Oconee County, GA Politics

FOR RELEASE ON Friday May 5, 2006 May 5, 2006 For Information Contact: Becky Vaughn, 706.540.9724 Becky Vaughn enters race for the House of Representatives, District 113 BOGART (GA) Becky Vaughn qualified in the race for the Georgia House of Representatives District 113 today to represent Oconee County, northern Morgan, western Oglethorpe, Winterville, and Clarke’s southern and western edges. “I believe we need a change—one that takes a new leader with a broad vision. At a minimum the citizens should have a choice. I want to use my knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities to effectively serve as the voice of this dynamic community called the 113th. Vaughn, who narrowly lost in her bid for state senate in 2004, has been a resident of Oconee County since 1995. She serves as the President and CEO of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse where she has worked with many legislators over the years i...

I apologize for not getting this sent out sooner. I want to update everyone on the recent meeting with one of the three developers of the Branch Road property. Last Wednesday evening a group of us met with Frank Williams, the son of Francis Williams. Initially the meeting was to include both the junior and senior Mr. Williams as well as a third partner, Jimmy Johnson (not to be confused with the Jimmy Johnson living here in Farmington), but the other two men did not attend. I'm really glad the meeting took place. I think Frank Williams was as nervous and unsure about the event as we were. We all seemed to get the impression that he himself does not really like the planned development but is simply looking at it as a business investment (emotional detachment). Seems to us that his father is really the one running the show and that he is a very blunt, old-style businessman that only sees land as a commodity and not as something to cherish. Ironically Frank mentioned that he, ...

I encourage everyone to take a moment and write an email to the Oconee County Board of Commissioners to voice your concern with the proposed rezone request currently posted for the corner of US441 and Branch Road. The following information is taken directly from our website (home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-SouthOconee), which now contains a page dedicated to this issue. The previous truck stop proposal for the corner of Branch Road and US441 has once again come forward but is now a convenience store, fueling center (12 passenger car stations), carwash, and office space. While the current project is reduced in size and scope, the underlying issues are no different from the previous plan. The inconsistency with the Future Land Use Plan, the lack of infrastructure in the region, the uncertainty of the US441 widening project, the public and traffic safety concerns, the proximity to Heritage Park, as well as the detrimental impact that such a development will have on the quality and value of the...