Oconee County, GA Politics

Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low; Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low. You got no nerve baby, to turn Uncle John from your door. I woke up this morning, I had them Watkinsville Blues, I woke up this morning, had them Watkinsville Blues. Well, I looked over in the corner, and Wilson seemed to have them too. Well my momma died and left me, My poppa died and left me, I ain't good looking baby, But I'm somewhat sweet and kind. I'm goin' to the country, baby do you wanna go? But if you can't make it baby, your sister Lucille said she wanna go. (and I sure will take her). I love that woman, better than any woman I've ever seen; Well, I love that woman, better than any woman I've ever seen. Well, now, she treat me like a king, yeah, yeah, yeah, And she look like a dog gone queen. Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low. Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low. You got no nerve babe, to turn Uncle John from your door.

The process of municipal government approval of expenditures varies greatly given the gamut of getting done what needs to be accomplished. The agenda is what controls the course of the evening's activities, and it has been done flawlessly and expertly by Julie Sanders at the City of Watkinsville for as long as I can remember. Tonight was no exception to her consistency and rule I have always enjoy attending the Watkinsville City Council meetings and finding out what happens in our county seat. This evening they added white plastic chains to keep the adoring media throng from taking photos behind the city council members' backs during the meetings. I would hope that council continues to do so well without the annoying media snooping around behind them at their meetings. The meeting seemed to flow well regarding of any artificially constructed barriers to prevent any unnecessary media intrusions. Some smart aleck in the audience actually dared to tell Clerk Sanders of an ap...

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note® II From: Fred Johnson ilovehighshoals@yahoo.com Date: 07/29/2013 10:28 AM (GMT-05:00) To: Fred Johnson ilovehighshoals@yahoo.com Subject: TONHS - The High Shoals Messenger #7 from John and Fred The High Shoals Messenger.                                                                                                                       ...

Brian Brodrick and Henry Norman The future of domesticated fowl inside the city limits was briefly considered near the end of the new business section of the Watkinsville City Council meeting Wednesday evening at Community Center, but the biggest news might be what the executive session yielded in terms of possible future litigation against the city. Council members Toby Smith and Samantha Purcell listen to a business license request Speculation abounds as to whether the much ballyhooed problems in a section of downtown businesses could be the source of concern, or could it be something much more nefarious and or insidious? We will find out and report shortly. Watkinsville will apparently allowed chicken and roosters in the yard if they are contained, and a sinkhole remains in the back of yard on Katie Lane. A boilerplate tattoo ordinance was inked from Oconee code with no tattoo and body piercing places on the horizon out here after a second public hearing. Victoria Al...

The Watkinsville City Council decided to increase the annual salary of the Mayor in a special called meeting Tuesday evening at the Community Center. Council member Brian Brodrick made a motion and was seconded by Toby Smith to increase the pay $2,500.00 next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. The salary will increase from $7,200.00 to $9,800.00. A special condition was added that any future pay increases be discussed by that particular council and not set in stone by this particular pay raise. After hearing many reservations voiced by council members Mike Link and Henry Norman, the measure passed unanimously.  Council member Samantha Purcell was unable to attend, as was city attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. absent. At one point city clerk Julie Sanders attempted to call Reitman at the behest of outgoing Mayor Joe Walter, only to receive voice mail. They were asking to make sure the qualifying fees would remain the same next week. Walter refereed the brief event with his same concerned...

Jimmy Marbut, owner of Sunshine Cycles in Watkinsville and Athens, received approval to finish his garage and build some backyard recreation area for his kids from the Watkinsville City Council after some questions by the Mayor Joe Walter and Brian Brodrick and clarification of city attorney Joe Reitman. Council members Toby Smith and Samantha Purcell are shown above voting in favor of the building permit for the Jeremy Drive home in Morgan Manor Estates subdivision in Watkinsville.

Residents of Watkinsville recognized the slowly encroaching appearance of blue recycling bins in subdivisions such as Morgan Manor Estates and Christian Lake on Tuesdays from the trash collectors Curbside Service for quite some time. Wednesday the Watkinsville City Council or morse specifically the Mayor of Watkinsville Joe Walter approved by decree the recycling companies' official activities inside the city limits. The fee will remain $10.00 a month for the blue container picked up on Tuesday in a "single stream" - that is where you can put your plastics 1 through 7 right in with your glass and paper and aluminum and tin and steel and cardboard and Curbside will take care of them. No separation needed.  You can get a wheel container for $15.00 which would be ideal for businesses inside the city limits. "Just another step in the City of Watkinsville going green," said Walter. Previous attempts with other councils has not gone very far in getting recycling c...

The woman holding the paper was not pleased with the school. All manner of feathered fowl and birds shall be granted sanctuary inside the city limits of Watkinsville following the City Council approval of an amendment embracing the idea of not trapping, hunting, shooting or molesting in any manner any bird or wild fowl. Donated by Athens Seed The second reading of the amendment went smoothly save Council member Mike Link's suggestion of switching verbs from "may take" to "may approve" which was endorsed by City Attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. as a prudent shift.  Basically if a big enough flock of grackles or turkey buzzards congregates in your yard, you can still seek council approval to take care of them, except not with a shotgun anymore. City Attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. At least one member of the audience recalled a time when the city advertised a similar less official proclamation back in the day. Later she made sure the donated bird feeder from Athens...

The worst part of missing these Watkinsville City Council meetings is not hearing the part where Mayor Jim Luken reads his comments and generally they are not included in what I get from city clerk Julie Sanders (they are in here but Luken almost always adds some colorful but well spoken quote often but not always combining his military and or Cincinnati or Roswell or baseball backgrounds). Luken often reveals the best little nuggets of news in this part of the meeting. But I digress. Thanks to Julie for sending the minutes. I love Watkinsville. Been a pretty good week for Mack Guest III after getting appointed to the Board of Education and now he has another business under his belt. The following are unapproved minutes of last night's meeting, reads like this was a relatively brief and unspectacular or non-controversial gathering: MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE November 14, 2007 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Walsh, ...