Oconee County, GA Politics

Hi everyone, PLEASE share this email with your friends and other groups you are affiliated with in North Georgia. Charlie Norwood is attending the Georgia Mountain Fair Parade in Hiawassee, GA, this Saturday, July 22. The parade starts at 12:00 p.m. (Norwood's campaign opponent, Terry Holley, has a conflict and won't be at this event.) Norwood is behind the push for I-3, the proposed interstate through the North Georgia mountains. (Terry Holley opposes I-3.) IT WOULD BE GREAT if folks who oppose I-3 and especially folks who oppose Norwood could attend this parade on Saturday, and take some homemade signs (like: "To stop I-3, stop Norwood!"), and scatter themselves along the parade route. Please encourage folks to do this! Also, the latest Stop I-3 Newsletter can be found online at: http://www.stopi3.org/newsletter.html Thanks much!! -- Kat Here is the link to the latest Stop I-3 Coalition Newsletter (which includes the latest candidate tracking poll...

Not even 10 pm and he gives up. 11alive.com

Dear Moore's Ford friends, Please attend our upcoming film screening on July 22 with Keith Beauchamp. A short press release and longer personal column are attached. Keith is terrific - young, eloquent, full of passion. No wonder he got some older residents in Mississippi to start talking about Emmett Till. Please send this news to friends and list servs you think may be interested. How about Common Ground in Athens and OCAF in Oconee County, among others? Had a great trip to Alaska, where I was helping a friend build a home. But its always nice to come home. All the best, Rich Emmett Till Film & Producer Headed for Monroe On July 22, to honor the 60th anniversary of the Moore’s Ford lynching of 1946 and build support for the current FBI and GBI investigations, the Moore’s Ford Memorial Committee will host a film screening – The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till – by filmmaker Keith Beauchamp. Set for 1 p.m., Saturday at the Monroe Community Center, Beauc...

So I will not be there in person, but I just got a telephone call from a producer at WSB TV (channel 2) confirming that they are going to use a question I submitted for the Republican debate between Ralph Reed and Casey Cagle. This debate is going to air Sunday at 5 pm. Ironically I submitted it for the Democratic governor's debate instead, but it applies just as well by Casey and Ralph Now I am not going to ruin the suspense by revealing what I am going to ask them, because that would give them a chance to prepare some textbook response. Suffice to say it is something echoed by many voters besides me and it will add some spice to the usual boring debate queries. It has nothing to do with Abramoff or banking directly.

I consider Watkinsville City Council member Brian Brodrick to be a friend of mine. He devours these blogs quicker than just about anybody, and in his business of working for Jackson-Spalding PR agency he is more sensitive to it. We live in a very small town. Sometimes emotions get carried away on contentious issues such as beer and wine in grocery stores and restaurant, and he wanted to reply to an article I wrote. By most considerations what happend last night was over in a minute and Brodrick basically called out Jim Shearron for berating Kate McDaniel. The entire three-way verbal spat did not last 15 seconds. And so I feel it is appropriate to publish his response to my article written last night: The following was written by Brodrick. 1) The only reason I raised my voice towards Jim is because I felt like he got personal with Kate. I always want debate to be civil at council, and felt like he crossed a line in attacking her. Both made valid points. I have the utmost respect for ...

Good evening everyone. I thought I’d pass along this bit of good news from Lee Becker regarding the county’s stormwater ordinance. My apologies if this is a repeated post. Cheers, Tony Glenn President, Citizens for South Oconee County -----Original Message----- From: Lee Becker [mailto:lbbecker@mindspring.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 9:43 PM Subject: Good News Dear Friends, Yesterday I spoke with Amy Morrison, who is in charge of the stormwater ordinance for the county. She said the overwhelming number of comments coming in to the county are calling for the stormwater ordinance to be rewritten so that the entire county will be required to follow the state standards for control of runoff. As a result, she said, she has changed the ordinance. The version that she posted to the web on July 6 contains language designed, she said, to accomplish this. The key provision is Section 3, part E, which says that the Oconee County Board of Commissioners "shall" compel a land ...

July City Council Meeting Oconee Living section Athens Banner-Herald July 12, 2006 Nerves frayed toward end of Watkinsville council meeting By Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Correspondent Athens Banner-Herald Contentious rancor erupted briefly toward the end of the first regular monthly meeting of the Watkinsville City Council since City Attorney R. Judson Huff resigned over a “liquor elimination ordinance,” according to Police Chief Lee O’Dillon. “It gives us a tool,” said O’Dillon. “It will stop the brown bagging.” He did not need to intervene in the quick heated exchange between Council member Brian Brodrick and a couple of residents. Cooler heads and apologies soon prevailed after Mayor Jim Luken restored order. Brodrick said he favored “baby steps” toward the beer and wine in restaurants and package stores instead of “jumping into the deep end of the pool.” Local Republican Party secretary and retired blogger Kate McDaniel of APVOC.com questioned the council’s attitude toward change, an...

So I was told at an OCAF volunteer dinner that the Athens Regional Medical Center is going to build a new hospital some 10 years down the road off Jimmy Daniel across from the back of Jennings Mill. About time Oconee County gets some first rate medical facilities. 91-year-old Louise Shearon was selected volunteer of the year and Ashford Manor chosen the business of the year, both well deserved. Here are a bunch of photos from that event.

Mr. Rob Peecher Sr. has bankrolled some newspaper competition for the Oconee Enterprise and Athens Banner-Herald Oconee Living section. This newspaper will be called The Oconee Leader. I worked for his son in Eatonton a few years back and knew his dad lived up this way. Rob Jr. spent a lot of time in West Georgia and at the Eatonton Messenger. Find out more Wednesday. Maybe I will drive down that way and see if I can scout up some more information. AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE July 12, 2006 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD MINUTES APPEARANCES 1. Maridee Williams – Bicentennial Birthday Celebration 2. Steve & Dory Brown – demolition permit – existing house @ 36 S. Main St. 3. Robert Peecher, Sr. – business license – The Oconee Leader – 46A Greensboro Hwy. 4. Brian Young – building permit – Ice Vending Building – 42 N. Main St. 5. Scott Boswell – building permit – remodel existing building @ 64 N. Main St. 6. Sherry Carson – swimming pool permit – 108...

A peach of a scandal in Georgia By Garrison Keillor July 6, 2006 If a preacher secretly accepts a bucket of money from a saloonkeeper to organize a temperance rally at a rival saloon and maybe send in a gang of church ladies to chop up the bar with their little hatchets, this would strike you and me as sleazy, but others are willing to make allowances, and so Ralph Reed's political career is still alive and breathing in Georgia. He has bathed himself in tomato juice and hopes to smile his way through the storm. The facts are fairly simple. Mr. Reed left the Christian Coalition in 1997 as it was sinking, and he was paid by Jack Abramoff to organize opposition to a gambling bill in the Texas legislature, which would have opened the door to competition for Mr. Abramoff's client casinos in Louisiana. So Mr. Reed got the good Christians of Texas to bombard the legislature with phone calls and letters denouncing gambling, for which Mr. Reed was paid millions of dollars in gambling mo...

I have been told that the fact I live in a municipality, the fact that I am the head of the local political arm of the Democratic committee, and the newspaper reporting gig are the reasons I am never voted on to be on the planning commission. Fourth time was not the charm in my attempt at adding some citizens' input on the Board dealing with buildings in Oconee County. Perhaps if my dad was a good old boy involved in the real estate, developers or bankers' communities I would be given more creedence in the eyes of the local elected officials. Maybe next time I should ask the BOC questions instead of making a spiel about why they should pick me. At their meeting on July 6, 2006, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners made the following appointments: Land Use & Transportation Planning Committee - terms ending 9/30/2008 Abe Abouhamdan Bob Isaac James Morris Henry Norman Bob Sanders Frank Watson Planning Commission - terms ending 9/30/2010 Travis Marshall Fritzie Jackson Recr...

These two fine gentlemen addressed the July meeting of the Oconee County Democratic committee Thursday evening at Maison Bleu in the Town Center development in downtown Watkinsville. Neither of these non-partisan groups should be called "anti-development" but both are pro smart growth" and getting the control of our government out of the hands of developers. We had several new faces upstairs in the balcony of Maison Bleu and that is what we want in the local Democratic efforts. Glenn told us of the efforts of Citizens for South Oconee County and the success they had against a truck stop below Farmington. They also hosted a succesful Fourth of July celebration with 200 people appreciated small town Americana down yonder. Becker battled the local powers-that-be who are dumping our affluent effluent in little old Barber Creek. Experts have warned this creek is entirely too small to support our waste and recommended that we build a treatment facility for sewage on the Oconee...

Democratic Primary – Early/Advance Voting Mon-Fri, July 10-14, 9am-5pm Location: Your County Registration/Elections office Democratic Primary – GET OUT THE VOTE Tuesday, July 18, 7am-7pm Location: Your Precinct’s Designated Polling Place DPG State Convention Delegate Selection & DNC Democratic Reunion Saturday, July 22 Location: In your County DPG State Committee Meeting Saturday, July 29 Location: CWA Union Hall, 307 Logan St SE, Atlanta GADCC Richard Russell Dinner Saturday, August 12 Location: Macon Baymont Inn & Suites Convention Center DPG State Convention Saturday, September 16 Location: The Georgia International Convention Center DNC Election Day Team Training Saturday, September 30 Location: In each County General Election – Early/Advance Voting Mon-Fri, Oct 30-Nov 3, 9am-5pm Location: Your County Registration/Elections office General Election – GET OUT THE VOTE Tuesday, November 7, 7am-7pm Location: Your Precinct’s Desig...

MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE June 14, 2006 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh, Walter and City Attorney Huff. VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present and asks those with non-emergency cell phones to turn them off or down. Mayor Luken also welcomes County Commissioner Chuck Horton. WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Mike and Nona Thornton of 9 South Main Street were awarded, in abstention, the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award for the month of June. The selection was made by Jim Shearon of Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast. MINUTES: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Link seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the May 10, 2006 Council meeting as presented with corrections provided by Councilman Brodrick. Motion carried unanimously. ZAHID ABDULLAH: Steve Knapp and Laura Wright represented Zahid Abdullah. Councilman Walter moved and Councilman Walsh seconded th...

Called City Council Meeting Oconee Living section Athens Banner-Herald June 26, 2006 Residents show support for Council approval of beer and wine sales By Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Correspondent Athens Banner-Herald 35 residents of Oconee County, many in favor of the council voting for approval of beer and wine sales without a referendum, came to the Watkinsville Community Center on a wet Monday evening for a special called meeting of the city council concerning the possible sales of beer and wine in restaurants and stores inside the city limits. Currently beer and wine sales are legal in Oconee County stores only outside of municipalities, having passed in 1987 without a referendum as well. Watkinsville mayor Jim Luken made sure everyone who attended his meeting called for Monday night were aware this special called meeting had no agenda and no vote. “This was an information gathering meeting,” said Jim Luken. “Nobody was trying to sneak anything past you. We are not voting on anythi...

Heidi just announced she will be seeking a second term. More later. Post AthFest haze.

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Subject: Planning Commission public hearing on Stormwater Ordinance The public hearing for the Stormwater Ordinance was held by the Planning Commission near the end of last night's regular meeting. Thanks to those who stuck it out and stayed for the hearing in order to speak out on the proposal. As it turned out, there had been changes made to the ordinance that were not available to the public. The draft on the county web site was not the most current. The Athens Homebuilders Association, through a representative had worked more magic on the ordinance and those changes were not included in the public version. For the public to have known there were recent changes they would have had to go by the public works department and ask for the most recent update. Not the best way to run a public hearing if you expect the public to have informed input. The Athens Homebuilders Association was not satisfied wit...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Subject: Volunteers to speak at upcoming stormwater ordinance hearings This message is going to those who have expressed an interest in county issues such as zoning and ordinances such as the Master Planned Development ordinance. The County will hold two public hearings on the proposed stormwater ordinance before approving it later in July. The first is a Planning Commission hearing June 19th at 7:00 PM. The second is a Board of Commissioners hearing on June 27th at 7:00 PM. Developers have worked their magic on the proposed ordinance by getting substantial penalties removed and by having the ordinance apply only to the bare minimum portion of the county. Portions of the county where substantial development is occurring are not included. It is important the Board knows that citizens have an interest in maintaining a good quality of life and that clean water is a quality of life issue. They need to see c...

Watkinsville City Council June 14, 2006 Oconee Living Section Athens Banner-Herald Watkinsville considers beer and wine sales By Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Correspondent After an arduous ordeal of considering budgeting and a sign ordinance, Mayor Jim Luken was ready to adjourn the lengthy meeting of the Watkinsville City Council. City council members John Walsh, Jr. and Samantha Purcell had a new business bombshell to drop with almost no one left to watch the impact. Walsh read a prepared statement supporting the city council’s consideration of regulating beer and wine sales in city restaurants and retail establishments. Purcell followed up with a list of 10 reasons she felt the regulation of beer and wine sales would be beneficial for Watkinsville. Both emphasized they did not want to ever see hard alcoholic drinks sold in city limits. Currently Oconee County allows sales of beer and wine in stores outside the city limits. Council member Brian Brodrick said the ordinance needs a lot of w...