Changes ahead in the municipal court

Scott Sprouse is on his way to becoming a circuit court judge. It’ll mean a vacancy in the office of Walhalla Municipal Judge. The city will apparently turn to Blake Norton, the Walhalla-based county magistrate, in an arrangement in which Norton will add Walhalla’s part-time judicial duties to his magisterial duties. Mayor Pro-tem Tjay Bagwell said an inter-government agreement with Oconee County will be required to make it work. To save money, there had been consideration given to cuts in the office of municipal judge, but Bagwell says Ashley Jones will be asked to remain in her role as municipal court clerk. She’s just too valuable, Bagwell says.