Oconee County, GA Politics

From left, Blake Giles' shoulder, Johnny Lay's head, David Shearon, Chief Lee O'Dillon.  The Watkinsville City Council meetings are always a hoot for me, and the June 2014 was no different other than the air conditioning gave out and Mayor Charles Ivie engineered a strong open-doored cross-current in the pleasant second Wednesday evening as the regular monthly meeting.   There was lots of silent public hearings and other adoption of various budget issues. I enjoy watching the machinations of municipal government and the many people who parade in front of the town council to usually receive approval for their business or building permit. 10th District run-off candidate Mike Collins came to the meeting and met with not everyone in the room. Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast co-owner David Shearon came merely to cheer on his friend and co-hort Melissa Piche who may have done more to bring Watkinsville's many tourists a guided tour of some of the more infamous haunts...

Nothing very exciting occurred at the May 2014 meeting of the Watkinsville city council Wednesday evening at the Community Center. Christine and Russ Mills answer the Council. About the most shocking news was that Mayor Charles Ivie cannot locate the original plans for the flat roofed building that is the Community Center in possibly replacing the leaky roof (which got a stern test with the rains Wednesday evening). He apparently looked at every set of blueprints in the storage of the very 1970s looking community center. Christine Mills answers questions about her proposed building permit. A new house was approved for the loveliest street in Watkinsville at 35 Harden Hill Road with the building permit for the Russ and Christine Mills family. The approval was unanimous after a few cursory queries from Council members Mike Huff and Marci Campbell. Mayor Ivie received approval of the monthly reconciliation report and gave a SPLOST breakdown and preview of the 2015 fi...

Candidate John Larkin hands out his card The Watkinsville City Council gets approached for all kinds of contributions from their budget, including at the March meeting by my good friend Dr. Robert Wyatt of the Oconee County Library Board talking for Jackie Elsner (who was in the audience) of the libraries, who are seeking a solid $500.00 more than last year. The budget process begins soon, and Mayor Charles Ivie complimented Dr. Wyatt on his excellent timing. The unfunded mandated by the state of Georgia are part of the reason for the $25,000.00 shortfall on part of the libraries' budgets. The budget increase is all of 3.5% - or $14,500.00 to $15,000.00. Alvaro Villaveces points out where his septic tank will be to Brian Brodrick. Immediately next door to the Watkinsville Community Center (where the City Council meets) on VFW Drive in Watkinsville is the Extra Special People Incorporated, a group designed to help developmentally disabled children and on the same ...

Approved three businesses this evening at Community Center. Art on the Side, Dressing Your Rooms, and a Fairytale Finds LLC were all approved by The Watkinsville City  Council meeting this evening. The address for these businesses includes Art on the Side with Arlene Phillips at 17 North Main Street, the Dressing Your Room business with Shirley Dean is located at 56 Dooley Street and the Fairytale Finds LLC will be located at 1021 Industrial Boulevard. Co-owners Lisa Masterson and Kaci Thurmond came to the meeting this evening to describe their children's boutique consignment sale place and their twice monthly sales, and council member Toby Smith joked that some of the members of the City Council would have to recuse their vote because of they would be shopping there all the time. Doctor Robert Wyatt of the Oconee County Library Advisory Board  spoke for in favor of increasing the funding for the Oconee County Library in their budget request, while Johnny Lay waited until...

Developer Ken Beall and Athens builder Jared York capped off a night of busy business approval at the Watkinsville City Council meeting Wednesday with sketch plat submitted and unanimously approved for Ava's Walk on 2.48 acres of fallow pasture between Wilson and Lawanna abutting Morgan Manor Estates (yes that is where I live). It was a full house for the first time in a long time with all the council members present along with city attorney Joe Reitman. Chief of Police Lee O'Dillon and clerk Julie Sanders were temporarily replaced well by surrogates whose names I should have gotten at the time of the meeting, and for that omission I apologize to our readers. I personally think the small side streets cannot handle the extra traffic or the construction equipment necessary to build these houses. This unanimous passage was done without much input from anyone in the nearby community. Newest city council member Connie Massey seemed to be the only member of the council who took t...