Julie Casteen approved as consultant by Coweta city council
The Coweta City Council has unanimously approved a contract to retain retiring City Manager Julie Casteen as a consultant through the end of the year.
Julie Casteen will serve as a consultant in Coweta following a vote by local leaders. The decision allows the retiring official to assist municipal leadership through the end of the year.
The debate began during the fight over a proposed data center last year. Allen Prather voiced concerns about water infrastructure, noise pollution and power bills in November 2025.
In January, Prather publicly called for the termination of Casteen. “Coweta deserves better than a city manager who’s constantly shilling for Beale Infrastructure,” he said.
Beale Infrastructure scrapped its development plans in March. Casteen announced her early retirement in July. Her retirement took effect this month.
The proposal to retain Casteen brought Prather back outside city hall this week. Members of the public spoke before the council entered executive session.
“Nothing against her as a person, however, as a city manager we didn’t have any transparency,” said one woman.
Another resident advocated for a clean transition in municipal management. “When you have a changing of the guard, you really are looking for a distinct and finite change in leadership,” said one man.
Prather also criticized Mayor Naomi Hogue during public comments. He accused the mayor of enabling Casteen and showing contempt for citizens.
The council unanimously approved the contract. Both Casteen and Hogue declined to comment on camera.
The municipality issued an official statement regarding the decision. “Ms. Casteen will perform duties as directed by the City Council of Coweta for as long as they determine they wish her to continue.”
Municipal governing bodies frequently hire outgoing administrators as consultants to manage transitional periods. These contractual agreements allow local governments to maintain continuity on municipal projects. City councils establish the duties and duration for administrative consulting roles.
Prather expressed disappointment with the elected leaders of Coweta. He described the mayor and council as out of touch following the vote.
