Oconee County, GA Politics

I would vote for Mike Thurmond for US Senate, Dubose Porter for Governor (Roy Barnes is going to win without a run-off), Carol Porter for Lieutenant Governor, Michael Mills For Secretary of State, Rob Teilhet for Attorney General, Brian Westlake for State School Superintendent and Holly Ward for the 114th. I do not know about the Commissioner of Labor race between Terry Coleman and Darryl Hicks yet.

Candidate Forum for Oconee County Coroner from Lee Becker on Vimeo .

It seems the Oconee County Board of Education found something lacking in the application or need or presentation for a proposed charter school at their meeting Monday night, beginning in executive session at 5:00 pm and unanimously rejecting the nascent group's application for a Science and Technology institute soon thereafter. Without having been at the Monday meeting or quizzed the members of the Board of Education about what caused them to reject the application, I hope whatever is best for our children is implemented in what ever reformed method is best for all parties concerned. Innovation is often avoided in the public sector, but let us hope that the application can be improved upon and perhaps resubmitted and not be entirely squashed. Here is more about it thanks to Adam at the ABH. One thing is for certain: there will be more questions and answers by Board of Education current and prospective members in current candidates such Ashley Hood, Chuck Toney, Rich Clark and othe...

Mike Maxey may have made his biggest visible mistake by leaving (behind?) his campaign sign in the sacred soil of Harris Shoals park in Watkinsville, but there is lots going on behind the scenes that gives one pause and puzzlement at the very least. This Board of Commissioners candidate originally had his sights set on the Chairman's job, but the Chairman Melvin Davis's campaign manager Larry Benson is building a big hotel that Maxey will be paving soon here in Oconee. So this appearance of conflict of interest coupled with the convenient decision to pave the Veterans Monument coupled with the changing of his mind at least three times does not exactly instill confidence in the Maxey approach to governing Oconee County. This gives me ample reason to endorse the candidacy of incumbent Board of Commissioners candidate Chuck Horton for Post 4. Horton has more experience than just about anyone in public service, first as the Chief of Police at the University of Georgia and several t...

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman G. Melvin Davis cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the beer and wine pouring ordinance for restaurants in unincorporated Oconee County yesterday . Conversely former Oconee County Republican party chair Sarah Bell tossed her hat into the ring to run against Davis for the nomination . I wish Ms. Bell the best of luck with her burgeoning trek but so far her campaign has a less than auspicious beginning. I wonder where local G.O.P. wunderkid Jay Hanley comes down on this race; I would imagine with Davis, but it will be interesting to see how the beer and wine issue ferments in the next several months. Her former party leadership position is also where the incumbent Davis started his ascension to the top of Oconee County Board of Commissioners position when a few members of the Republican party decided to purge the nomination of a firefighter and husband of the former Mayor of Bogart almost a decade back. Charles and Robin Hoag along with former...