[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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],{"_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",6351650,"mediaKeyId","2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9","parentId",2229294,"title","Commissioners approve rezoning, conditional use permit, park design amendment, water procurement and accountability court grant applications","audioSeconds",358,"startMs",3977000,"endMs",4335000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9&start=3977&end=4335","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9/thumbnail_3977000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6351650/Newton-County/Georgia/Commissioners-approve-rezoning-conditional-use-permit-park-design-amendment-water-procurement-and-accountability-court-grant-applications","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351650-b6aaa23bbbeec83609fe8a88fe446bca/orig.mp4?Expires=1775537199&Signature=Jfmm8jAJkxhqBz4Q6hi71MfENZGms~8LCxo~g-QxkCJcBAKU~iQ21MuArC9Yt-h1qLXdEnRUIGnxi0Rnm0KXA8INPIkA8YzICeEyan8i9NTJQmFn62WolqzphbXDXbdJGRGy4M6Ps2eKEV6nASXdWg5EWmuCnYkdB9CfPweQzByBpMzPhDk7bw3EEgPlmrnq0XJW~9twKXqSIjuWT6u0at-0q0JsB1CQZ~tIf0cP13VvrDtvud1C0pazDSj~RM6CHLW-rkmJA1jlDICsCDZUB9W~bngXP3FrkTsPPMekKjYPFUlkSp~JiOOLEgmJwl9byfvqUdeANXpOPiS3Sni3KQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-05T21:37:54Z","article","Newton County commissioners voted unanimously on multiple items Feb. 4, approving a conditional use permit for an adult day center, rezoning a property on Access Road to light industrial, authorizing long-lead-item purchases tied to Cornish Creek upgrades, approving a park design amendment, and authorizing grant applications for accountability courts.

Votes at a glance

- Conditional use permit CUP24-000012 (adult day care at 3615 Salem Road, units 1-3): Motion to approve by Commissioner Kevin Mason; second by Commissioner Edwards. Vote: 5-0. Staff recommended conditions include fire inspections and state licensing prior to business license release and compliance with Section 5-10-220 of the Newton County zoning ordinance.

- Rezoning REZ24-000010 (1575 Access Road, 2.83 acres, from General Commercial to M-1 Light Industrial): Motion to approve by Commissioner Henderson; second by Commissioner Long. Vote: 5-0. The applicant previously obtained a future land use map amendment (FLU24-000003) and the planning commission recommended approval.

- Cornish Creek WTB upgrades (long-lead procurement items; project phase 3; ARPA funding): Motion to authorize purchases presented by James Brown; motion by Commissioner Mason; second by Commissioner Edwards. Vote: 5-0. County staff described the project as an upgrade of the Cornish Creek facility from 25 million to approximately 39.5 million gallons per day capacity and requested advance procurement of long-lead equipment to keep the project on schedule. Staff said using the county to purchase some items could produce about $1.3 million in tax savings and that the phase 3 contract is roughly $29 million (verbal description: \"a little over $29,000,000\"). ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds were cited as the intended source for the work.

- Southside Park design amendment (Lowe's design amendment / contract amendment to complete park design): Motion by Commissioner Edwards; second by Commissioner Henderson. Vote: 5-0. Staff described the amendment as advancing the project to full design so the county can advertise for construction contracts.

- Accountability court grant applications (Newton County Adult Felony Drug Court and Veterans Court): Judge Ken Wynne presented on behalf of Judge McKamey; motion to authorize applications by Commissioner Edwards; second by Commissioner Mason for item 10 (and seconded by Commissioner Henderson for item 11). Vote on each: 5-0. Commissioners heard that the adult felony drug court and related courts have been designated as model courts and requested permission to apply for FY26 state accountability court grants through the Council of Accountability Court Judges and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; matching local funds will be required if awarded.

What the board said and staff recommended

Planning staff had recommended approval of the adult day center CUP subject to enumerated conditions including occupancy loads set by the Newton County Fire Marshal, annual fire inspections, proof of state licensing and a disaster preparedness plan, and a requirement that the applicant obtain any required building permits prior to interior construction. The CUP applicant, Kawana Robinson, described the center as offering daytime respite, meals, activities and rehabilitative services for older adults and said the center would operate approximately 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Rezoning applicant John Michael Busch (representing Hickory Real Estate Partners) said the parcel is surrounded by commercial and light industrial uses and that zoning to M-1 would be consistent with adjacent properties. An opponent questioned wetlands and floodplain impacts; the applicant responded the parcel is outside the floodplain and wetlands mitigation bank areas to the south.

Several votes were made with explicit motions and seconders recorded in the transcript; all motions listed above passed unanimously, 5-0.

Formal actions (for the record)

See the actions[] array for motion text, mover/second, and vote tallies for each formal action approved at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOC Regular Meeting I February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Newton County commissioners voted unanimously Feb. 4 on zoning and development matters, park design, water procurement steps tied to Cornish Creek upgrades, and to apply for accountability court grants.","taxTitle","Newton County, Georgia","taxId",28541,"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},6351655,"Newton County reports non-detect PFAS results, outlines steps to decommission Williams Street plant",482,1292000,1774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9&start=1292&end=1774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9/thumbnail_1292000.jpg","/articles/6351655/Newton-County/Georgia/Newton-County-reports-non-detect-PFAS-results-outlines-steps-to-decommission-Williams-Street-plant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351655-8b4e7a052668ebf27344c63fd1c9a0db/orig.mp4?Expires=1775537199&Signature=lybRz5C47qvqtQjBTrnKenhdIhFp0mEs3Iz6fL6DvaGAjWlZDRrQv4lKKevLxc~scTNv05O9kqkc6UyDav5IdvC~nQnviJPYzke2BQEdgxNT3FPLO0-8NBWHgiEKRvpd1b6A6yxTsGR4CXziNfZ7woCLRaXrpH-71Qcc22eMDJQnxNtm2H2dCbDlQ8ta8GqLwQVyDDkHCdJ3aK~KUwKaLxnKOZlSUsKa7dT0AMPQFPiS6ikhzjp0KCoIo77A6Tx4AdMgbfvkicPBWb8QDhNJFZYpjZW7kUwGJI9Ts4JwaRszUVzYn3a-x-4VDWCrFxHJvw5tiq~86Zb9YUqH4XfGrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Newton County water officials told the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 4 that routine testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the county's Cornish Creek and Williams Street facilities returned non-detect results for all required analytes across 2024.

James Brown, director of Water Resources, said the county tested the sites by quarter throughout 2024 and that each required sample came back as \"non-detect.\" Brown said the Cornish Creek facility supplied the vast majority of treated water in December, while Williams Street accounted for a very small share of the system's output.

Brown also told commissioners the county recently completed a step in the regulatory process with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) on Cornish Creek upgrades and Williams Street decommissioning and described that action as the second-to-final step before formal decommissioning. He said county staff still had one additional step to complete before finishing the decommissioning process.

When asked how long the county had been testing for PFAS, Brown said testing began around 2019, during the initial federal and state testing phase for communities that had military installations in their area. He said the county has tested for as many PFAS constituents as technology allows and that all tested compounds have been non-detect to date.

On testing availability for individuals concerned about personal exposure, Brown said residents should consult their local physician to request clinical testing; he noted physicians and clinical labs are the route for individual biomonitoring and that the county does not provide direct clinical testing.

The county manager also gave a brief demonstration of Notify Newton, the county's resident service app. County Manager Cooper said the app allows residents to submit service requests (potholes, trash, code enforcement) and sign up for notifications about meetings and events. Cooper said the county received 1,163 issues through Notify Newton (as reported to the board) and later noted the public works workflow published on the app shows work orders and completion notices; another county speaker said nearly 2,000 requests had been submitted through the system since launch.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about PFAS testing history, the decommissioning timeline for Williams Street and the availability and likely cost of clinical tests for individuals. Brown said testing options are handled by private clinicians and that the county cannot attribute the source of PFAS in an individual's sample.

No formal board action was taken on PFAS testing at this meeting; commissioners directed staff to continue updates as decommissioning proceeds.","Water staff reported PFAS testing results for Cornish Creek and Williams Street facilities as non-detect and said the county is in the near-final stages of decommissioning the Williams Street plant following steps with the Georgia EPD. The county also promoted its Notify Newton resident service app.",{"_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},6351660,"Newton County auditors issue clean opinion; general fund balance grows",854,324000,1178000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9&start=324&end=1178","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2229294-750f781c97c9912fc52952abdc82fea9/thumbnail_324000.jpg","/articles/6351660/Newton-County/Georgia/Newton-County-auditors-issue-clean-opinion-general-fund-balance-grows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351660-1e69eff41ab943510f5d108a62eb9c95/orig.mp4?Expires=1775537199&Signature=iCpUJXl-Gusd0cOGxL4EYfAVdYDqS0G0zSnIAgvcPTqnuUrz8zdkOmKG9yoAveaBblXLuvCRW3GrcYL4pCpzlk4keILGYgnbxaD86~tCjWON4vLspna7m2HtliNQr3UNcVnBXE6yVEM-ngn5du3LnJM56jzPLC9ZxALxyP1VWQM0X8tZ2uMgvrgJoXVxv2YkpeNZCMNAqFSrA34bjXzKuvOoYeku16JKhNkUuKUIFyaO9pCsULQOYJna6PVtXPTFAdvC3y7IbFXm4UnFKFpXusZtdy6xEarpo0qdEAHBAhHOi02BT3obsY5~vucJe96jm0WA4-4-R2oB2GyLKAFuMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Newton County's external auditors reported a clean, unmodified opinion on the county's fiscal 2024 financial statements and on its required single audit, the auditing firm said at the Feb. 4 Board of Commissioners meeting.

The audit presentation, delivered by David Irwin of Mauldin & Jenkins, said the auditors found the financial statements \"fairly presented in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,\" and that the single audit required for federal expenditures also received an unmodified opinion.

The auditors told commissioners the county ended FY2024 with approximately $502 million in assets and deferred outflows, including about $272 million in capital assets and roughly $183 million in cash and investments. Liabilities totaled about $158 million, of which $136 million were long-term. Total revenues were about $223 million and expenses just under $200 million, producing an ending net position of roughly $344 million, an increase of about $23.2 million from the prior year.

In the fund-level statements, the general fund reported total revenues of about $95.8 million, an $8.2 million increase from FY2023; taxes made up roughly $76.8 million (about 80% of general fund revenue). General fund expenditures totaled about $85 million, with public safety accounting for about $48.6 million (roughly 57% of general fund spending). The general fund's ending fund balance was about $61.2 million, representing roughly eight months of operating expenditures, the auditors said.

Irwin told the board the audit produced no findings: \"We noted no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the county's internal controls during our audit,\" and he thanked county finance staff for their cooperation in getting the report finalized on time.

Commissioners praised Finance Director Britney White and her staff for their work preparing the annual comprehensive financial report and for earning the Government Finance Officers Association's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, which the auditors noted was included with the submission.

The presentation also highlighted enterprise fund activity: the Water Fund produced operating income of just over $2 million in FY2024, while the Solid Waste Fund ran an operating loss offset by transfers of about $1.7 million from other funds.

No formal board action was required on the audit beyond discussion and public presentation.","External auditors Mauldin & Jenkins issued an unmodified opinion on Newton County's FY2024 financial statements and single audit, noting no material weaknesses. The county reported a $23.2 million increase in net position and an unassigned general fund balance equal to about eight months of operating expenditures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve rezoning, conditional use permit, park design amendment, water procurement and accountability court grant applications

Newton County reports non-detect PFAS results, outlines steps to decommission Williams Street plant

Newton County auditors issue clean opinion; general fund balance grows