[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6063907,"mediaKeyId","3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69","parentId",3261055,"title","Library staff outline busy summer lineup; council accepts donated soil for city use","audioSeconds",1956,"startMs",1882000,"endMs",3838000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69&start=1882&end=3838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69/thumbnail_1882000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6063907/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Library-staff-outline-busy-summer-lineup-council-accepts-donated-soil-for-city-use","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063907-bf5e0adb14457fb50781f685f3573226/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012935&Signature=P4gLfE~FZ1BbL60yXAjxJHMMiPK-ZR-Js71wPrmdEKxe6g11Zunm4m6pmtpFHMGpqnpIrUE1o8FDZzQkcHJfvW5CqUfEh6NrOatLtB8abYAUQKM60Uol7Z4O9qf6aRMq-TPFi-MbJe1ntxirgmwQKqOnIkUIjeuf3tA0dK-nNvrwFREBOiKmn29zTIO2A2KEhxTVgt65hKlKtYoZlHRrTbRTn2kWuBvDDfg5oxN5-76DmLbZt1plds1nXBdjMC8SKM9OJ8DateFgZq6091vLWtNPaxPr8b7MPJkevyi7VTwDfELn5miEMpWvga-NRo3rd7R6CHYdJbx90F9FqyOQPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-10T18:29:16Z","article","Library staff told the council about a full summer schedule of performers and programs and reminded the public of a community food-drive this Saturday. The library director also presented a donation of bagged soil/compost that the council voted to accept unanimously.

Library staff said the summer schedule will include family performers, a summer-reading kickoff on May 23 where “every person that signs up for summer reading between 11 and 1, that day, we'll get a free book,” and returning programs such as a dogs/puppetry act and local performers. Staff said they plan a busy summer with expanded programming and have nearly all performer invoices in hand.

On a separate agenda item, council members considered a donated shipment of soil/compost (67 bags of one mix, 87 bags of another and an additional 93 organic bags as described in the meeting packet). The library director and city staff said the material can be used at city facilities or re-donated to community groups; council members voted unanimously to accept the donation and asked staff to find placements for any surplus.

Why it matters: The library's programming serves families and students, and the donated soil provides an in-kind resource for parks, community gardens or other city-managed landscaping projects.

Council asked staff to return or coordinate distribution plans for any soil not used by city operations; staff indicated they would explore options for donating material to community groups before disposal.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/08/2025 6:00 PM City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Walnut Grove Public Library presented its summer programming calendar and a food-drive reminder; the council voted unanimously to accept a donation of bagged soil/compost from the library for city use and possible redistribution.","taxTitle","Walnut Grove, Walton County, Georgia","taxId",74351,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6063912,"City staff lays out prioritized pavement schedule; recommends targeted resurfacing and stormwater fixes",227,3120000,3347000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69&start=3120&end=3347","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69/thumbnail_3120000.jpg","/articles/6063912/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/City-staff-lays-out-prioritized-pavement-schedule-recommends-targeted-resurfacing-and-stormwater-fixes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063912-985371dc86eac3f5520320ecfb00cb35/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012935&Signature=aDtcBwGx~4TUobwmEeWkE1YVlWBNYigi5Ic4o~UngG6ivEbYiAXO~MOhVMWEvcZl9qtnIqI-yDjEkzN12Q6gqli706t77lA4JdmnlQud1NTCPuBSbWg5BdDOU3oS~lYDSqsIO3Ryi~g1iQMSetP0aIclvaG87GSqcFMd9rL1MUgFZQBcScqG79Hbe6M6IcmSUI1EPHCBi9KKgUqFFwe5iHb2Qq17reIrBYX-uk0rUA1mL9EelgO-aOU1CZxqmNQtILIvOGVRzMG0cFppwzqUjnldkdEVjMka3gvPrf84W58lthDSVcIN1LRYWQulbIM5WmlSovZ4qB0MbQvrSTJqHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works staff presented a pavement-priority plan to the council outlining treatment recommendations for roughly 10 miles of city streets and a suggested approach to maximize value from limited paving funds.

Staff said most streets are in fair-to-good condition and that only a few segments require full-depth repairs; the bulk of the system needs patching and resurfacing. The presenter recommended grouping nearby streets in each paving contract to reduce mobilization costs and advised placing a crack-relief layer over existing surfaces to increase long-term performance.

Why it matters: Council members said pavement condition affects residents’ quality of life and perceptions of municipal maintenance. Staff noted specific trouble spots including Cemetery Road and portions near the Forest/Cemetery Road corridor where stormwater and access related to nearby development could accelerate deterioration.

Staff recommended coordination with Walton County on roads that cross jurisdictional boundaries before committing city funds and said more expensive full-reconstruction work should be staged after adjacent development activity is complete. The presenter offered to meet with the mayor and city administrator to prioritize segments once council provides a budget ceiling for the fiscal year.","Public works presented a prioritized paving plan covering about 10 miles of city streets, advising grouping nearby streets for cost efficiency, using crack-relief layers and repairing stormwater problems before resurfacing.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6063917,"City reports stormwater repair at Magnolia required unplanned work; contractor and staff negotiated extra costs",303,2170000,2473000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69&start=2170&end=2473","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69/thumbnail_2170000.jpg","/articles/6063917/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/City-reports-stormwater-repair-at-Magnolia-required-unplanned-work-contractor-and-staff-negotiated-extra-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063917-a5bb2ecbc389b6e76728f351714587f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012935&Signature=atuU8pCKLBerAfQozB2jlsUnN8T5OR5dTKKvpvcyO94bmxrqTBrn~LvVwjr52-MbshS~JS25BXhyMx64TAsguPN8YUxF~o5zHPabEQh-8TRePduu5tWSUyKISMIicnd7zuWtxQK3sD5XuAlmKbMsq-mecSzeHxNhBAqKDi7yBH1xU8rNW7V~53WrPEZKAKWQ-ppzga6ETieV-4QYwcBFIBEuj~cTYOXwPHbuFUAWAXIewUr9OXYas2V9a4X1oLIUi7Lvh1hb6-V89ILk8TAoxhLmhUNb-VTeOz~qNOLOdUSmhqk-pCMf~d6xTN2UBHlziQY3sk0Q5SOmXtNe2R4prA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works staff briefed the council on a recently completed stormwater replacement at Magnolia that encountered saturated soils and unexpected subsurface conditions, requiring deeper excavation and additional pipe work.

Staff said crews found saturated soil and groundwater when they excavated, requiring the contractor to extend excavation and install additional pipe and rock base. According to the presentation, the contractor planned a short job but reported onsite that the work took substantially longer than anticipated.

Why it matters: Staff said the drainage issue had been affecting nearby properties and that completing the work was necessary to stop recurring flooding. The city manager and public-works representatives emphasized communication with the contractor and that the firm agreed to negotiate its charges so the city would not absorb a much larger unexpected cost.

Numbers presented at the meeting were reported verbally and were internally inconsistent in places. Staff read an original proposed contract amount as $99,008.86 (the figure was read aloud in the meeting transcript), and then reported a final contractor amount of $165,767 with an additional construction cost of $65,881 and a budget overrun of $49,837.19. Staff characterized the conditions encountered as atypical and said the contractor worked with the city’s engineer and staff to limit further escalation. The public-works presenter concluded, “It was just a mess, but it looks good now.”

Councilmembers said the project needed to be completed and thanked staff for working with the contractor to keep costs lower than some worst-case estimates staff had read aloud during the meeting. Staff indicated the invoicing will appear on an upcoming consent agenda for final payment.","Public works staff described an unexpectedly complex drainage repair at Magnolia that required deeper excavation and additional materials; staff said the contractor worked with the city to reduce what could have been a much larger change order and reported a budget overrun discussed at the council meeting.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6063922,"Council approves Stonehaven subdivision plans and grants variance for Churchill Grove",398,2619000,3017000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69&start=2619&end=3017","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69/thumbnail_2619000.jpg","/articles/6063922/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Council-approves-Stonehaven-subdivision-plans-and-grants-variance-for-Churchill-Grove","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063922-a754c0c769a2547cb48995459eecfd5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012935&Signature=dL5D6Xyy2VIujsHowhgZXX5yh2QCFTPJSNOv9KtkcTpskkkKAAZAo32AFEh~L~rJqOkdBIeesPTM80x7V9tL3gcYS0gWvBVArIaEQA6D5ZkQibkzARasJlLB9cDKxlYBckcVnK0A2t2GWs5krTsf4Yy-gOhXzDoRrJMtpGq10GUZVQxpgZFqDs8McTKfz4qL4zmoLZYiMtY6sdQJF7Fo7PvILzkZVfumLRS3PABiQZoCut~U4kB6Q6Ti1JQZS1QA6kggEklcLuAGibva8tzOufJKeV5FfgePMeYMEsW0B4SYQMKsHK1dKyUuuy0vhdBhtW0YuZbOmSUSaurV7F34Cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Walnut Grove City Council approved a site plan for the Stonehaven subdivision and authorized a variance request for the Churchill Grove project after staff and the planning commission recommended the measures.

Planning staff told the council the planning commission voted April 17 to forward the Churchill Grove variance with a positive recommendation; staff said earlier staff recommendations supported approval and that questions raised at a public hearing on April 24 had been addressed.

Why it matters: The Stonehaven approval clears a 92-acre parcel off Old Cannon Farm Road to proceed with site work and the amenity area; council members said approval will allow the developers to secure permanent start-of-construction permits once required assurances are provided.

At the meeting a councilmember moved that the council approve the Stonehaven site plan “including the amenity package,” and the motion passed by voice/hand vote. Staff said the approval for the Churchill Grove items should be recorded as WGVDash-205-O1 and asked council to include two staff-recommended changes in the motion.

Council discussion focused on making sure earlier concerns about starting building prior to completing community-area infrastructure were addressed. Staff said the applicant will be permitted to begin site and amenity-area work while safeguards remain in place to prevent premature building starts. Planning staff and the applicant answered questions at a prior work session and public hearing; there were no roll-call tallies recorded in the meeting minutes beyond the council’s voice/hand vote to approve.

The approvals were presented as routine land-development actions following planning commission review and public hearings; no appeals, ordinance amendments or litigation were announced at the meeting.","The city council voted to approve the Stonehaven subdivision site plan and to grant a variance for Churchill (Churchill/Grove) project after staff and the planning commission recommended approvals following public hearings.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6063927,"Walnut Grove principal highlights rising enrollment, test results and new campus investments",1107,129000,1236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69&start=129&end=1236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3261055-b7dc7014bc7ad5d08f741462beb8bf69/thumbnail_129000.jpg","/articles/6063927/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Walnut-Grove-principal-highlights-rising-enrollment-test-results-and-new-campus-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063927-0ca88c8601469ee78f787e7b4bc4767c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012935&Signature=fVquXoap-6B3KIfW4reYRyG~jjW645mEaZlj7blmgpTL46OpdH0pdhtiSm8wLibj96UO3PFDXDdM9FuL7G2gfNDFA5Qd13xtYswojFPtX8KmpsOkva3CRdECU8er2vmw5Gdeo1A2rpE1X07gH6xyBZMCpGeAZeYgA~EQvOdD4BWtAzc7-wWbZqVQKoWztl1wsHA6NFnhCQ7OiJf5Wdv7Ik1jWJI7O-QzhB6HDPSALbIoewSarLzuOh-nCpjsOrr1qcM3~SGJbvUgUW0ZwwoHcm4bRqBSsCek9QB9QtOKa1Q1JwOM83x~FAngTV33rJ2nSNhiXwmsIgi4nZjaBZldcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The principal of Walnut Grove High School gave the City Council an update on the school’s enrollment growth, student outcomes and campus improvements, and thanked the city and school board for recent investments.

The principal said the school’s vision is “for all students [to] have meaningful school experience,” and described steady enrollment growth — currently about 1,483 students with a projection near 1,560 next year — and what she called the highest graduation rate the school has recorded this past year. She told council members the school has expanded its advanced placement offerings and dual-enrollment opportunities to help students be “enrolled, enlisted or employed” after graduation.

Why it matters: Council members and staff said the school’s gains affect city planning and community services. The principal said the school’s academic and career-pathway programs are helping students earn credentials before graduation, which the school and district view as part of workforce development.

Key details from the presentation included a new campus identification sign the school district paid about $16,000 for and an auditorium refresh funded by the board of education, a $1.5 million investment scheduled to begin this summer and complete by October. The principal also described a campus safety feature — an employee badge/button system linked to the sheriff’s office — and said Walton County Sheriff Brooks has agreed to place a sheriff’s department annex on campus to strengthen coordination.

The principal listed specific academic and extracurricular improvements: more students taking AP courses (the principal said the number of AP courses moved from five to seven since she arrived), the school being rated a five-star school under Georgia’s accountability system, new career-pathway credentials in construction and medical fields, state-level awards for arts and athletic teams, and participation in regional and national competitions.

Councilmembers asked questions and invited the principal to participate in upcoming community events including graduation. The principal closed by thanking the council for support and taking questions from the council.","Walnut Grove High School principal updated the Walnut Grove City Council on rising enrollment, higher graduation and school ratings, career pathways and planned campus investments including a $1.5 million auditorium refresh and a new campus sign.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Library staff outline busy summer lineup; council accepts donated soil for city use

City staff lays out prioritized pavement schedule; recommends targeted resurfacing and stormwater fixes

City reports stormwater repair at Magnolia required unplanned work; contractor and staff negotiated extra costs

Council approves Stonehaven subdivision plans and grants variance for Churchill Grove

Walnut Grove principal highlights rising enrollment, test results and new campus investments