Oconee County, GA Politics

I am quick to criticize the Oconee Enterprise newspaper, so I should be equally quick in giving them praise when it is due. The special section dedicated to outgoing Watkinsville three-term mayor Jim Luken is well done, deserved and a wonderful keepsake for the son of the former Mayor of Cincinnati. Blake Giles wrote a long essay that pretty much portrayed the former Marine from every angle imaginable. Good job folks

So this is the second time in a week I have heard mention that some ill advised comments from a citizen proposing the banning of bicycles on our roads in Oconee County, Georgia. While I do not think for a second that the current Board of Commissioners would ever pass such a stupid law, it would be the quickest way for the Democrats to come back in power in Oconee.  Not to mention a huge waste of sheriff deputy and municipal police time. Non-Watinsville resident Kate McDaniel dared dangle that out of her mouth at the end of Watkinsville City Council meeting the other evening, and evidently she was harkening back to this meeting that Lee Becker once again uncovered. Thank you Lee. Even Athens madman Jeff Snowden would oppose this, not to mention Watkinsville city council member Brian Brodrick, the dozens of local bicycle enthusiasts and triatheletes and every parent who bought their chid a bicycle at Sunshine cycle or Wal-Mart. From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Dat...

The last quarter of Mayor Jim Luken's third and final term in office as Mayor of Watkinsville was run like a Marine inspection by the former Marine and son of former Cincinnati mayor of the same name. It appears the younger Luken may have found a signature send off in stopping the four lane build out of Simonton Bridge Road after members of the Georgia Department of Transportation said the thoroughfare does not meet the criteria for becoming four lane at a MACORTS meeting today. The fact he also found an extra $40,000.00 from interest on the city's Certificates of Deposit for the City coffers is not bad thing to be remembered by either.  "We have a real chance to step in a muddy hole here," commented Luken.  "We have got to be careful."  The county seat of Oconee County continues a carefully honed path of progress and growth amidst a sea of abandoned subdivisions even encroaching inside the city limits. Among the new businesses approved by the Cit...

NOTICE OF ELECTION Election for Mayor, presently held by Jim Luken; Council Post 1 presently held by Brian Brodrick; and Council Post 2 presently held by John Walsh will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 during the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Watkinsville Community Center for Watkinsville West voters and at the Oconee Government Annex for Watkinsville East voters in Watkinsville, Georgia (please see voter registration card). Provided no changes in the county voting location, the location you vote in the county election is same location you will vote in the city election; however, city and county elections will be separate. Those candidates elected as Mayor and to Posts 1 and 2 in the 2009 General Election shall serve a term of office of two years, commencing on January 1, 2010. Persons seeking election as a member of Council must designate the particular post for which they are offering as candidate. Candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast for Council posts shall b...

While I was on vacation, there were a few changes on the Watkinsville City Council worth noting. Current council member John Walsh Jr resigned contingent upon his remarriage and moving outside the city limits and almost immediately former Real Estate Relator and current property preservationist Henry Norman announced his intention to run for that slot. Norman brought his real estate practice before the council a few month prior to receive the proper permits. Whether this will significantly shift the balance of power on controversial issues such as beer and wine remains to be seen. The Council also meet at Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast for a work session where lots of planning for future growth were made but few concrete decisions were decided upon at this early stage. Tom Breedlove presented his plans for helping to solve the current courthouse needs. How these events will effect Watkinsville's future remains to be seen. The most daunting remaining decisions will be the probable...

Great to have Julie Sanders back. I can comment that I meant the trash near Morgan Manor adjacent to Farmview, but no matter. MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE July 8, 2009 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Brodrick, Purcell, Walsh, Walter and City Attorney Reitman. VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. Councilwoman Purcell is out of the country at this time. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. PRESENTATION OF THE WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Councilwoman Purcell announces the winners of the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award as Patrick and Susan Kennedy of 1011 Christian Court. Chicken Express sponsored this month’s beautiful yard award. MINUTES: Councilman Brodrick moved and Councilman Walsh seconded the motion to approve the June 10, 2009 Minutes as presented with corrections noted from Councilman Link. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unani...

MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE December 10, 2008 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh and Walter VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. CHRISTMAS PARADE AWARDS: Mayor Luken appreciates Maridee Williams organizing and overseeing the Watkinsville Christmas Parade. He explains that he and Maridee discussed a couple of weeks ago that the parade at one point almost dissolved, but thanks to Maridee and The Oconee Enterprise, it has continued. “Maridee has done an incredible job”, he says. Maridee Williams presents the Christmas Parade Awards (See attached list of winners.). MINUTES: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Link seconded the motion to approve the November 12, 2008 Minutes as presented. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Councilman Link moved and Councilwoman Purcell se...

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     

I do not agree with every word or utterance out of the mouth of Watkinsville Mayor Jim Luken. However the two term Mayor of the County Seat is right on target with his continuing commentary concerning the upcoming Republican primary July 15. "It is terribly important we all pay attention to who gets elected," said Luken during his monthly address at the Watkinsville City Council meeting Wednesday in Watkinsville. He pointed out in attendance at the meeting were Board of Commissioners chair candidate Sarah Bell and current incumbent Chuck Horton were at the gathering. Luken accurately pointed out that the municipalities have been left out of the SPLOST monies puring into the county coffers. 15% of the population of the Oconee County live in inside the city limits of the four towns (Bogart, North High Shoals, Farmington and Watkinsville) yet these towns have been left out of the estimated $24-25 million dollar pie. A 10 day notice is needed to be given by the cities in order to...

The Mayor of Watkinsville Jim Luken took Oconee County Chairman G. Melvin Davis to task for keeping Oconee County municipalities such as the county seat, Farmington, Bishop and Bogart frozen out of the local special purpose sales tax projects at the Forum Monday night at the Library, according to an article written by Adam Thompson of the Athens Banner-Herald. Others seemed more interested in why Davis supported convicted felon Jim Ivey in his trial and subsequent sentencing for stealing more than $30,000.00 in funds designated for the construction of a Veterans Memorial monument in the new park. Tonight there will be a Forum for the candidates for the Board of Education at the Library

Some dork (me) got up and talked about curbs, recycling, ballfields, paving, soil and a Board of Education candidate who helped pick up trash at Harris Shoals Park: MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE May 14, 2008 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh, Walter and City Attorney Reitman VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. He also welcomes Chuck Horton, County Commissioner , to our meeting. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. PRESENTATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Councilwoman Purcell presents Maridee Williams of 1021 Jeremy Drive the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award for the month of May. The selection was made by Athens Seed. MINUTES: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Link seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the April 9, 2008 Council meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. AR...

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, ...

Developer Norm Grayson got a tongue lashing from four people and three city council members four about 90 minutes Wednesday for destroying his property's home after teasing the council members with grandiose plans of town homes. The Mayor of Watkinsville Jim Luken conducted himself very fairly and only responded when personally attacked by Grayson. The developer demolished a house without a permit. The fact that it is in a historic corridor does not enter into the governmental permit process at this point, but it should. Hopefully this is a Maginot Line, a line in the sand, a point where Oconee County people can shout "ENOUGH ALREADY! to all those hellbent on paving the entire beautiful, wonderful place. The following is an article to be published next Wednesday. Merritt Melacon wrote a good story here in today's paper. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Watkinsville Council meeting July 14, 2005 Oconee Living section Athens Banner-Herald Watkinsville Council penalizes devel...