Oconee County, GA Politics

My best guess was wrong. Watkinsville Mayor Jim Luken will not be seeking re-election (to a fourth term?) and instead supporting the candidacy of current council member and one time Code Enforcement Officer Joe Walter to be the next Mayor of Watkinsville. It will be interesting to see if any of the announced candidates draw any opposition this time, and I would guess they would not, but look what happened last time I tried to predict something. --- On Fri, 8/21/09, Jim Luken <mayor@cityofwatkinsville.com> wrote: From: Jim Luken <mayor@cityofwatkinsville.com> Subject: RE: Re-election plans? To: danjmatt@bellsouth.net Date: Friday, August 21, 2009, 3:33 PM Dan,                 We have a very strong council and excellent momentum. I will not be a candidate this year but will support Joe Walter for Mayor.  Thanks for your concern.   Jim Luken     Fr...

This advertising was copied from the Oconee Enterprise newspaper in hopes of spreading the word about the Watkinsville Mayor and City Council conducting a day long review of topics such as the location for a new Courthouse and which streets will be repaved or widened. PUBLIC NOTICE The Mayor and Council of Watkinsville will conduct a strategy planning session on Wed., July 22 from 8:30 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. at the Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast. Topics for discussion will include SPLOST, roadways, historic preservation and the courthouse. This is a public meeting. Jim Luken, Mayor

Adam Thompson of the Athens Banner-Herald wrote me an email today to ask if everything is all right, and I replied that I have been very busy and bummed out massively about the death of guitarist Randy Bewley of Pylon. I need to add more content to this blog and keep people posted on my rather narrow viewpoint of what is going on in Oconee County, Georgia. Truth is not a whole lot has been happening in my neck of the world. About the most exciting thing I have done recently is buy a glow in the dark 28.5 gram basketball for my son. Lowell decided not to play soccer this spring and also asked not to be talked into playing on either the Oconee Recreation Department or Oconee Futbol Club traveling teams. With the economy the way it has been lately, that was not a difficult decision to swallow. Some parents would make their little soccer prodigies play even if they did not want to, but honest to goodness I could tell he was not that into it the last season we played on the big field. I am...

If you need to get in touch with the Mayor of Watkinsville from now on, try this email: Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. All,                 As of December 5 the Mayor's current email will no longer be a working email.  The following will be the Mayor's new email address:                                                   mayor@cityofwatkinsville.com     

It was wonderful and heart-warming seeing 20 some odd people turn out to Harris Shoals Park in Watkinsville for the semi-annual clean-up of the jewel of the county seat. All the members of the city council were there, bouncy Brian Brodrick, fireman Mike Link, teacher Samantha Purcell, former police officer Joe Walter and Mayor and ex-Marine Jim Luken were all sweating to the trash removal. Johnny Lay was removing brush and big limbs with Brodrick from the area near the playground. Other areas were under scrutiny for cigarette butts and what not. Former city council candidate Kathleen McQuiston arrived as I had to go to off to pick up my son for his soccer game. I am sorry I had only 45 minutes or so to offer. Mr. McGrath ~ the man who biked in my yard to get an Obama sticker ~ was there in a V-103 shirt. Board of Education Post 3 candidate Ashley Hood helped out in the flower bed with Sam and some others. The Mayor was in the creek and needed hip waders instead of the calf high galo...

Watkinsville Mayor Jim Luken reversed a previous political retirement announcement by qualifying for office again with a few hours left before today's deadline for his third term as the chief political officer of the Oconee County seat. No opposition was recorded as of 2:30 pm today. Qualifying closed at 4:30 pm Wednesday. Current Mayor Jim Luken changed his mind and will return for another two year go-round as Mayor of the county seat Watkinsville. Two would-be Mayoral candidates apparently backed out at the last second or some 72 hours before the end of qualifying due to personal and residential reasons. One of the mystery would-be candidates was already on the council and the other was a local business owner. Brian Brodrick and John Walsh also re-qualified for their city council seats without apparent opposition. Thank goodness for all of their return to the council and mayoral slots. Watkinsville will continue to have good governance by a diverse and moderate lot. We can contin...

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...

Extra Extra Read all about it: Wednesday 7 pm at Community Center on VFW Dr. in Watkinsville AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE May 9, 2007 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK PRESENTATION OF THE WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD MINUTES 1. April 11, 2007 APPEARANCES 1. Mary McCall – business license – Caterpillar Wings – 33 Harden Hill Road 2. Nicole Hale – business license – glo Salon – 10B Barnett Shoals Road 3. Dan Ryll – business license – Ryll Equipment Company – 395 Jerry Smith Drive, Suite C 4. Tom Jackson – building permit – add bathroom to existing garage/studio – 48 S. Main St. 5. Oconee State Bank – building permit – renovate existing building – 35 N. Main St. 6. David Branch – building permit – construct a 110’ x 30’ building at 72 ½ N. Main Street 7. Four Pillars, LLC – preliminary plat – consider setback variance – 131 Whitehall Road 8. Cissy Watson – Wisteria Ridge Apartment Complex Update ADMINISTRATION March, 2007 Reconciliation Report MAYOR’S REPORT CITIZEN’S COMMENTS OLD ...