Oconee County, GA Politics

To: Democrats Oconee oconeedemocrats@yahoogroups.com  Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 1:05 PM Subject: [oconeedemocrats] Thursday March 15 agenda [3 Attachments] Hi all,  Attached is the agenda for March 15th.  The big item is my resignation and Dan's nomination and election as chair, as discussed at the February meeting.  As also discussed in the February meeting, Robert and I will have excused absences, but Liz will chair the meeting and will communicate a copy of my resignation and our proxy votes for Dan.  Several new members have indicated that they plan on attending tomorrow night's meeting, so please welcome them.  Perhaps a couple of you could print out extra agendas for guests? So far only Pat Adams has requested an excused absence (along with Robert and myself), so please everyone who is in town, please try to be there.  Also attached are copies of new members' names and addresses and my request for reimburs...

OCONEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 16, 2012 OCONEE COUNTY ANNEX Members Present:   Violet Dawe (1-1), Ann Stoneburner (1-3), Jonathan Veit (2-1), Dan Matthews (2-2), Sarajane Love (2-3), Peggy Thrasher Law (4-2), Robert Wyatt (6-1), and Pat Adams (6-3) Members Excused: Rita Bennett (3-2), Vicky Moody (4-1), Liz Goodroe (4-3), and Diana Jeffreys (6-2). Members Absent:   Tony Glenn (1-2) and Linda Elkins (3-1). Call to order :   Ann Stoneburner, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Welcome and Introduction of Visitors and Guests : Carolyn Crawford and Nancy DeRemo Approval of Minutes :    Ann Stoneburner noted that the minutes had been circulated earlier in the month by Liz Goodroe, Secretary, who had received no corrections or additions.   Action :   Ann called for a motion to approve the minutes of January 19, 2011.   The motion was made and carried. Treasurer’s report :   Violet Dawe, Tr...

 Agenda of the Oconee Democratic Committee Meeting 7 pm, January 19, 2012 at the Government Annex, Watkinsville  Call to order and welcome.  Approve agenda. Liz Goodroe and approval of minutes of the meeting on December 11, 2011. Violet Dawe and the Treasurer’s report.  A discussion of dues:  Article 3.9 from Bylaws of the Oconee County Democratic Committee:  Dues: Reasonable dues for members may be set, upon due deliberation and majority vote of the committee.  No person elected to serve in a Committee post shall be denied the right to participate for a failure to pay dues to the Committee.   As things stand now, members who do pay their dues contribute a diversity of amounts all lumped under the category of “Dues” in the Annual Financial Report.  It has been suggested that this year we each pay the same amount in Dues and label our additional (and welcomed) monetary contributions as “Donations.”  Collection of dues and memb...

Will local Democratic Board of Education candidate Carter Strickland make it to this meeting at Jittery Joe's? I have the next to last regular season soccer game coaching duties this evening, so I will not make it. Chairman Veit expressed his astonishment over this to me in some emails exchanged last night. I would direct him that he has much more significant things to concern himself over, the least of which would be getting the party's official website back up and running, or the location of the forthcoming whistle stop tour, or getting out the vote, or a new secretary for the party, or logistics and support for the second green showcase, then whether I may or may not have misrepresented his thoughts on a listserv no one else reads any how. If I did, I am truly sorry. I wish everyone the best of luck in the final fortnight of an increasingly insane campaign season. Woven sadly,  Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:58:38 +0000 Subject: [oconee] Oconee Demo...

I hope in the future we do not have such an overabundance of competing events at essentially the same time. The first letter is from Dr. Robert Wyatt, and the second preceded it from Oconee County Democratic Committee Chair Jonathan Veit. Woven brightly,  Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 10:57:33 -0400 Subject: Re: [oconee] Watkinsville Litter Clean-Up   Congratulations, Jonathan, and the rest of the CCDC team! We beat the Republicans again with one to spare. Maybe there should be a trophy in the form of a miniature trash can that goes each year to the winner. As the leader of one of the competing events ("Saturday Strolls at Harris Shoals"), which also was sponsored by the CCDC, I am happy to report that we had 17 people. The previous week we drew an all-time record, with more than 25 people participating. Please come this Saturday at 9:00 a.m. when Steve Holzman will lead a walk focused on birds. ...

Blake Aued writes an interesting update at the end of the article (posted yesterday) with quotes from the three germane party chairs. I had no idea Kirk Shook was so young. Although the North Oconee teacher may have a connection with football parents and political science students at the school, I am not convinced the NON CHAIR Oconee County Republican good old boy hierarchy will endorse an Oglethorpe County Winterville resident for this important Statehouse slot. Good quotes from Jay Hanley and Jonathan Veit.  May I add I respect and admire the leadership of both parties locally for doing a good job in the thankless and very stressful tasks that is being a party chair. 26 year old Jay is no longer the youngest chair in the state as Shook is only 25, but presumably he will resign from being the chair of Oglethorpe County GOP possibly  returning Jay to the youngest party chair in the state. GOP's Smith bowing out as state rep || OnlineAthens.com

Please consider signing this petition to ask the Oconee County Board of Commissioners create an Elder Bridge Park around our crowned jewel Elder Mill Covered Bridge. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. To: oconee@yahoogroups.comFrom: jveit@bellsouth.net Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 03:32:13 +0000 Subject: [oconee] Online Petition to Create an Elder Bridge Park   At our last meeting, we discussed efforts to advance the creation of an Elder Bridge Park surrounding the Elder Covered Bridge. One of the things we decided to do was create an online petition where people could sign up to support the idea. I created this petition tonight. http://www.ipetitio ns.com/petition/ elderbridgepark/ I tried to find a petition site that wasn't too filled with advertisements. Unfortunately, that isn't very easy. Please send the link to this petition to as many people as you know who are supportive of the idea of creating and Elder Bridge Park. We also decided that we would host...

We really need you to attend this health care forum Thursday at the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville. From: ppriest@charter.net Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:22:39 -0500 Subject: [oconee] "Reform Forum" 7 PM Thursday in Oconee   Hello! I'm passing along a message from Michael Smith, one of the political organizers (with Russell Edwards) working to help us DEFEAT PAUL BROUN! Smith's message pertains to the "Health Care Reform Forum" scheduled Thursday in Watkinsville. The panel includes a medical billing specialist . . . a law school professor who specializes in health care policy, . . . and my wonderful husband, Neal, a local physician who is -- like the other panelists -- well versed in the proposed health care legislation. I don't normally like to promote the food at such meetings, as I KNOW that's not why you'd be coming! But we are going to have some healthy snacks and hot cider. After all, our habits -- and food ...

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry is a true professional law enforcement provider and is talking to both sides of the aisle before the protests start Saturday morning at Oconee Veterans Park near Watkinsville near what some once labeled the Eastville area of unincorporated Oconee County, Georgia. Berry, an acknowledged Republican, responded quickly to a fax to come to the library a day early at the total fault of this writer, when in fact the Oconee County Democratic Committee is meeting Thursday evening at the Library to make signs for their counter demonstration supporting President Barack Obama's efforts at health care reform. They will appear at the front of the park as to not curry complete confrontation with their conservative counterparts contemplating ways at killing any attempts at health care reform. "Y'all are not the ones I am worried about," quipped Berry to Veit late Wednesday evening. Apparently the Sheriff was going to try to talk with the local GOP le...

Last night's Oconee County Democratic Committee meeting was an overflow session of some serious plans of action to let the world know that some folks here support our President and his plans to make insurance more affordable for all Americans. This pre-emptive activity is planned for the Watkinsville library on Experiment Station Road (just off Main Street) 5:30 pm this Thursday, August 27 to start making signs with slogans. Chairman Jonathan Veit has outlined a plan to respond in kind to the event planned from 10 to 12 am on the Oconee County Veterans Park monument. The gist of the message is that we are not going to take this crap lying down. We are going to turn out and carry signs and try our best to be non-confrontational. The following is the message so you do not have to click through to the link: For those who have not heard, area Republicans, using the title "Citizens For Ethical Government," have organized what they are calling "Oconee Healthcare Reform Pro...

You do not have to live in Watkinsville or even Oconee County to help us pick up litter this Saturday. If you are one to want to help the Democratic leaning lifters of garbage, you may gather at Chairman Jonathan Veit's house in Calls Creek subdivision (actually just outside Watkinsville city limits on Simonton Bridge Road/Whitehall Road entrance to Watkinsville at 8:30 am. This is near Veit's house and you can call him at 706-255-0222 or email gridirongazette@bellsouth.net or you can pick up debris in your own neighborhood if need be. This is from an email sent out by Veit earlier this week. What: Watkinsville Litter Pick-up. When: Saturday, May 30th, from 9 - 10 am (Coffee at Jittery Joe's to follow.) Where: Gather at the entrance to Calls Creek Estates, which is on Simonton Bridge Road. Park at the Watkinsville First Baptist Church, 1610 Simonton Bridge Road. Calls Creek Estates is directly across the street from the church. From Veit's house, or possibly on my own ...

Minutes Oconee County Democratic Committee Meeting May 21, 2009 Oconee County Government Annex, Watkinsville, Georgia Committee members present: Jonathan Veit (5-3) Chair; Ann Stoneburner (1-3) Vice Chair; Rita Bennett (3-2) Secretary; Dan Matthews (2-2); Herb West (5-1); Myrna Adams West (5-2); Robert Wyatt(6-1); Diana Jeffreys (6-2); Pat Adams (6-3). Committee members absent (excused): Violet Dawe(1-1) Treasurer; Tony Glenn (1-2): Sarajane Love (2-3); Linda Elkins (3-1); Bill Yarbrough (4-2); Erika Ferrari; Liz Goodroe. Others: Pat Priest Jonathan called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Minutes: The minutes from the April 5th meeting were approved unanimously after a motion by Dan Matthews. Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Violet Dawe was absent so there was no report at this time. OLD BUSINESS: Report on Gubernatorial Ice Cream Social: David Poythress and Duboise Porter, two of the Democratic candidates for Governor, were present. Thurbert Baker was contacted, but he did not appear...

Update on the movement of the meeting from Chairman Jonathan Veit: Just a reminder that the Oconee County Democratic Committee has changed the date of its regular monthly meeting to the third Thursday of the month, rather than the first Thursday of the month. This means that we will not meet on Thursday, May 7th, but will instead meet on Thursday, May 21st at 7 pm at the Oconee County Government Annex. I just didn't want there to be any confusion. Thanks! Jonathan Veit

Veterans' Park is a lovely new facility. I have been playing basketball a lot ~ well, twice ~ at the adjacent Community Center. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:55:07 +0000 Subject: [oconee] Poythress Event - Change of Venue Dear Dems: Due to a scheduling glitch, our ice cream social welcoming gubernatorial candidate David Poythress will be held at the Tennis Pavilion at Veterans Memorial Park rather than at Harris Shoals Park. The event is still taking place on Sunday, April 19th, from 3 - 5 pm, though I have secured the pavilion for 2 - 5 pm so that we have time to set up. Please tell everyone you know about the event and the new venue. It will be a great opportunity to meet General Poythress, and a great opportunity to show off Oconee County's new and beautiful recreational facility. I have heard from several of you who are willing to help. I will be in touch soon with assignments. Also, this wil...

The Oconee County Democratic Committee will host a meet and greet with Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Poythress on Sunday, April 19th, 3 - 5 pm , at Harris Shoals Park in Watkinsville. There will be ice cream, and we are working on getting a country music or bluegrass band. Anyone who knows a band who would work the event for free, please contact me. We have invited Democratic committees from surrounding counties to attend and help. So far, the response has been strong. Please begin spreading the word now through word of mouth, blogs, letters to the editor, and any other means possible. Of course, we will start contacting the newspapers soon. We will need volunteers to help with promotion, set up and staging, serving ice cream, and all the other things surrounding this event. If you wish to help, please contact me off the list serve. Also, expect this event to be a major agenda item at our April 2nd meeting. Thanks, and I look forward to your support with this major Democrati...

I have been battling an upper respiratory infection and what little energy I could muster has been directed toward my son and his basketball team. Tomorrow I turn 46 and I am on the mend. We also have another Oconee Recreation Department game tomorrow night as well. Former two time chair, 20 year lobbyist and twice defeated candidate Becky Vaughn will be recounting her recent Inauguration experience 7:30 pm Thursday at the Oconee County Governmental Annex off Highway 15 in the southern part of Watkinsville. Here are some excerpts of what else to expect from the meeting of the Oconee County Democratic Committee that night (the following have been lifted directly from their listserv): As is going to be my habit, I wanted to let all of you know what will be on the agenda for Thursday's meeting. I will be doing this about a week ahead of all our meetings so that those of you who are inclined to think about these things before hand will know what to think about. My hope is that this wil...

....but he moved, or is in the process of moving, just outside of the city limits of Watkinsville, thus making him ineligible as a candidate for a municipal post. Jonathan would have been an excellent choice for a Mayor of Watkinsville, or even as a member of the Board of Commissioners (hint, hint). He has helped a lot with various civic projects. He is involved with real estate and publishing in the real world and these two vocations would have and will work well with whatever choices he makes in the near future for his political choices. Best of luck Jonathan with the new child, new house and anything else I forget. Tonight is the Watkinsville City Council meeting if anyone beside Brian Brodrick reads this and is interested. I would still be willing to wager that Brodrick was the other candidate Luken pegged as his replacement, only to have to have the current Mayor renege on his pledge to not run again as it looked like no candidates were going to qualify a few hours before the f...