Oconee County, GA Politics

The proposed location for this facility might as well be in Oconee County, as it will be a stone's throw away on the far too narrow streets of Milledge Avenue and Whitehall/Simonton Bridge. I still maintain the infrastructure is such that they - Dept. of Homeland Security - will choose one of the other sites, but here is your chance to chip in with your two cents worth of input: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will hold a public scoping session on the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) this Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education as part of the public involvement requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. According to the DHS Web site, the purposes of the meeting are to: • collect input on the scope and content of the NBAF Environmental Impact Statement, and • provide a better understanding of the proposed action and the federal agencies involved. Those interested in providing comments must pre-register, either ...

Dr. Steve Stice will be addressing the Oconee Democratic Committee's Fourth Sunday series soon. More here

Here in Oconee County we have cooperative but often competing forms of local governments with the municipalities exerting their own influence to the sometimes contrary conflicts with the county government on issues such as beer and wine. Potential business owners appear before the towns asking permission to open their doors, and very seldom does a council question the existence of any legitimate enterprise. But just such a rare turn occurred in Watkinsville recently over a small piece of property way down on Highway 15 at the south end of the city limits tucked in a trash filled lot owned by Cokey Elder. Council member Brian Brodrick led the charge in asking absolutely essential questions about how much the Colbert Storage, LLC would clean up of the considerable amount of eyesore garbage accmulated in piles. Brodrick and members of the council were polite but persistent in wanting to clean up this gaping wound of an industrial area in question at 1427 Greensboro Highway. The father an...

State Representative and newly announced 10th district congressional candidate Barry Fleming belched forth all the typical platitudes short on specifics on the conservative gab-fest on 1340 WGAU AM right now. I wish I could come up with something insightful, but instead I am reaching for the trash can. Barry Fleming wants to do away with local control over our government, i.e. the Glenn Tax, and I hate paying property taxes as much as the next homeowner, but I do not want some bozo in Atlanta or Washington dictating how the city of Watkinsville and Oconee County can use our tax money. PS Barry Fleming just went third person in reference to himself.

The self proclaimed "troll under the Elder Mill Covered bridge" Al Cuming was injured the other day by truck. We have served many years together on various committees and worked for the Eagle Tavern and covered bridge near his house. He recently lost his wife after a long bout with Alzheimer's. I will repaste Angela Helwig's email here on it: In case you have not heard, Al Cuming was injured yesterday – struck by a car – breaking his hip. He underwent surgery this morning. Chairman Davis spoke to him this afternoon and according to Al, the surgery went well and he’s feeling much better. He will be leaving the hospital in a couple of days and will enter rehab for a while. His daughter Lynn is here with him for now. Once Al is finished with rehab he expects to be as good as new. Angela Helwig Oconee County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 145 Watkinsville, GA 30677 (706)769-5120 www.oconeecounty.net Word has it that the BOC decided not to pursue the purchase of the p...

....but he moved, or is in the process of moving, just outside of the city limits of Watkinsville, thus making him ineligible as a candidate for a municipal post. Jonathan would have been an excellent choice for a Mayor of Watkinsville, or even as a member of the Board of Commissioners (hint, hint). He has helped a lot with various civic projects. He is involved with real estate and publishing in the real world and these two vocations would have and will work well with whatever choices he makes in the near future for his political choices. Best of luck Jonathan with the new child, new house and anything else I forget. Tonight is the Watkinsville City Council meeting if anyone beside Brian Brodrick reads this and is interested. I would still be willing to wager that Brodrick was the other candidate Luken pegged as his replacement, only to have to have the current Mayor renege on his pledge to not run again as it looked like no candidates were going to qualify a few hours before the f...

Hope some Congressional candidate show up AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE September 12, 2007 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK PRESENTATION OF THE WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD MINUTES APPEARANCES 1. Heidi Quinter – business license – Bonnie & Clyde’s – 20 Greensboro Hwy. Suite A 2. James Richards – business license – Nova Enterprises dba Main Street Studio & Gallery – 10 N Main St. Suite B 3. Lana Mitchell- business license – Lana’s Ltd dba Main Street Studio & Gallery – 10 N Main St. Suite B 4. Dan Elder – awning variance – 10 N Main Street 5. Joshua Michael – business license – Colbert Storage LLC – 1427 Greensboro Hwy. 6. Industrial Mechanical – building permit – 22’ x 125’ office addition – 1241 Greensboro Hwy. 7. Terrell E. Balof – plat consideration – 117 White Street 8. Randall Tilson – demolition permit – old shed @ 52 Jackson Street ADMINISTRATION 1. July, 2007 Reconciliation Reports 2. Office hours memo MAYOR’S REPORT CITIZEN’S COMMENTS OLD BUSINESS 1. Consider Sub...

Steve Holzman is a good man and is worthy of your support if you are reading this and live inside of the tiny town of North High Shoals. I think he is running against Wade Thomas for the unpaid position. He writes letters to the Editor supporting his town and loves the out of doors. Holzman is an accomplished web master and maintains the real site free of charge for the Oconee County Democratic Committee. He loves Krimson Black's restaurant almost as much as I do, and I think he eats there more oftenn than I do as well.

I do not think he does deserve getting his embezzlement criminal action moved, but he may end up getting one because of his popular support, not acrimony. It will be interesting to see if they do end up wasting tax payer money on moving the trial . The Oconee Veterans monument folks have had a difficult time raising money because of the stench of cronyism and poisoned politics left behind by Ivey. I still think he ought to be sentenced to breaking the bedrock at the Oconee County Community Complex. I hope he gets what he deserves no matter where it is held. I know one thing for sure, I would be struck off the jury pool if selected quicker than anyone else.

According to the fine folks at Georgia Politics Unfiltered , Augusta State Representative Barry Fleming has filed with the FEC to run against Dr. Paul Broun, Jr. for the Republican nomination for the 10th District Congressional seat, the seat once occupied by the late Dr. Charlie Norwood. Fleming was widely rumored to be running last go round but was supplanted by Jim Whitehead, the man who lost to Broun in the special election. If he learned anything from Whitehead, Fleming will be spending a whole lot of time in Clarke County keeping his mouth shut about wanting to blow up UGA. At this point either candidate, Broun or Fleming, will face Bobby Saxon in the November election. Broun showed some degree of political acumen by showing up in Saxon's hometown of Nicholson the week after Saxon's announcement at his home on Water Works Road to field complaints by local business owners about the pitch of the Bypass around that small town. Now can Broun actually make roads move? I kind...

Even if you do not agree with me and my progressive views, I would like to ask for your support and possible vote and or positive comments about an editorial I wrote for the Athens Banner-Herald at You can click on that link or paste this in your browser. http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/082607/opinion_entry22.shtml You can vote at the bottom and leave comments but I would ask that you do not use my name in your comments. This column should have been paired with another column they chose to publish as a letter to the editor in last week's newspaper here I have about a third of some of the totals of the other 30 something writers, so obviously I need to get some more votes. I have written for the Banner-Herald for the better part of two decades in sports, features, letters to the Editor, etc. Thanks for your consideration, and if you have any questions, you can leave them here

Ari Fliescher is about to assault us with $15 million worth of lies about our surge and involvement in Iraq, so here is some pre-emptive truth.

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is a message from Lee Becker with more detailed information on the points residents along Barber Creek hope to have included in the resolution approving the treatment plant expansion. Charles Baugh Dear Friends, The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on Sept. 4 on the upgrade to Rocky Branch sewage plant. I will make a presentation justifying our three requests of the Board. We are asking the Board to: 1. Agree to hold discharge water from the Rocky Branch sewage treatment plant in storage facilities when Barber Creek is flooding or threatening to flood, rather than discharge into the Creek; 2. Treat effluent from the Rocky Branch sewage treatment plant to the highest level possible with the technology available and, at a minimum, to the level of treatment at the Hill Plant in Gwinnett County for water being discharged into Lake Lanier; and 3. Set up a system of independe...

This was at Bobby Saxon's house at Water Works Road in Nicholson, Georgia a week back when he announced he was going to run against Dr. Paul Broun for the United States House of Representatives 10th Congressional District seat once held by Dr. Charlie Norwood. Is this our Heath Shuler? Let me know what you think/

Watkinsville Mayor Jim Luken reversed a previous political retirement announcement by qualifying for office again with a few hours left before today's deadline for his third term as the chief political officer of the Oconee County seat. No opposition was recorded as of 2:30 pm today. Qualifying closed at 4:30 pm Wednesday. Current Mayor Jim Luken changed his mind and will return for another two year go-round as Mayor of the county seat Watkinsville. Two would-be Mayoral candidates apparently backed out at the last second or some 72 hours before the end of qualifying due to personal and residential reasons. One of the mystery would-be candidates was already on the council and the other was a local business owner. Brian Brodrick and John Walsh also re-qualified for their city council seats without apparent opposition. Thank goodness for all of their return to the council and mayoral slots. Watkinsville will continue to have good governance by a diverse and moderate lot. We can contin...

Go to the meeting Tuesday night at the Oconee County Board of Commissioners chamber at the Oconee County Courthouse on Main Street in Watkinsville and put in your two cents worth on this multi-million dollar mortgage of our water drinking future. Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Citizens Following is my review notes on the latest version of the intergovernmental contract the Oconee County Board of Commissioners is, I am afraid, about to enter into with Walton County. The draft is posted to the Oconee County web site. I encourage all to read the contract and would appreciate any feedback, particularly if you do not agree with my assessment of the contract. I know that many did read the first version which was approved by the Walton County Commission and I heard from some of you. The contract is on the BOC agenda for discussion at the Tuesday 8/28 meeting. The Board may take citizen comments on the contract. It would be good if citizens c...

Bobby Saxon and family welcomed us to their Nicholson home Saturday to announce his campaign for Congress in Georgia's 10th district seat currently held by Dr. Paul Broun. Among the several Oconee County residents in attendance at his kick-off was his 1981 high school classmate Paula Nedza of the Oconee County government and chair Becky Vaughn. Also present were candidates for office in Jefferson and elsewhere in Jackson County. More photos can be seen at the Athens Banner-Herald's photoblog Spotted.

I apologize for not getting this out sooner. Below is info on a presentation that will take place this evening on TDRs (transfer of development rights). TDRs are a hot topic with regard to development. Try to attend if possible. Tony ----------------------------------------------- Rick Pruetz Planning Consultant from California and the most noted authority on TDR’s in the country Tonight, Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:00 PM Auditorium at the new North Oconee High School. This program is being sponsored by Oconee County's Joint Comprehensive Plan Development Committee. Transfer of Development Rights is a method that many counties around the country are using to preserve open space and/or historically or environmentally sensitive areas. His talk will be a general discussion of TDR’s, how they work, their benefits, and drawbacks. He has advised many communities on the development of their TDR programs and will be here to finalize the Newton County TDR Ordinance. This TDR pr...

Not sure of what time it is beginning, but announced 10th district Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Saxon's campaign kick-off party is at his house this Saturday at 5905 Water Works Road in Nicholson, Georgia. It's a pretty short drive from Watkinsville.

Andre had this a week ago at Georgia Politics Unfiltered. Georgia Politics Unfiltered: Correction: Bobby Saxon (D) to challenge Paul Broun