburg

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Phoenix Members

Members

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices

Georgia Properties

Newnan Office

MORTGAGE LENDING

Myra Jernigan

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 20 years.]

SPONSORS

Linda Scott

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Keith Ross Agency

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership for 10 years.]

Donna Broderick

Bob Barfield Barfield Realty

Joy Barnes

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Tom Barron

Linda Byrd

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Jacqueline Campbell

Scott Cosby

Cam Carden

Re/Max Results

Bush Real Estate

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Creating Healthier Living and Working Environment for Homes and Business

SANDERS, HAUGEN & SEARS, P.C. — Attorneys at Law —

Laura Crockarell

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Vicki Dell

David Graetz

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

Christie Hayes

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Craig Jackson

Julie Hunt

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Lynn Kelley

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

SPECIAL THANKS to our

MILLION DOLLAR CLUB COMMITTEE Richard Kelley

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Terri Martinez NuWay Realty

Life Members Tonia Barnfield

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Jeannie Doole

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Jess Barron

Angie Hogsed

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Verkina Parrish Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Riese Carden

Re/Max Results

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Bill Howard

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Berkshire Hathaway Lindsey Marketing Group Home Services GA Properties

Jodie Shepard

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Southern Classic Realtors

Vincent Troung

Re/Max Results

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Kristina Stephens Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

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Lindsey Marketing Group

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

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Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Luke Thompson, Jr. Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Re/Max Results

Katherine Todd

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Janice C. Crisp Lindsey Marketing Group

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Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

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Lindsey Marketing Group

Adriane Bomar

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Cindy Manning

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

NuWay Realty

Brian Boykin

Ellen Bush

Wes Bush

Bush Real Estate

Bush Real Estate

Bush Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Julie Storms Leonard

Noelle Masonheimer

Berkshire Hathaway Home Service GA Properties

Susie Walker

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Debra Wolleat

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Linda Oesterle

Michelle Payton-Holl

Butch Peacock

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Virtual Properties Realty

Southern Classics Realtors

Tiffany Byars

Kevin Dickinson

David Guillory

Pamela Prange

Jacqui Robertson

Alexis Shepherd

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Butch Peacock Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Sharon Doane

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

OOKIE OF THE YEAR 2014 R

Tim Stitcher

Elena Dickerson

[ Members who have been elected for the year immediately following his/her qualifying year.]

Russell Berry

Re/Max Results

Cynthia Brooks

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Active Members

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

[ Members who have been elected to Active Membership 3 consecutive years, or any 5 random years.]

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Sally W. McEntire

Victoria Massassi

Riese Carden – Chair Donna Broderick Cam Carden Jim Chancellor Janice Crisp Connie Clifton-Peacock

Tim Stout Re/Max Results

DeeDee Tucker Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Katherine Wible

Better Homes & Gardens Metro Brokers

Elizabeth Williams Berkshire Hathaway Home Services GA Properties

Southern Classics Realtors

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners

Robert Hinely

Lindsey’s Inc., Realtors

Jo Shepherd

Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners