Oconee County, GA Politics

Forgive the duplicated posting. See the comments below regarding the EPD hearing held last Tuesday night. No need trying to say anything more when Charlie and Lee sum it up very well. Folks, trust us when we say Lee Becker worked very hard on this issue. Through his diligence there may yet be a lasting impact on how the county handles wastewater discharge. There are articles in today’s Oconee Enterprise and Athens Banner Herald. Below is a link to the ABH article. You may have to register to read it (no worries, it’s free and harmless). http://onlineathens.com/stories/121406/news_20061214037.shtml Cheers, Tony Glenn Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is a message from Lee Becker, Friends of Barber Creek with a summary of the DEC. 12 public hearing on the county's application to discharge treated sewer water into Barber Creek. Lee did a wonderful...

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr.

More from Lee regarding the meeting tonight. See the info below. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dear Friends, I have heard from a lot of people who say they will attend the meeting on Tuesday night before the EPD. We need everyone possible there. This is a chance for us to show the EPD and the County that we really do care about Barber Creek and that we have reasonable requests for changes in the draft permit. We want to address problems of flooding, we want the cleanest possible water released, and we want independent monitoring. These three requests are listed in a flier available on the Friends of Barber Creek web site at www.barbercreek.org under the news and events section (petition). Or you can go directly to http://www.barbercreek.org./barbercreek/Help_Preserve_Barber_Creek_Flier_v2.pdf to download the flier. Please print out this flier, sign it, and bring it with you to the meeting on Tuesday night. If you cannot a...

Becky Vaughn defeated me in the race for chair of the Oconee County Democratic Committee. Seems some of the members thought my leadership style left a little something to be desired. I gave it my best effort for the last year. I never once sought reimbursement for a single expense, a move I now regret. Becky will do a fine job of running the meetings, if she does not get stuck in Atlanta traffic as was the case this evening. Now that I am no longer chair, I can at least take off the gloves when it comes to crafting letters, blog entries and columns. At one point this evening there was a long discussion about the possibility of co-chairs. Stubbornly I did not want to be vice-chair. I did not think we had enough members to have factions, but I guess I was wrong about that. Bill Yarbrough will take over the duties of vice chair along with Jonathan Veit, Violet Dawe and Herb West will reprise their roles. So I never thought of this blog as being the official voice of the Oconee County D...

Says Butler: Let’s make it safe for Democrats to exit the closet Friday, December 1, 2006, 08:40 AM The Atlanta Journal-Constitution In anticipation of upcoming elections within the state Democratic party, Columbus attorney Jim Butler has sent out a letter to state committee letters warning that it’s make-or-break time for the party — that unless certain, unnamed people get serious, certain other unnamed people may get tired of playing Sisyphus. “If Democrats can win in Montana, Democrats can win anywhere, including in Georgia,” begins Butler, who has spent much effort and treasure on party causes. January will see an election for a new party chairman, but Butler says he’s not angling for the job. The entire letter can be found at blogfordemocracy.org , but here’s the gist of it: The truth is that in most suburban and rural areas, it is ‘socially unaccep...

About time this bum gets his due. My problems with him were more political than personal, but he never gave me that honest feeling in any of his many endeavors. I can fondly recall various public pissing matches in the Editorial pages of various newspapers, where basically I was condemning the current administration as a corrupt failure and this felon and his minions immediately branded me with every ill ever concocted by anyone having anything whatsoever to do with Democratic party. I also have aestheic and governmental concerns about the whole process and design of the Veterans' memorial, and the fact that next to no Democrats are involved in the current planning process. I also shudder at the entire politicization of the process of quasi-governmental approved edifices for man's inhumanity against man. OK, I salute the Veterans and thank them for keeping us free, but also want as much honor for those such as Oconee County's own Montana Representative Jeannette Rankin who...

Want to come be a part of a Christmas parade Saturday morning in Watkinsville? The Oconee County Democratic committee can certainly use your volunteer spirit, camaraderie and assistance. Meet outside of the Southwire plant at 9 am if you want to help quickly decorate the carriage and help out with a large horse team. I will have my cell phone 706-372-1062 with me or you can call me at home 706-769-1131. We can use people to walk, bike, carry gifts, scoop poop and donate money to help pay for the horse team. Hope we can will at least see you there. At least hope it does not rain.

e: Proposed rezone along Barnett Shoals Road This is to update you on the status of the proposal to build 238 houses on 264 acres on Old Barnett Shoals Road adjacent to Green Hills Country Club (now called Creekside Country Club). The proposal includes 30,000 sq ft lots on septic tanks in an environmentally and historically sensitive area. Just when we think these developments can't get any worse comes this one. Consider, a project so bad: 1. The Northeast Development Center determined the project is not in the best interests of the state. 2.The Planning Commission recommended the Board of Commissioners deny it. 3. So bad that 2 developers spoke against it at the Planning Commission hearing. The proposal was to go to the Board of Commissioners at its next regularly scheduled meeting but the developer asked that it be tabled until the February meeting. The BOC approved the request to table the application at its agenda meeting last night. Citizens in the ar...

Not even the most ardent local historians or archeologists have heard of the Rutherford community near where what was Green Acres Country Club and where it recently stood. Now there is a plan afoot to bring in a massive new county club development with $350,000 houses on 3/4 acre lots. The closest subdivisions I am aware of in Clarke County have five acre minimums. UGA art professor Bill Paul is heading up a community effort to block the Marshall development destined to destroy the scenic gateway along Barnett Shoals into Oconee County. This area has large lots and many acres of undisturbed beauty in an area untouched by subdivisions (so far) and also any substantial surveys of historical impact on cemetaries and ruins of the mill culture. The following was borrowed from the NEGRDC report on the area: DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL IMPACT Regional Review Notification Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center • 305 Research Drive, Athens, Georgia 30605-2795 • 706.369.5650 • Fax 706.369.5...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, call 706-769-5161 Watkinsville Celebrates its 200th Birthday on Nov. 24 “Artland of Georgia” will offer commemorative postal cancellation, re-enactments, and more WATKINSVILLE, GA., Nov. 13 – While shoppers around the state hit the malls, citizens of at least one thriving Georgia town will celebrate a different kind of milestone on November 24. The Northeast Georgia city of Watkinsville will celebrate its 200th birthday on Friday, November 24. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. ceremonies will be held at the Eagle Tavern, located at the intersection of Main and Third Streets in downtown Watkinsville. “Our citizens are excited about this celebration, and I anticipate a large crowd to help us start our next 200 years off right,” said Luken. “It will be a fun-filled morning with ample doses of history, humor, and honor for our citizens and guests.” After decades of mystery, the city learned earlier this year the exact date of its anniversary thanks to re...

Evening everyone, I'm passing along some words of thanks from Russ Page. See his message below. As you likely already know, the BOC voted to approve the two rezone requests by Plum Creek. This now makes ~1300 acres and ~250 homes that the commission has approved for AR-5 along US441 south of Heritage Park. As Russ points out, there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. For the first time we have some definite movement toward a river walk. For the record, Commissioners Horton and Hale voted to deny both rezones, while Commissioners Luke and Norris voted to approve. Chairman Davis broke the tie vote in favor of the rezones. The dynamics of the commission voting last Tuesday (November 7th) indicates how the majority of the BOC coninues to emphasize illogical and inappropriate development to the detriment of the county. They have now endorsed a focal point of residential development in the south end. By doing so they know that demand for commercial development will follow, thus ...

Subject: A Pledge to Republicans A Pledge to Disheartened Republicans We know Republicans are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. Republicans are worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place they don't want it to go. The 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. Republicans are in a funk, and it is understandable. Thus, here is the Democrat's Pledge to Disheartened Republicans: 1. Democrats will always respect Republicans for their conservative beliefs. Democrats will never, ever, call them "unpatriotic" simply because they disagree with them. In fact, Democrats encourage Republicans to dissent and disagree with them. 2. Democrats will let Republicans marry whomever they want, even when some consider that behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who people marry is nobody?s business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift. 3. Demo...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is the text of a message from Lee Becker, Friends of Barber Creek concerning sewage spills from facilities currently operated by Oconee County. Please put the DEC. 12 hearing on your calendars and plan to attend and speak out on this issue. You can be sure that as the Board of Commissioners continues its policy of promoting more development in the County there will be more sewage to be treated, more garbage to be buried, more traffic to be controlled, more children to be educated and more etc. I just received an e mail from a concerned citizen who suggested the new Oconee County motto should be "Becoming more like Gwinnett each day". Charles Baugh, President Dear Friends: Oconee County has had at least five malfunctions or other problems with its two sewage treatment plants since February of 2003 that were serious enough to require notification of the Georgia Environmenta...

Watkinsville approves first pouring licenses | | Story updated at 10:41 PM on Monday, November 13, 2006 The Watkinsville City Council approved provisional beer and wine pouring licenses to Ann Miller-Anderson, owner of Maison Bleu, Jose Zambrano, owner of Girasoles, and Kenneth Gautreau, owner of Gautreau's Cajun Cafe, at its regularly scheduled meeting last week. The pouring licenses are the first three to be approved since the council passed an ordinance allowing the issuance of beer and wine pouring licenses in August. The provisional licenses granted to Miller-Anderson, Zambrano and Gautreau will allow them to serve beer and wine at their restaurants starting Jan. 1. All three restaurants are located on Main Street in Watkinsville.

Daniel, I happened across your blog while sending out press releases. I am fairly new to the area and have started a theatre which you may find exciting, if you like entertaining theatre anyway. We are grateful that Chris Starr has contacted our theatre, and is going to be doing an article for the Banner-Herald, however... I thought you might like to have some general information about Rose of Athens Theatre, so I've attached a press release and a mission statement. Enjoyed reading your blog, Lisa Cesnik Artistic Director, Rose of Athens Theatre Shakespeare Aloud! (outreach) LisaCesnik@gmail.com 706-315-2115 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2006 ROSE OF ATHENS THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS INAUGURAL PRODUCTION: THE SILLY, IRREVERENT COMEDY, THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (abridged) BY THE REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY . PERFORMANCES WILL TAKE PLACE AT JITTERY JOE’S COFFEE ROASTING CO. AT 780 EAST BROAD, ACROSS FROM THE NEW TRANSPORTATION CENTER IN DOWNTOWN ATHEN...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 The 11/20/2006 Planning Commission meeting agenda is posted to the Oconee County web site. It is in the Planning portion of the site. Those who live along Barnett Shoals Road should be aware of a proposal to build 230 houses on 264 acres on Old Barnett Shoals Road. If you are concerned about traffic and over development along this road you should make it known. Charles Baugh, President

1 House victory offers strategy for Dems By TIM WHITMIRE, Associated Press Writer Sat Nov 11, 2:20 AM ET ASHEVILLE, N.C. - When Democrat Heath Shuler took the stage to claim victory on election night, he began his speech by saying, "I want to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ." The crowd — even Asheville's environmentalists and liberal activists — went wild. On the day when Democrats posted their biggest gains in the House since 1974's post-Watergate election, Shuler was one of only two congressional Democratic candidates in 10 Southern states able to tap the nation's discontent with President Bush' and the GOP and beat a Republican incumbent. Many view that success — built in part on Shuler's socially conservative views, which would make him a Republican in most other parts of the country — as a way forward for the party in a region largely locked up by the GOP for decades. "I think Shuler is the kind of exemplar of a conservative Democrat who c...