Oconee County, GA Politics

AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE June 11, 2008 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD MINUTES APPEARANCES 1. Faisal Khalid – business license – Kings Wings and More – 42B Greensboro Highway 2. Rachel Smith – business license – Larson & McGowin, Inc. – 2 S. Main Street, Ste. 207 3. Mark Huffman, P.G. – business license – Construction Materials Services, Inc. – 1453 Greensboro Highway, Suite A 4. Brian Johnson – building permit – 1248 sq. ft. 3 car garage w/storage – 11 S.Third Street ADMINISTRATION 1. April Reconciliation Report MAYOR’S REPORT CITIZEN’S COMMENTS OLD BUSINESS 1. Consider FY2009 Budget (July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009) 2. Website Update NEW BUSINESS ADJOURN

First Friday fun in the sun in Watkinsville was the place to see and be seen, ride a rickshaw or pedicab or train, hear a rock band cover ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid Today," go see Delores Schofield at Circa before they close the doors, see some candidates campaigning including Ashley Hood, Johnny Pritchett, Chuck Horton and Sarah Bell were seen glad handing voters and listening to the concerns, or getting a blown up balloon artistry created, or bouncing in the moonwalk, or climbing the rock wall, or shopping at the stores, or eating at the restaurants, or buying the boiled peanuts, or listening to the people. Experience was on every one's mind, or so it seemed. The heat can make some people question other's motives. I can only write what I know, and I know Ashley Hood has her heart and mind in the right place for our kids. She is not beholden to the special interests, cliques, country clubs, Rotary, Moose Club, skate punks or developers. She has worked with a number...

Candidate forum for Chair of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners from Farmingtony on Vimeo .

Bobby grew up in Oconee County.                             June 5, 2008   Dear Friends,   We’ve come a long way since our campaign kicked off several months ago.  Thanks to your support, we have been reaching out to voters across the Tenth District of Georgia - spreading our message of accountability and responsible leadership.   So far, you have helped us to build a top-notch organization throughout Northeast Georgia , garner major endorsements from groups like...

Job well done by all involved in the Board of Education and Board of Commissioners debate Monday and Wednesday at the Oconee County Library on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville. Among those who turned out Wednesday night not participating in the event directly were Mayor Jim Luken of Watkinsville, Maridee Williams of Oconee Enterprise, Blake Giles of the Oconee Enterprise, Adam Thompson of the Athens Banner-Herald, North High Shoals City Council member Steve Holzman, Jerry Studdard, Dr. Lee Becker, Dr. Tony Glenn, emcee Charlie Baugh and plenty of other friends and familiar faces. Dr. Jackson the acting Superinterent was there as were numerous other Board of Education personnel as well. Straight shooter Mike Maxey was there as was Melvin Davis and Sarah Bell. Margaret Hale and Chuck Horton were in the house. Many husbands and wives and sons and daughters were in the hot and crowded room of maybe eighty people, including Ashley Hood's daughter Madison. Chuck Toney got the big...

The Oconee County Georgia Board of Education will be in good hands next year and beyond if the candidates' performance at the Forum Wednesday at Library is any indication of things yet to come. David Weeks and Ashley Hood answered the most questions, with the rest of the group getting in good responses. Business experience, charter schools and financial stewardship were the main topics of questions from the audience. Former Board of Education member Dr. John Glisson pinch hit for Kyle Martin and Kim Argo's daughter Alicea Flanagan appeared for her European vacationing mother. Oconee County Assistant Tourism Director Peggy Holcomb seemingly personally attacked Ashley Hood's resume at the end of the three hour proceedings about her supposed lack of experience. The Post Three candidate countered calmly about her teaching experience in Texas, her husband and family of five in the school system and assorted other credentials. I think Peggy is just jealous of Ashely doing someth...

The Mayor of Watkinsville Jim Luken took Oconee County Chairman G. Melvin Davis to task for keeping Oconee County municipalities such as the county seat, Farmington, Bishop and Bogart frozen out of the local special purpose sales tax projects at the Forum Monday night at the Library, according to an article written by Adam Thompson of the Athens Banner-Herald. Others seemed more interested in why Davis supported convicted felon Jim Ivey in his trial and subsequent sentencing for stealing more than $30,000.00 in funds designated for the construction of a Veterans Memorial monument in the new park. Tonight there will be a Forum for the candidates for the Board of Education at the Library

Go ask some questions of our Board of Education candidates tomorrow night - Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 at the Oconee County Library on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville. Dear Friends,   The second Candidate Forum will be from 7-10 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Oconee County Library. Bring a friend, a plate of cookies, some soda to share, and good questions.   The School Board could have a near complete turnover of members. What this Board does affects us all, whether we have kids enrolled or not. We pay more property taxes for our schools than for anything else in the county.   The first Candidate Forum last night was quite a success. We had a packed house. People literally could not get into the room. And the questions were excellent. I think we demonstrated that citizens can be trusted to ask good questions.   The answers were always informative. At times, there were real exchanges between the candidates. The incumbents were forced by expla...

I still want details, opinions, quotes and red-faced anger. Tell me your impressions Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Citizens The Monday night Candidate Forum featuring the Chairman Board of Commissioners, Board of Commissioners ,and Coroner provided an excellent opportunity to learn about candidate positions.  Candidates responded to very direct questions from the audience which resulted in some very lively exchanges.  We all came away with a better understanding of candidate positions.  We had  standing room only attendance.  Those who missed it will have the opportunity to view it by webcast.  Once it is loaded I will send the web link to the site. Tomorrow night's forum will feature the Board of Education candidates.  We have commitments from all to attend or send a representative.  While the Board of Commissioners race receives more media attention many feel that the Board of Education has at least as much impact on the succ...

I took a sign from Oconee County Board of Commissioners member Margaret Hale en route to checking out the Forum yesterday evening. On the way out she was still putting together signs to give out and I told her - only half joking - the rules of Oconee County politics. 1. Never run against a firefighter for public office (how can you possibly be against a firefighter?) 2. Never run against anyone married to a firefighter Margaret should win re-election rather easily for the following reasons and more: Commissioner Margaret S. Hale has lived in Oconee County since 1984. She was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia where she graduated from Saint Vincent's Academy in 1979. In 1980 she moved to Athens to attend the University of Georgia . In 1984 she married Michael Hale and they relocated to Oconee County . They presently live in the Farmington community with their two children Brad and Beth. They are members of Ashford Memorial Methodist Church . Margaret has been active in the...

I stuck my head in the first Forum of the candidates for the Oconee County primary in the offices for the Board of Commissioners, State Senate and Coroner last night. A crowded house of perhaps 120 interested voters crammed in the Oconee County Library to question the candidates for the various offices. Mike Maxey approached me and introduced himself, and he is an imposing individual in stature. Nice to finally meet you too, Mr. Maxey, and thank you for being polite. I did not stick around for the Forum because of a previous social engagement at Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast but look forward to seeing the video on Tony Glenn's website sometime soon. I was told by someone I trust who was there that Board of Commissioners chair G. Melvin Davis was grilled until he was red in the face about his association with convicted embezzler and felon and former GOP party regular but never chair (thanks Jay) Jim Ivey, beer and wine and assorted controversies. "He was put through the rin...

Some massive new development half the size of Phipps Plaza in the Buckhead area of Atlanta will continue to fuel our economic growth and congest our clogged traffic arteries. I wonder if these are the same Bishops that built the sewer for the south side of Watkinsville.

Dear Friends,   The first of the two Candidate Forums is tomorrow night. It starts at 7 p.m. at the Oconee County Library on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville. The invited candidates are seeking the chair position and four posts on the Board of Commissioners and the position of coroner.   The second Candidate Forum will be held on Wednesday night for the candidates for the chair position and four posts on the Board of Education. It also will start at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Library.   Both Forums will end at 10 p.m. Refreshments will be available, and you are invited to bring a plate of cookies and drinks to share if you can.   The format will be open so citizens can ask questions of concern to them.   Barber Creek, were she able to attend, would have lots of questions of the 10 Commission candidates, I feel confident. Here are some I thinks she would like us to ask for her:   1. Friends of Barber Creek is pleased that the de...

I do not enjoy impugning the integrity of individuals running for office, but I have been told that one of the candidates for coroner in Oconee County supposedly owes some $200,000 in child support for children that are nearly adult. I have also been told that this candidate called up his ex-wife and asked her not to tell anybody about it. Too late for that one I'm afraid. It is one thing to work on dead bodies, but if you are a deadbeat dad, I do not think you deserve the selection or election to public office. Once I receive independent corroboration I will name names, although it should not be that difficult to discern who I am talking about, either by process of elimination or chatter on the streets.

Meetings will be broadcast on the web Dear Friends,   The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night decided to purchase camera equipment to be used to videocast BOC and Planning Commission meetings. The system is expected to be operational on July 1. Alan Theriault, county administrative officer, told me on Friday afternoon that he is purchasing two cameras, one for the BOC chamber and the other for the county courtroom, and is exploring web hosting services that will allow the county to post the videocasts and make them available for downloading. The action was a surprise response to a request four of us made of the BOC on May 6. For details, go to my blog at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ . Lee     Lee Becker lbbecker@mindspring.com