Oconee County, GA Politics

As the self proclaimed Emperor of the Trans Oconee Republic, I hereby deem the shadow Board of Education appointed with Rich Clark, Ashley Hood, Chuck Toney and Kyle Martin as charter members. Their roles shall be to foster understanding between parents and teachers, administrators and the populace, to explain where our monies have been going, why we pay two Superintendents at the same time, and why Dr. Tom Dohrmann was expelled. Together we will make a better burrito than Barberitos and have school lunches kids will actually eat, covet and enjoy. Our softball coaches will no longer diddle their students, past, present or future. Our football teams will craft the offensive schemes to our quarterback's needs, creating the West Coast offense for Zach Mettenbergers. Three point lines will be painted all on basketball courts and all children will make a minimum of ten a day. The Brodrick family shall lead the entire student populace on a bike/race/jog/walk around the schools every day....

 Nice to hear from Rich Clark today; he lost to Tom Breedlove by a 2-to-1 margin for the Board of Education Post 5. -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Rich Clark" <richclark32@yahoo.com> To: <clark4boe@yahoo.com> Subject: Oconee Board of Election Date: Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:54:08 +0000 I am grateful to all of you who supported my candidacy for the Oconee Board of Education.  While I won't have the privilege of serving our county as a member of the BoE, my commitment to public education and to our students, teachers, and schools is undiminished, and I'll continue to follow BoE issues and activities as an engaged citizen.    I hope that we all continue to work together on the issues for which we share mutual concern.      --Rich Clark   __________________________________________ Rich Clark 1230 Castle Drive Watkinsville, GA 30677 706-769-1004 (h) 706-410-0226 (c) ...

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Final sprint to the election Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:16:18 -0400 From: Rich Clark <richclark32@yahoo.com> Reply-To: Rich Clark <richclark32@yahoo.com> To: <clark4boe@yahoo.com> Friends & supporters, The early voting is done, and this is the last weekend before the final day of voting on November 4th.   I'll be in downtown Watkinsville for the trick-or-treating on Friday evening, and I'll be on the corner of Butler's crossing on Saturday morning, Monday afternoon, and during the day on Election Day.   Look for me, or join me.   If you have family, friends, or neighbors who are yet to vote, please ask them to take a serious look at me.   They can email me, call me, or look at my web site.  I believe that this election is still within reach.   Given the pro...

Subject: BOE: countdown to the election Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:16:47 -0400 From: Rich Clark <richclark32@yahoo.com> Reply-To: Rich Clark <richclark32@yahoo.com> To: <clark4boe@yahoo.com> Friends and supporters:   More than 30 percent of eligible Oconee voters have cast their ballots by this point, and in 8 days this election will be behind us.  To this point, my opponent has done very little to reach voters in our county, relying mainly on the fact that he is affiliated with the majority party.  If his low intensity effort is indicative of the effort he would put into his position as a Board member, we should all be concerned.    Because there is so little information about the BOE race available to voters, please refer anyone struggling with their decision on this race to our respective web sites: ...

I'm forwarding this email from Lee Becker regarding the contested Post 5 seat on the Oconee County Board of Education. As you likely know, this is the only local election that has carried over to the November 4th general election. Rich Clark (Dem.) is challenging Tom Breedlove (Rep.) for this open seat on the BOE. Be sure to read Lee's blog at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ for more details on the candidates. Pay particular attention to the details of their campaign contribution disclosure reports. Regards, Tony Glenn From: Lee Becker Reply-To: Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:50:47 -0400 To: Subject: BOE Post 5 Dear Friends, The two candidates running for the Post 5 seat on the Oconee County Board of Education said they learned similar lessons from the recent revelation that the outgoing Board asked former Superintendent Tom Dohrmann to retire, contrary to the earlier announcement that Dohrmann initiated the resignation. "I've learned that the public...

I wholeheartedly support and endorse local Democratic candidate Rich Clark for the Oconee County Board of Education Post 5 in the lone contested local race against developer Tom Breedlove. I know Rich will serve our students and their parents very well regardless of your party affiliation. He deserves your vote, but here are some other opportunities for doing a little more if you are so inclined. Subject: Election Day is coming Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:28:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Rich Clark <clark4boe@yahoo.com> To: richclark32@yahoo.com Friends and supporters, While Election Day is still 13 days off, early voting is progressing daily, approaching 20 percent of the county's registered voters.   It is abundantly clear that many Oconee voters are not aware of the fact that there is still a competitive Board of Elections race. ...

Subject: Oconee Board of Education Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:28:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Rich Clark <clark4boe@yahoo.com> To: clark4boe@yahoo.com , richclark32@yahoo.com I suspect that many of you read the news in today's ABH about the dismissal of former superintendent Tom Dohrmann ( http://onlineathens.com/stories/101508/new_344131695.shtml ).  I believe that the article raises more questions than it answers, including "Is it permissible for our elected officials to willfully mislead the public?" If elected, I want to be a good Board member and support the decisions of the Board when reached by reasoned discussion, but not at the cost of deceiving the public that has elected me.  There is something to be said for openness and transparency in government; at a minimum, it is better to say nothing than to equivocate.  That is...

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. From: ksolheim@hotmail.com To: ccdc@clarkedemocrats.com; ccdc-nm@clarkedemocrats.com Subject: FW: Athens Area Democrats--Nov 8. Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:30:47 -0400 Dear CCDC members and friends,   Please see the information below concerning the next Athens Area Democrats meeting on Saturday, November 8. Looks like a great (and timely) program! Remember to buy your tickets by November 3.  See end of email below for details about purchasing.   Sincerely, Karen Solheim CCDC Vice Chair for Communications   From: anitabarney@charter.net To: ksolheim@hotmail.com Subject: Advertising and List serv Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:47:20 -0400 THIS BREAKFAST IS RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION AND THE ASSESSMENT OF THE POLLS SHOULD BE INTERESTING! BUFFET BREAKFAST ATHENS AREA DEMOCRATS 9:00AM – NOV 8, 2008 TRUMPS – WASHINGTON & JACKSON  ST. TOPIC:  A POST ELECTION ASSESSMENT OF PRE-ELECTION POLLING SPEAKER...

Athens Banner-Herald reporter Adam Thompson was one of the two dozen brave souls to wait until the end of the evening for the debate for the sole contested Oconee County Board of Education race. Here is his assessment.

Maybe two dozen people came out to the Oconee County Library on Columbus Day night for a candidates forum featuring the people vying to represent Oconee County in public office November 4th. Sherry Jackson and Bill Cowsert took questions from the audience for the District 46 State Senate race while Rick Clark and Tom Breedlove took questions in the Board of Education race. Tom Leach took questions in the Board of Commissioners chair race without opposition of incumbent G. Melvin Davis.

Subject: Oconee County Board of Education Election Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:13:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Rich Clark <clark4boe@yahoo.com> To: clark4boe@yahoo.com Friends,   The November 4th General Election is now only 24 days away, and I believe that we have a good chance of winning a seat on the Oconee County Board of Education.     Please consider attending the public forum on Monday, October 13th at 7 p.m. at the Watkinsville Library.  First, the public can address questions to Bill Cowsert (R) and Sherry Jackson (D), and then a look at the County Commissioners race.  By 8 p.m., the public forum will focus on the Post 5 seat on the Board of Education race between me and Tom Breedlove.  Mr. Breedlove is now ramping up his campaign, and I need to ...

More splendid insight and opportunities for Oconee enlightened voters. From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 9:11 PM Dear Friends, Please mark your calendars for two important upcoming meetings: 7 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 7, Oconee County Courthouse. Meeting of the Board of Commissioners to discuss the proposed Epps Bridge Centre on Epps Bridge Parkway. See my blog of last night for details ( www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com ). 7-9 p.m. Monday Oct. 13, Oconee County Library in Watkinsville. Candidate Forum. Oconee County Board of Education candidates Tom Breedlove and Rich Clark, 46th Senate District candidates Bill Cowsert and Sherry Jackson, and Tom Leach, write-in candidate for the chairmanship of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners, have agreed to take part. The Forum is being organized by members of five citizen organizations: Citizens for Oconee's Future, Citizens for South Oconee County, Friends of Barber Creek, Fr...

Before the Oconee Enterprise newspaper labels this candidate forum another personal or group vendetta, this is an honorable gathering of interested individuals and groups with no agenda other than informing Oconee County voters and making wise decisions with that information. The rest of this letter is from Lee Becker. Dear Friends, Oconee County Board of Education candidates Tom Breedlove and Rich Clark have agreed to take part in a Candidate Forum from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, at the auditorium in the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville. The Oct. 13 Candidate Forum is being organized by members of five citizen organizations: Citizens for Oconee's Future, Citizens for South Oconee County, Friends of Barber Creek, Friends of the Apalachee, and Oconee Citizens for Responsible Growth. I'm the president of Friends of Barber Creek. Citizens will be able to ask questions directly of Breedlove and Clark at the Oct. 13 Forum. Please go to my blog at www.oc...

Rich Clark survived being introduced as Rick by newly appointed Oconee County Tourism Director Peggy Holcomb at a fundraiser Sunday at the Watkinsville Community Center. Many children brought their parents to Harris Shoals Park for the event. Many checks were written, many questions answered and the future of our children's education remains in the hands of the discerning Oconee County voters. Signs were passed out, cookies were munched, voters asked Rich about what prompted him to run for the Oconee County Board of Education and Clark continued to make himself known to the public. He once again proved himself distinct and different than many of the other candidates but more than just party affiliation. Dr. Clark will do great things on the Board of Education in Oconee County, and you can reach him at 706-769-1004 or clark4boe@yahoo.com.

Oconee County Young Democrats came to the regular monthly meeting of the Oconee County Democratic Committee Thursday evening in the Grand Jury room of the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. Here the future of the Democratic party listen to Robert Wyatt explain some of his experiences canvassing and calling voters in Oconee County about the Barack Obama Presidential campaign. I greatly appreciate these young folks coming to our meeting and helping to pick up litter on the mile we have on the Oconee Connector. Sara Jane Love has done a great job publicizing that important event. Get well wishes to Vice-Chair Jonathan Veit who has vertigo and an inner ear infection preventing him from doing another bike ride through the county in connection with the OCAF Pottery tour. Also good luck to chair Becky Vaughn's son William in his pursuit of a higher education in New York. While I support the idea of coordinating the arts and politics, it seems there are some people at OCAF who do...

Rich Clark, candidate for the Oconee County Board of Education and the lone local candidate on the November ballot, appeared before the monthly meeting in the Grand Jury Room of the Oconee County courthouse in Watkinsville Thursday evening. He led a lively discussion of the much hyped educational system in Oconee County. Clark will run against developer Tom Breedlove for a position on the Board of Education. Instead of registering new voters with the Obama team Saturday, the members discussed the date of a bike ride less than a month from the proposed date. The Tour de Pottery may or may not be officially approved by the powers that be at OCAF and have a route toward Danielsville or possibly remain right here in Oconee County. Jonathan Veit and Tony Glenn were to have checked with local potters to see if they can have bicyclers pedal to their local markets/houses or Rocket Field or both and have a SAG wagon riding behind to hold all their purchases.

Dr. Rich Clark of the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute spoke eloquently Sunday evening at the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville about polling and the many factors and evolution of this political tool. He took a dry topic and brought it to life, focusing on the history and how Hamilton Jordan used made up numbers to hoodwink the media at the onset of Jimmy Carter's Presidential campaign. Clark is running in the Oconee County Board of Education race for the Post 5 race against the winner of the Republican primary between Tom Breedlove and Kyle Martin. 10th district congressional candidate and Oconee County native Major Bobby Saxon also spoke briefly at the beginning of the event. Saxon and Clark are the only two Democratic candidates appearing on your ballot locally, and you will not have to vote for them in next week's primary.