Oconee County, GA Politics

Dear Concerned Citizen, I am righting to encourage you to come the next Board of Commissioners meeting October 3rd. Plum Creek Timberlands will be requesting a rezone of 365 acres of timber land from A1 to AR5. We want to send a message to the timber company as well as the BOC that we don’t want to see the South end of the county become a row of subdivisions. This timber land backs up to the Apalachee River and is one of the most exquisitely beautiful and natural area in the county. As a result of state and federal programs the timber company can profit almost as much by putting the land into a trust as it will putting it into houses. We are quickly loosing our natural environment. There are ways to preserve our natural treasure and allow land owners to profit. This piece of land will be a key element in making the River Walk that Mr. Russ Page is working so hard to create. If you want to preserve an historic piece of nature that we as well as our children can enjoy, please come and si...

http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/news/0091.html Diebold Added Secret Patch to Georgia E-Voting Systems in 2002, Whistleblowers Say By Matthew Cardinale, News Editor, Atlanta Progressive News (September 28, 2006) (APN) ATLANTA – Top Diebold corporation officials ordered workers to install secret files to Georgia's electronic voting machines shortly before the 2002 Elections, at least two whistleblowers are now asserting, Atlanta Progressive News has learned. Former Diebold official Chris Hood told his story concerning the secret "patch" to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for Kennedy's second article on electronic voting in this week's Rolling Stone Magazine. Hood's claims corroborate a second whistleblower who spoke with Black Box Voting and Wired News in 2003. Whistleblower Accounts "With the primaries looming, [Chief of Diebold's Election Division] Urosevich was personally distributing a 'patch,' a little piece of software designed to correct g...

Republicans really like to violate the sign code ordinances around Watkinsville and Athens. First there is a huge sign in front of Chicken Express for Cowsert that clearly violates the Watkinsville ordinance as it was given to me by Code Enforcement officer Robert Hegge. I just wish he would enforce his codes with equinimity and impartiality. The same would go for the local GOP HQ on Main Street in Watkinsville with the one sign every 10 feet for frontage on the street rule, which the Republicans seem to bask in their ignorance and indifference to, at least from this rather jaded perspective. Then there are all the signs posted on the freeways before football games. Not to mention the exits around the campus at UGA. Do candidates ever get fined for their immense ethical and legal lapses of judgment when it comes to placement of yardsigns? I highly doubt it. As a doctor friend told me yesterday when leaving the highly successful Becky Vaughn fundraiser in Watkinsville, "Republicans...

* The Yard signs are in! Let us know how many you want! * We'll be walking this weekend. Let us know if you can help! * The September 30th financial deadline is looming. Help us look good. Make a donation today at www.beckyvaughn.org * invitation attached-- ****Please note change in location to Jittery Joe's in Watkinsville**** You are invited you to a reception with and a Special “Surprise” Guest Wednesday, September 27 6-8 pm Jittery Joe's (note change in location) 27 Greensboro Hwy Downtown Watkinsville Suggested Contribution $50 Please RSVP to Jenny Vaughn at 706-546-5258 or jenny@beckyvaughn.org Paid for by the Committee to Elect Becky Vaughn www.beckyvaughn.org Becky Vaughn Candidate State House District 113 1030 Meriweather Dr. Bogart, GA 30622 706.354.8785 706.540.9724 (Cell) becky@beckyvaughn.org Becky Believes we deserve a choice Becky Believes we need a change Donate today at www.beckyvaughn.org

There are various links in this email which did not survive the transistion; write me back and I can forward you the actual email or check out http://www.marktaylor.com We would like you to join us in a fun and innovative way to help Mark Taylor become the next Governor of Georgia. The campaign is launching a brand new initiative called House Parties for Taylor, a grassroots initiative that starts with you. By hosting a house party, you can help Mark build the grassroots support needed to win this November AND help the campaign raise money to support the effort. We are looking for individuals across Georgia to host house parties to help the campaign raise money and spread Mark’s vision of Georgia’s future to their friends and family. We are planning several house parties between now and Election Day, four of which will include a conference call with the Big Guy. The house parties will be held on the following dates: Saturday October 14 12 - 2 PM Tuesday October 17 6 - 8 PM Saturday Oct...

From Terry Holley's Campaign Folks, we are excited about what has been happening in the campaign over the last few weeks. People have been responding to Terry very well. We attended a great event in Madison County which came on the heels of the event the Oglethorpe Dems put together for us. We have been getting Terry out there to your committee meetings and also out meeting the newspaper editors in all the counties across the district. The response from the Newspapers has also been quite warm. Please keep the events coming. If Terry can't make it we will do our best to have someone there to represent him. As many of you know the September 30th is the next campaign finance deadline for us and many other campaigns. If you have given before and can give again please do. If you have been waiting to give, now is the time. Give Terry the dollars he needs to carry his message to all the voters of the 10th District. We can win this if you join us. If we work together to spread the Dem...

I am hoping some intrepid reader of this blog might have miraculously taped the infamous appearance of Charlie Norwood at the Greene County Farm Bureau a week or so back where he ostensibly said "Some of the Republicans aren't worth taking out back behind the barn and being shot" and "All of the Democrats aren't worth being shot" over their views about immigration. If you heard him there, or taped it, call me ASAP at 706-769-1131. I am trying to get a website called congresspedia (like wikipedia only for members of congress) to put it in their file for all of humanity to see on the website. I need corroboration people!

I did not make this one, but here is the unpassed nor approved minutes of the Watkinsville City Council meeting: MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE September 13, 2006 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh and Walter. VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. Mayor Luken also asks those with non-emergency cell phones to turn them off or down. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Councilwoman Samantha Purcell announced The Thomas’ of Simonton Bridge Road as receiving the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award for the month of September. The selection was made by The Big Easy Cafe. MINUTES: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Walsh seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2006 Council meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. JEFF HARGENS: Councilman Walter moved and Councilman Link second...

If anyone wishes to use this blog to announce their candidacy, by all means please do so. Here is Merritt's story on the council vacancy and special election moving across the street. Why they can't do it in the same place is beyond me. Council election planned Bishop By Merritt Melancon | juliana.melancon@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:32 AM on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 The city council of the tiny Oconee County town of Bishop has decided to fill its long-vacant fifth council seat after the town's attorney advised that it probably is the right thing to do. The City of Bishop will hold a special election to fill Post 1 of the Bishop City Council on Nov. 7 at the Bishop City Hall across from the Bishop Community Center on U.S. Highway 441. Candidates who wish to be on the ballot can pay a $5 qualifying fee and register at the Oconee County Board of Elections Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and from 8 a.m. until noon Wednesday. The city cou...

Below I’m including some recent comments that Gary Noffke would like shared with the whole group. If you have a response you’d like to share with the group, send your comments to me. Otherwise provide feedback directly to Gary (garynoffke@bellsouth.net). His primary concern is with potential loopholes in the recently passed stormwater ordinance that may allow for MORE development in rural Oconee. Two sections of the stormwater ordinance that Gary references are: D. Stormwater Management in the Non-Urbanized Area Section 6 of this ordinance shall apply to areas not within the area of the County regulated under the NPDES Stormwater Phase II Permit in the following circumstances: any residential development containing lot sizes of three (3) acres or less and having five (5) or more lots, all non-residential development, any development with size, configuration, and/or density that would lend itself to be considered an urbanized area, or if the site is designated a hotspot for stormwa...

Greetings! We just wanted to let you know that we are hosting a fundraiser for Terry Holley on Wednesday, September 20, (tomorrow) from 6-8 p.m. at our house in Carlton. Terry is running for Congress against Republican incumbent Charlie Norwood, and this is a great opportunity to meet him and ask questions. Drinks and barbecue are being provided--please bring a potluck dish, and a friend. Thanks, Chip and Dena Chandler 706-797-3501

Evening everyone, Both rezone requests (west 295 acres and east 70 acres) were approved by the Planning Commission. The vote was 6 to 2 for both. The Planning Commission did some arm twisting on the Plum Creek developer and forced a change in the minimum square footage for the houses. The developer had in mind an “empty nest” market that would desire high quality but smaller homes (minimum of 1800 sq ft). However, since other recently approved developments in the area are targeting larger homes, the PC forced a change in the minimum to 2400 sq ft. Keep in mind that the Chair of the Planning Commission (Dan Arnold) is a partner in ALP Development, which recently got a rezone for a residential development on the adjacent property. I got the feeling that some members of the commission didn’t like the idea of the previously approved McMansions being under priced by a similar development next door that would have less expensive homes. The hope for conservation of this land is not d...

Becky Vaughn rescheduled her meet-and-greet with Cathy Cox at Girasoles She is having a party tonight - MONDAY EVENING - to send out invitations for it. Please adjust your calendars and join other Becky supporters on Wednesday, September 27 from 6-8 at Girasoles in Watkinsville. Please invite anyone who might be interested in a positive change for District 113! Also, if you are available on Monday (9/18/06) evening from 6:30-8:30, come by my house (1030 Meriweather Dr.) You can stuff yourself with pizza and wings while stuffing envelopes for the fundraiser. Let us know if you?re coming so that we're sure to have enough. Give us whatever time your have! Call for info or directions ? 706.540.9724

I apologize for sending this on such short notice. Two related rezone requests for adjacent tracts of land along US441 and the Apalachee River are on the agenda for tonight’s Planning Commission meeting. Plum Creek Timberlands (http://www.plumcreek.com) is a large timber company that claims to be the largest private landowner in the nation, and they are seeking two rezone requests, both from A-1 (agricultural) to AR-5 (agricultural-residential with minimum 5 acre lots). The western tract of land is 295 acres with frontage on the Apalachee. The eastern tract is 70 acres and no frontage on the river. The Oconee County Planning Department has recommended approval of both requests. It is worth noting that the county Fire Department has concerns due to the lack of water for fire protection. Keep in mind there is no infrastructure in this part of the county. Septic systems and private wells will be needed for each of the 66 proposed homes. The anticipated price for homes will be $35...

Democrats must get angry, motivated and organized in their advertising, GOTV and other efforts in order to win at all levels. If the convention in College Park proved anything yesterday, it is that the Georgia Democratic Party needs an influx of new leadership from the top on down and it saw the first glimpses of it yesterday. The only state level candidates I saw glad handing folks and firing up the choir were Tommy Irvin and Michael Thurmond, although everyone else showed up later. The Georgia party $$$$ need to flow to the candidates earlier. We need to point out what the Republicans and Sonny didn't do or did poorly and we need it on the airwaves six times daily yesterday. Call it negative advertising if you will, but the Democrats are not going to take back over this state without it. We need to accentuate our positive solutions in the final 14 seconds or last half of a 28 second ad. We need to sponsor talk radio shows in our communities to counter all the negative bullshit sp...

At two meetings of municipal councils last week, sprawl won and rural charm took it on the chin. Here are a couple of photos. Above is several shots of developer Jon Williams asking Bishop to annex 30 acres into the city limits, ( DON'T FORGET BISHOP TOWN SUPPER COMING UP MONDAY, OCT. 9th I think} and at the very top is North High Shoals town council learning about Bella Rosa subdivision encroaching on a working farm. Violet Dawe's husband Donald was purged from the Planning Commission after suing the city for the subdivision.

Tony Glenn reports that Lee Becker led him know we are going to have some hearings here about the wastewater discharge in Barber creek. Read on Evening everyone. Good news from Lee Becker regarding the letter campaign for a public hearing on wastewater discharge into Barber Creek. Initial indications are that the number of letters was sufficient. Thanks to all who wrote! Cheers, Tony -----Original Message----- From: lbbecker@mindspring.com [mailto:lbbecker@mindspring.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 10:22 PM Subject: Good News Dear Friends, By my count, we sent 50 letters to the EPD asking for a public hearing on the Oconee County request to begin discharging treated wastewater from its Rocky Branch sewage plant into Barber Creek. I suspect the final total was higher, as some people who promised they were writing have not yet confirmed they did so. I'm optimistic we'll get a hearing. The letters came from people directly affected by the plans and from people c...

By ANDREW MIGA, Associated Press Writer 14 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. John Kerry, the party's 2004 presidential nominee, accused the Bush administration of pursuing a "cut and run" strategy in Afghanistan that has emboldened terrorists and made the U.S. less safe. ADVERTISEMENT "The administration's Afghanistan policy defines cut and run," Kerry said in remarks at Howard University on Thursday. "Cut and run while the Taliban-led insurgency is running amok across entire regions of the country. Cut and run while Osama bin Laden and his henchmen hide and plot in a lawless no-man's land." Kerry's "cut and run" accusation echoes criticism Republicans have leveled at Democrats who have challenged Bush's handling of the Iraq war. A potential 2008 presidential candidate, Kerry lashed out at the administration on the same day the White House announced meetings later this month with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan....

Maybe our friend Brian Brodrick can fill us in, here is the agenda anyhow. Merritt was supposed to cover this for me.... CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD MINUTES APPEARANCES 1. Jeff Hargens – business license – Pioneer Building – 59 Dooley Street 2. Pamela Pontenberg – business license – Ladybug Designs – 239 Concord Drive 3. Nathan Mende – business license – NPR Ducati / Boxerworks – 1461 Greensboro Highway 4. Martha Howard – business license – Nan’s Country Kitchen – 42 Greensboro Highway ADMINISTRATION 1. Reconciliation Report (July 31, 2006) MAYOR’S REPORT CITIZEN’S COMMENTS OLD BUSINESS 1. Bicentennial Reports 2. Stormwater Consultant Selection. – Samantha Purcell 3. Concept Plan & Future Land Use Map. – Brian Brodrick NEW BUSINESS EXECUTIVE SESSION 1. Potential litigation ADJOURN