MEETING RECAP

Work Session Meeting of City Council of Walnut Grove
September 30, 2021
7:00 PM

What we gathered from the 9/30/2021 work session. The basics.

 

  • Jimmy Parker from Precision Planning discussed grants and loans for moving into the next phases of the Sewage plant. We are currently into Phase II.

  • Emerald Cove will be getting work done on their culvert drain issues as soon as company is available to implement with little impact on community residents other than maneuvering around equipment while the work is ongoing. The first thing residents are likely to see will be the area being cleared. The city has stated they will update the residents.

  • Street paving in Emerald Cove will be upcoming with hopes of the “patch and pave” being coordinated for mid summer 2022.

  • There was discussion of the serious issues with the roads on Park Street between City Hall and the park and the need to work on that and that it will be an expensive project.

  • The city is looking at implementing a crosswalk for the High School traffic onto the Park Street sidewalk area. Hopefully no more than about $5,000.00

  • The city is looking into additional tree trimming around the city in the colder months. There was discussion about renting a dump truck since the city’s truck is not yet repaired.

  • It appears that the City Master Plan for the downtown area is more of a “prototype” than anything actually in process. Council agrees that there is a need to have several committees and people involved in the plan, especially since the land around the parkway is not City owned. That project in total is mostly likely about 5 years away before implementation, but it does depend upon what infrastructure and funding are available to the city as well as factors of what property owners will get on board with a plan. The engineer did indicate that the primary problem in attracting new business is not as much the number of people that we currently have but the congestion, so a proposed new road might be part of the answer to that problem. There was discussion about a new road possibility and that it would be coordinated with the County and the new proposed sports complex that would route traffic in the direction of the new downtown center area and hopefully alleviate some of the 138 and 81 traffic issues rather than having everyone on Hwy 138 and Hwy 81.

  • About the only discussion in regards to the project for the Corn Dawgs area is that the developer has 3 options for how he might like to go. His plan shown today shows 196 homes, but the Mayor says the developer is really looking at only 150. He is considering a donation of a section of that property to the County to help with the sports complex, but nothing is yet in writing.

  • The intersection at Guthrie Cemetery Road and Hwy 81 is set up for putting in a traffic light, however that will be something addressed by DOT. The engineer did say that because of the ATT substation a round-a-bout is probably unlikely at that intersection.

  • There have been more issues turned up that need attention at the new city garage with building leaks. They have completed, the fencing, the new HVAC, the electrical power, the water heater. Waiting on internet and security system and discussed the front of the building aesthetics and plans with an estimate currently of around $35,000. There is not at this time interior facilities such as counter space, furniture, etc. There will still be a need to address parking and sidewalks but will look at combining with other needed projects to try and get a better price. This will likely be in next years’ budget, not this year.

  • There was a short discussion about whether or not the Downtown Development and Planning & Zoning should zoom meetings, but no decision made.

  • Council went into executive session re: land litigation