Oconee County, GA Politics

With an unprecedented period of growth and development in Oconee County comes a large number of houses on the market. The overall infrastructure has yet to catch up with the massive amount of building here in this special section of Northeast Georgia. Three years of building has resulted in a glut of houses on the market, with Oconee's median price pushing over the half-million dollar mark recently. We need sanitary sewage systems for the entire county. No more huge septic fields please. The balloon could soon burst for all of us unless we compile a creative approach to growth and a vision to incorporate it with improved services such as a paid fire department. Keep an eye on the Planning Commission, Board of Commissioners and more as they threaten to mortgage our future with one too many strip malls and cul de sac developments

Grovetown's Terry Holley decided to waste time and miles driving around the 10th district to get stomped by Bobby Saxon in next June's primary. To be fair, Holley has not declared his candidacy yet, only that he has an exploratory committee. I will not support him, unless Bobby Saxon drops dead or something. Something tells me the third time will not be the charm for Holley, as he ran in 2006 and 2007. Holley preached well to the choir, but did not convert many believers. Holley lost to Charlie Norwood in the 2006 General Election and lost to James Marlow in the run up to the special election. Holley is the 10th district Democratic Congressional district chair, which he has to give up again, and is a very nice person but does not inspire great deal of confidence or "elect-a-bility." He seems woefully underfunded, understaffed and not very web savvy. He could serve his would-be constituents a whole lot better by working behind the scenes to raise money for legitima...

The following was written by Kate McDaniel, and I certainly support our Veterans as well: The Oconee Veterans Memorial Foundation is coordinating a fundraising B-B-Q for the memorial to be built and erected at the entrance of the Oconee Community Complex and for the Reeves Family. Two (2) fliers are attached with the specifics. Since veterans are both Democrats, Republicans and Independents, it is fitting for all to pay tribute to our Oconee Veterans. Would you send this out to all of your members or if you prefer, I will be glad to do it if you are busy with other things and if you will supply me with the e-mail list. I have a few of your members on my list but certainly not all. The B-B-Q (being prepared by Tom Little and his staff) is donation only and all proceeds will go to the Reeves Family and the Memorial Foundation for building the memorial. Please help Mr Little by getting the word out this weekend or early next week. The date is Memorial Day, Nov 11 on Sunday from 11 am t...

For those of you with kids in school at the land of Spartans, I can report of an epidemic of the stomach flu variety, threatening football games and what not this weekend. Pack up on those crackers and fluids and give me any suggestions for battling this outbreak.

You are cordially invited to the Grand Opening of the Bobby Saxon for Congress Campaign Headquarters Tuesday, November 6, 2007 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. 125 South Milledge Avenue Athens , GA 30606 Please RSVP to (706) 549-2862 or info@bobbysaxon.com Paid for by Bobby Saxon for Congress P.O. Box 6624, Athens GA 30604 706-549-2862 www.BobbySaxon.com

Welcome to the latest blog on the Oconee block by the name of Oconee Politics . Sound familiar? It should, but that is OK. Public relations professional and Watkinsville city council member Brian Brodrick, who has certainly spoon-fed me any number of posts over the years, finally took the plunge and created his own blog with the same name as mine. Now Lord knows I have accused various Republicans of various crimes against humanity over the years, but originality is not one of them. Many people call me or this blog "Oconee Democrat" because of the URL reflects that, but I still refer to it as Oconee Politics, and to Brodrick's credit, he has subtitled his a "Voice of Moderation." Does that mean I am branded as a voice of immoderation? Perhaps in some people's opinion. One of my latest photos from the batch on Spotted may actually be reprinted in the Community Window thanks to Jason Winders. Now will I get paid freelance like I used to for a quarter century ...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 The hearing to validate the $66,000,000 Oconee County bond issue for its 3.5 million gallons per day share will be held at 9:30AM Nov. 6th at the Walton County Courthouse, Monroe, GA. Citizens who wish to intervene should read the legal announcement published in the Oconee Enterprise 10/25/07 and proceed accordingly. The Tuesday night Board of Commissioners meeting was quite a spectacle, primarily for what was missing. While they spent a considerable amount of time congratulating themselves on how well they have handled the water "crises" and how much water consumption has dropped, not a word was mentioned about the fact that water revenue drops along with reduced water consumption. All that projected revenue used to justify spending so much on so little in Walton County will evaporate just as quickly as the Bear Creek water has evaporated. Not a word was mentioned about long term w...

After (or maybe before) the last soccer game of the season Saturday morning and trophies are handed out at the party, I plan to go to this sale at the Watkinsville Community Center. I have bought some books through Many Ann's website and they are very good. The following is from an email Mary Ann sent me without the color and exclamation points. I am always down with the free mini-massages. For those of you near Watkinsville, Georgia, I will have some of the 140 new Usborne titles on sale this weekend at the Holiday Bazaar, says Mary Ann McQuinn. "We will have several door prizes from each of the vendors listed below" Please help us get the word out by forwarding this e-mail to your friends. ***Don't forget to visit my web site monthly and enter to win $50 in free books! No purchase is required; however, there are internet-only specials that are quite a good deal As always, if you would like to get free books, ask me about a home party. I will also personally visit yo...

second sunday soccer game at uga 008 Originally uploaded by danmatthews Be safe and careful tonight when you are trick or treating in all our subdivisions and neighborhoods. You can hit downtown businesses in Watkinsville starting at 4 pm and it makes a very safe and easy journey.

Come see the film "In the Shadown of the Moon" Monday As for the movie -- we've hastily put this together because we thought this stirring documentary would be especially heartening in these depressing times of war, torture and drought. In the Shadow of the Moon is about the dogged scientists and courageous astronauts who reached the moon. Join Oconee County Democrats and others from around the region to see a fine movie, discuss the film and other matters with new and old friends, and support Ciné. We'll meet inside around 7; the movie starts at 7:15. Please forward this to your friends! Hope to see you! Pat Priest --------- IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON http://www.intheshadowofthemoon.com/ [ UK 2006, 35mm, 100min, Dir: Duncan Copp ] Winner: 2007 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award The excitement, majesty and extraordinary human accomplishment of the American lunar program of the '60s and early '70s is rousingly captured in IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, a new docu...

Please share this with everyone you know who may be interested. Something new is happening...a professional theatre for our community. A non-profit theatre company, producing vibrant professional live performances that speak to the entire community. Rose of Athens is holding its’ first fundraiser. A masquerade, where you can come dressed as your favorite movie star, literary character, cartoon, or whatever strikes your fancy. You can even come as yourself, since costumes are optional. Mary Delaplane from the Dress Up Box will be on hand to provide costume accessories for those who forgot or didn’t have time or who just want to play. Proceeds will fund our outreach programs, academy style classes, ticket scholarship programs and general operating funds for our community's only non-profit professional theatre. Donations are tax deductible and will make you an important part of this new model for theatre! Be a part of our vision! Come celebrate the beginning of Rose of Athens Theatre...

Sheriff Scott Berry kindly toured his new facility with the law abiding members of the Oconee County Democratic Committee Sunday evening. He answered every question directly and took us places where not many public people get to go. The communication center was extremely interesting as to how they keep DVR copies of all the many video cameras for 60-90 days. The most hilarious aspect of the tour was hearing the Star Trek sound effects on the copious computer terminals through out the very impressive and sterile facility. No pathogens or staph infections here, thank you very much. No basketballs in the recreational area either (so no attempted outages of the surveillance equipment. They have room for around 180 prisoners but only had around 70 at the time we went through. They have a contract with Jackson County and the city of Winder to house their prisoners, as well as an understanding with Clarke County to house some of their overflow. We were not treated to any shakedowns or MSNB...

Moore's Ford has forever stained the Walton-Oconee county border with the indelible stain of racism. Rich Rusk and friends invite you to their Christmas festivities December 1. The following video re-enactment they had nothing to do with in terms of staging, but it gives you a good idea of why racial reconciliation is so important. Keep in mind the following is an invitation from Rich and the Moore's Ford Memorial Committee and goes on here in Watkinsville Dear Moores Ford friends and invited guests, Please attend our 11th Annual Moores Ford Christmas Party. See invitation below. For a better copy and our full, two page invitation, please open the attachment. We have had yet another good year and it is time to celebrate. Some very special guests have been invited to receive Moores Ford Community Service Awards, including: Amrey & Debra Harden, GABEO President Tyrone Brooks, organizers from the Maceo Snipes memorial effort – John Cole Vodicka, Prison & Jail Proj...

Now that Georgia State Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson has deservedly been kicked all over the state for his ridiculous radical tax taking away local control over how our school boards spend our money, he has found a much easier target to take pot shots at . Those evil activist judges are trying to spend our tax money faster than the G.O.P., so let start some committee to try and impeach the Judge in the Brian Nichols multiple murder case. Never mind that the issues are largely independent and mutually exclusive, but let's throw Harlem state rep and 10th District Congressional candidate Barry Fleming under this bus as well by naming him the chair of the committee. Could not possibly have anyone from Atlanta, re: a Democrat, chairing something where we - the rich White Republican party - can get as much political mileage as possible. Fleming is the well funded Republican opponent of our Oconee contrarian Congressman Dr. Paul Broun for the GOP nomination next year. This shou...

Let me know what you think about these candidates for the Democratic nomination for US Senate:

Aside from encasing the place in lucite, polyuerethane or some other anti-aging encasement, I do not know what can be done to preserve this former stagecoach stop for future generations. I think some good steps have been taken including relocating next door for Oconee County Tourism Director Anita Rikli Ford and her associate Peggy Holcomb. I butted heads with Anita over the Watkinsville Bicentennial celebration last year which pretty much cost me my freelance writing with the Athens Banner-Herald's Oconee Living section that her husband Wayne edits. But some things are more important than petty personal squabbles. I am glad the Tavern still stands and donors have not reclaimed their donations, as was threatened at some meetings in the recent past. Tourism has never been fully embraced by the government here. Successive Board of Commission chairs have done plenty to make sure the necessary upgrades and bandages have been placed around the foundation of the Eagle Tavern, but ne...

An Oconee County woman is anonymously complaining to the media about a childbirth video shown to her 2nd grade child in the public school system. I understand why this woman wants to remain anonymous: she would be laughed at and ridiculed by every neighbor and at the Publix; and her child would be teased non-stop not just on the playground. While I have only seen the bits of the video provided by Fox 5 thanks to a principal's son, I know the miracle of childbirth up close and personal. It is an awesome experience I would recommend to almost everyone, breeder and non-breeder alike. I grant the parent in question the right to remove her child from an eye opening and honest view of reproduction. I have a second grader. He is reading Peter Pan and remarking on what a good book it is. I am in no hurry to have him grow up either. He asks questions about coming out of mother all the time. I am honest and open with him, describing the whole procedure. Parents raise and birth their childre...

Come with us this Sunday, October 28th, to see the Oconee County jail ina special tour led by Sheriff Berry and hear a lecture about domesticviolence by the director of Project Safe. Here are the details:Joan Prittie, the Executive Director of Project Safe, will speak aboutdomestic violence and the expanded role her first-rate non-profit has taken on while the Sexual Assault Center is rebuilding. She'll speak this Sunday at 7 PM at the Oconee County Jail Complex in Watkinsville. The lecture is part of the Oconee County Democratic Party’s FourthSunday series that addresses topics of importance in our region, state,and nation. The lecture will be held in the hearing room of the complexand is free and open to the public. Attendees may also tour the jail with Sheriff Scott Berry before the lecture if they arrive by 6:30 sharp. See the details below about this tour, as there are some rules everyone must strictly follow. There's information below, too, about where to park so that you...

Pardon the stream of consciousness rambling here, but somehow these ideas all tie together somehow I promise: Kudos to the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce and the army of volunteers for successfully pulling off yet another jam packed Oconee County Fall Festival, where some 15,000 people all pile in on Rocket Field and the surrounding area to sample crafts, corn dogs, BBQ, funnel cakes, sand candles and the like. I never understand why people torture their canines by insisting on bringing them to this gathering, but then again, I let my dog sleep inside at night (and during most of the day as well). Glad there were no neighbors foaming at the mouth this year. The Watkinsville Police Department gets high marks for keeping the crowd flow going well but the Oconee County Sheriff's Department should have people at the various traffic lights over riding the normal pattern to customize according to the need of the moment during the peak congestion hours. I for one have never understo...

Brian Brodrick sent this link my way. A very special lady friend of mine eats there all the time to celebrate her closing on a house, etc. I would urge everyone to descend on Watkinsville Saturday for the annual Fall Festival. The national champion UGA Gym Dawgs of soon-to-be-retiring in two seasons Suzanne Yoculan will be there 10 am-12 noon but somehow I do not expect them to be performing routines on School Street. The Oconee County Democratic Committee is having a yard sale adjacent to the goings on at Rocket Field. It will be interesting to see if Bobby Saxon shows up after evidently cleaning house with his campaign staff. Any rumor mongers out there have any knowledge of what is up on that score?