Oconee County, GA Politics

Want to learn about how to monitor water quality here in Oconee County? The Upper Oconee Watershed Network is putting out feelers about training volunteers to do exactly that. Dear Friends, The Upper Oconee Watershed Network has put out a special call for volunteers who are interested in monitoring water quality in Oconee County as part of the 13th Annual River Rendezvous scheduled for March 27. The group hopes to gather data on water quality of Rose Creek, Barber Creek and other streams in the county depending on the number of volunteers. For details and contact information, go to my blog: http://oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/2010/03/waterproof-shoes-upper-oconee-watershed.html Thanks Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/

Well deserved award to Oconee County Observations blogger Lee Becker and his work to maintain and keep clean Barber Creek here in Oconee County. From: Lee Becker lbbecker@mindspring.com Date: February 4, 2010 10:54:01 PM EST To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Subject: Georgia River Network Awards Reply-To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, The Georgia River Network today named the winners of its 2010 River Celebration Awards: the Coosa River Basin Initiative from Rome as the Watershed Group of the Year, Gordon Rogers of Albany as the River Conservationist of the Year, and me as the Volunteer of the Year. I'm truly delighted and honored, and I thank Karen Kimbaris, Eleanor Cotton, Tim Price and Joe Block from the Friends of Barber Creek for their support. Certainly they deserve the recognition as well. Details are at: http://oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/2010/02/georgia-river-network-announced-river.html Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blo...

Dear Friends, I want to call your attention to two items of significance to those of us concerned about water and other environmental issues affecting Oconee County. First is a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday (January 22) in Masters Hall in the Georgia Center on the University of Georgia campus to discuss the proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, which would be located on South Milledge avenue near the Middle Oconee River separating Clarke and Oconee counties. At the meeting, Edward Hammond, U.S. director of the Sunshine Project, an international watchdog agency opposed to biological warfare, will be speaking. Hammond is being brought to Athens by FAQ, a local group trying to make sure people are informed about the project. The second item is the public notice that Walton County is seeking a reissuance of its permit to discharge 3.4 million gallons per day of treated sewage water to Jacks Creek, a tributary to the Apalachee. As a point of reference, the proposed upgrade to th...

Please let your feelings be known about our local government doing things behind our back...... Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P.O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is a message from Lee Becker, Friends of Barber Creek with information about the secret bidding process being used by the county to contract for the Rocky Branch sewage treatment plant. Please remember this is the plant that will result in treated sewer water being dumped into Barber Creek which flows through several Oconee subdivisions. This project was advertised for bids once before but no contract was let as a result. Go to Lee's blog for the background on this project. Charles Baugh Subject: Citizens "Taint" the Bidding Process Dear Friends: Oconee County officials, in an effort to keep citizens from "tainting" the review process, have decided to keep secret the second round of bids for the $8-10 million upgrade of the Rocky Branch sewage plant as well as the re...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Once again the Board of Commissioners will consider a rezone that will encroach on residential and agricultural areas. This rezone is along Daniels Bridge Road. Folks in Tanglebrook, Windy Creek, Northwest Woods and the Farmington area as well as several other neighborhoods are unfortunately all too familiar with this scenario. The Planning Commission recommended approval of this proposal, at its last meeting and the BOC will consider it at its next meeting on May 1. Following is the text of a message from Lee Becker with more information about the rezone and the Planning Commission hearing. Come to the May 1 hearing and support the folks along Daniels Bridge Road. If you live in a neighborhood where this has not happened, you are lucky, but your time is coming. If you have already experienced it you know it takes a lot of citizen input to be heard. Charlie Baugh Dear Neighbors: The Planning Commission ...

Anyone (except 3 BOC members and most of the Planning Commission) with a little bit of foresight and knowledge would quickly realize the curvy Daniells Bridge Road cut-through will see a hundred fold traffic increase with each new massive development thoughtlessly shoved down our throat. At least it looks like a traffic light is going into where it meets Experiment Station Road - most Gainesville State College kid drivers know this traffic route now. I wrote the preceeding paragraph but I got the rest of this from Lee Becker via Charlie Baugh. Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is a message from Lee Becker with information about a rezone on Daniells Bridge Road. More of the same, rezones creating more traffic on narrow unsafe roads. Just another step in our march toward "Developed Land". Those directly impacted by this may want to let our elected decision makers know of your concerns. Charles Baugh Dear Neighbors: As ...