Oconee County, GA Politics

Approved alcohol permit for University 16 but expressed serious concerns about a variety of matters before unanimously approval

Oconee County Observations: Oconee County Commissioners Accuse Chairman Davis ... : Luke, Daniell Take Lead The ongoing election for chairman of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners spilled over into the agenda-setting...

Crowd Gathers for Candidates Forum in Oconee

Oconee County commissioners approve 2013 budget | Online Athens

The Oconee Enterprise > Latest Updates > Bell to challenge Commissioner Luke

This is the video from the meeting where the Board of Commissioners vote to change the duties of the Chair and more specifically the Administrative Officer Allen Theriault in reporting to the Board and not just to the chair. Oconee County BOC Mtg. 8-4-09 from Oconee County IT on Vimeo .

Once again Lee Becker is on top of the ball about what is going on with the Oconee County Board of Commissioners From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 10:45 PM Subject: Efficiency, Process and Civics Lessons To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis would like the discussion of the proper relationship between the chairman and the other members of the board to focus on efficiency and effectiveness. Commissioners Jim Luke, Margaret Hale and Chuck Horton have made it clear that they are more concerned about process than efficiency and effectiveness. Each had stated strongly that Davis achieves his efficiency and effectiveness by withholding information from them, making it hard for them to make independent assessments of the issues before the county. The dispute should play out in public on May 6 and possibly on May 7 when Davis and the four commissioners are to meet to discuss the...

Johnny Pritchett deserves your support for many reasons listed here in this article and in the fact that he is a fine leader ready to build consensus and I greatly urge you to vote for him over incumbent Jim Luke.

Once again former Oconee County Board of Commissioners chair Wendell Dawson scooped some political delight tonight by setting his sights on an anonymous tripe being pedaled as "The List" on his AVOC.info blog. The only rumored sighting of the poorly worded memo has been at the Shell Station down yonder on 15 in what I reckon is South Watkinsville, and I would well imagine that those will disappear not long after the first or second B.O.C. or B.O.E. candidate comes over there for breakfast Saturday morning and reads right through the blatant attempt at retaining the status quo. People are angry and ready for a change of direction in their government at the local level. The first and most obvious target is current Oconee County Board of Commissioners chair G. Melvin Davis and his cadre of developers and wealthy business owners. Chairman Dawson does a fine job of naming names there, but Tom Little and Larry Benson seem to be at the top of the list. They have some serious inves...

Bishop Mayor Johnny Pritchett announced he will be seeking the Republican nomination for the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Post 1 currently held by Jim Luke . Since no Democratic candidates have announced or are likely to announce before the end of qualifying May 2 (PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE ME WRONG ON THIS!), it looks like the G.O.P. nod is tantamount to election, which is a horrible tragedy unto itself in a Democracy. Johnny is a good man, a good dad, and grandfather to Matthew, and husband to Carolyn. They are friends of mine, so I endorse them wholeheartedly despite our party differences. I am really surprised no one has yet to announce against Don Norris. Please let me know what you know, intrepid readers, as far as candidates for office here in Oconee County.

I know online petitions are subject to all kinds of kooks, nuts, spoofers and other online charlatans, but we have to start somewhere. So please sign and forward to all your friends, especially those who live in Oconee County. Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

None of the many mistakes made by Oconee County Board of Commissioners chair G. Melvin David by themselves rise to the level of an impeachable or criminal offense, but the continued pattern of subterfuge and ignorance of immediate county needs does point to a level of incompetence and boorish behavior which bodes poorly for Oconee County's future. I believe this necessitates a new level of leadership on the top elected officer level. Chairman Davis is a decent man, but I think we can do a whole lot better. For those of you tired of reading the list of errors, I suggest you skip ahead a few paragraphs. But here is something I posted in the Athens Banner-Herald's new political page a few days ago: 10. Testifying on behalf of convicted felon Jim Ivey 9. Holding secret meetings illegally in Madison and other clandestine planning debacles 8. Not calling for a BOC vote on beer and wine in restaurants in Oconee County. 7. No public swimming facilities yet at new park despite a donatio...

In the wake of Dr. Paul Broun's win over Jim Whitehead for Congress, suddenly something seismically changed in the political power structure around here. Within a period of less than a half an hour, I conversed politely with local Republican leaders Melvin Davis (Board of Commissioners chairman) and Jim Luke (Board of Commissioners and former Planning Commission member) and had State Representative Bob Smith shake hands with me and ask me about my soccer playing son in Publix. I was astonished, but they all know we vote as well, sometimes with our noses held, and do occasionally have to vote G.O.P. in dire circumstances. Melvin made some feeble excuse for his vote on the Barnett Shoals rezone about a 30,000 square foot lots adjacent to the development as why he cast the vote to break the tie. Jim Luke, who voted against it, made it clear he is a property rights person "as long as it is reasonable" but also thumped his chest from the planning commission days about sidewalk...