Coweta County reviews FY2026 draft budget as DA urges funding for rapid-resolution prosecutor to reduce jail backlog

Michael Fouts, Coweta County administrator, opened the work session and presented the FY2026 draft budget schedule and high-level numbers, saying the county projects it will need roughly $48,800,000 to balance the general fund under the current assumptions. "We would need about $48,800,000 for the general fund to balance the budget," Fouts said while outlining revenue sources and warning that the digest figures were not final.

Fouts and finance staff reviewed proposed changes, including moving specific revenue and cost lines into special service district funds, modest increases in capital spending after years of underspending, and a renewed emphasis on funding merit increases and select personnel requests. Staff noted about $7.5 million in capital requests across departments with $2.8 million recommended and that approximately $8,000,000 had been earmarked previously in SPLOST for fairgrounds-related work.

The meeting featured extended discussion of criminal-justice staffing. Herb Pranford, district attorney for the Coweta Judicial Circuit, told commissioners his office is experiencing a sustained backlog and high caseload per prosecutor and asked the board to fund an experienced assistant district attorney to run a "rapid resolution" case docket plus a legal assistant. Pranford said the county receives roughly 1,700 case files a year just in Coweta and that many inmates are detained for prolonged periods; he urged that an experienced prosecutor could triage and resolve cases faster to reduce average jail days. "If we reduce that average by three months for those 126 inmates ... it would save over a million dollars," Pranford said, using detention-cost math to illustrate potential savings and community benefits.

Commissioners and staff discussed related matters: the sheriff's staffing and vacancy levels, EMS and fire capital reserve adjustments, the consequences of moving certain programs to new funds, and transit and human-services trip patterns that drive bus scheduling and grant revenue. Solicitor General Amy Godfrey spoke about heavy caseloads in state court and the need to maintain salary competitiveness to recruit and retain attorneys and victim advocates.

Administration reminded the board that the formal budget public hearing will be held on July 15 and asked commissioners to submit any further requests by the week of July 7 so the draft can be published in time for public review. No final budget was adopted at the work session; staff will update the draft, incorporate commissioner feedback and return for formal adoption steps.