Oconee County, GA Politics

Tim Bryant will be interviewing Dr. Russ Page on his NewsTalk 1340 WGAU AM Newsmaker Thurdsay show at around 9:30 am Thursday, February 19, 2009 to discuss TDRs and our program on Sunday. Please tune in if you can and call in any questions or save them for Sunday.

Minutes Oconee County Democratic Committee Meeting February 5, 2009 Oconee County Government Annex, Watkinsville, Georgia Committee members present: Jonathan Veit (5-3) Chair; Rita Bennett (3-2) Secretary; Violet Dawe (1-1)Treasurer; Tony Glenn (1-2); Dan Matthews (2-2); Linda Elkins (3-1); Vicky Moody (4-1); Becky Vaughn (5-3). Robert Wyatt (6-1); Diana Jeffreys (6-2); Pat Adams (6-3). Committee members absent (excused): Ann Stoneburner (1-3) Vice-Chair; Sarajane Love (2-3); Herb West (5-1); Myrna Adams West (5-1); Committee members absent (unexcused): Bill Yarbrough (4-2). Others: Erika Ferrari, Liz Goodroe, Carl McGrath. Minutes: The minutes of January 8, 2009 meeting were approved, unanimously, after a motion by Dan Matthews. Financial Report: Violet Dawe, Treasurer has reported we have $XX,XXX.XX dollars in the bank account. The checks to the NEG Food Bank and the Spay and Neuter Clinic have been cut. Old Business: Yard Sale Proceeds: Jonathan has contacted both the NEG Food Bank ...

Thank God that developer Frank Gunter Property LLC dropped their lawsuit against the Oconee County Board of Commissioners for an ill-advised, poorly planned and almost unanimously opposed shopping center in a neighborhood that does not need one. Almost everyone in the Chaddwyck subdivision - at ground zero of this proposed development - came out against this bird brained proposal, as did the Planning Commission and initially at least so did the Board of Commissioners. Put a Whole Foods or Trader Joes there (or anywhere in Oconee for that matter) and I might be down with it. Former Oconee County Board of Education candidate Ashley Hood should put her name in for the newest slot on the Oconee Planning Commission advertised in the Enterprise this week. I drive my son to school a couple of times a week to Athens Academy along LaVista Road off 441 and as anyone who has tried to exit from the neighboring Waffle House, it is already difficult to turn left against traffic. I turned right on to...

MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE February 11, 2009 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh, and Walter VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. MINUTES: Councilman Walsh moved and Councilwoman Purcell seconded the motion to approve the January 14, 2009 Minutes as presented. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Councilman Link moved and Councilwoman Purcell seconded the motion to approve the January 28, 2009 Minutes with noted changes. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unanimously. KENT BEESE: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Link seconded the motion to approve the business license for A-Affordable Stump Grinding at 1091 Taylor’s Drive. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unanimously. JOEY BRACK: Councilman Brodrick moved and Councilman Walter seconded the motion ...

We love Courtney and want her to win Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. See the attached flier and the info below.  For those who may not know, Courtney lives in South Oconee.  She's a beloved neighbor, a great friend, and a HUGE advocate of South Oconee.  Oh yeah, and now she's a dancing star! Here's our chance to help her while helping others.  Vote for Team 11Alive! Courtney needs your support as she gears up to perform in the Dancing with Athens Stars.  Courtney may not be known for her dancing skills, but she is known for her competiveness. The couple with the most votes (donations) wins the audience favorite award.  She went from 2nd to 3rd to 4th place out of 12.  So, don't delay and vote for her today.  You can vote by going to www.project-safe.org , click on Dancing with Athens Stars, scroll down to group 11 -Courtney Gale and Ron Putnam and click donate.  It is $1 per vote and all donations supp...

Tony Glenn sent this and I am relating it to you as well. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Contrary to what you may have read in the papers, the issue of Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) is still very much alive within Oconee County.  Please mark your calendar for this event.  TDRs are one strategy for helping to preserve greenspace and the rural atmosphere within South Oconee.  Here's a chance to learn more. See the attached flier. Transferable Development Rights Educational Summit Sunday, February 22, 2009 5:00 p.m. Watkinsville Library Auditorium. Russ Page and other TDR committee members will be available to describe TDRs and answer questions. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) Educational Summit Sunday, February 22 at 5 PM Watkinsville Library Auditorium Landowners, homeowners and all Oconee County residents are invited to listen to a presentation and ask questions about Transferable Development Rights. What are Transferable Development Righ...

Subject: please attend/support Feb. 13 Tri-County Talent Show Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:49:51 -0500 From: Rich Rusk <richrusk@bellsouth.net> To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> Please Attend Feb. 13 Tri-County Talent Show   Dear Moores Ford friends,    Our 7th Annual Tri-County Talent Show/MLK Celebration is THIS FRIDAY, Feb. 13.    If you can make it, please attend this event. These are spirited, wonderful events and we are proud to host them. Anything involving young people is where we need to be.     Hard times are upon us all. If you cannot attend, but can write a check...we welcome your tax exempt donation. We anticipate difficulty in raising $10,000 this spring for our scholarships. Our apologies for email solicitations, but we really have no choice.         Please email ...

One would assume Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman G. Melvin Davis would have learned from his near defeat after the secret meeting in Madison, Georgia last year that he would not repeat such an idiotic maneuver to do it again, but evidently he has not learned his lesson since he held another unannounced meeting to try to start the ball rolling on moving the Courthouse again. We need to let the Chairman Davis know this kind of behavior is unacceptable and once again call for his resignation. The following was written by blogger and UGA journalism professor Lee Becker about this asinine patterrn of behavior. From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 7:44 PM Subject: The Courthouse To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, The /Enterprise/ and the /Banner-Herald/ this week carried front-page stories about the secret county meeting in December to discuss the courthouse. (The /Banner-Herald/ today editorialized about this as well.) Thes...

Oconee County Democratic Committee member Dr. Patricia Priest has worked hard on this event and has also continued work with the book club. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. To: oconee@yahoogroups.com From: ppriest@charter.net Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 21:46:48 -0500 Subject: [oconee] Dancing with Athens -- and Oconee -- Stars First I wanted to send a reminder that the book group sponsored by the Oconee Democrats will meet Thursday, February 19th, at 6 at Five Points Deli on Epps Bridge Parkway to discuss "Three Cups of Tea." It's a great, uplifting book. You can pick it up at Books Galore in Watkinsville -- with a 25% discount. As always, newcomers are welcome. I'm also writing to let people know that tickets are now on sale for "Dancing with Athens Stars" -- the very fun March 1st show at the Classic Center that will benefit Project Safe. Oconee's own Courtney Gale (working with Ron Putman, who t...

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Oconee County Democratic Committee will be hosting an Educational Summit on Transferable Development Rights 5 pm Sunday, February 22nd at the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville. This will be a non-partisan event featuring Dr. Russ Page talking about preserving agricultural property in the southern rural part of the county in exchange for denser zoning in the northern suburban section of the county. Everyone is invited regardless of party affiliation or residency. For more information call 706-769-1131.

Transferable Development Rights is a difficult to grasp concept where essentially one end of Oconee County would give up its right to build on its land for the other end to be able to build at a higher density than is allowed currently by zoning and planning. The Oconee County Democratic Committee distributed and discussed the report put together by activists and developers to try to begin the process of possible putting this in place for Oconee County. At 5 pm on Sunday, February 22nd at the Oconee County Library (if available)in Watkinsville the Oconee County Democratic Committee will host a meeting to help foster understanding of this complex issue with the possibility of Dr. Russ Page and Wayne Provost if they are willing and available to discuss this issue. Newton County has begun the process of of beginning this with the help of Rick Pruitz. There are other examples in Georgia such as the Chattahoochee Hills community in Fulton County and to a much lesser degree the Orange Twin ...

Lee Becker informs us about what will be on the next SPLOST ballot March 17 here in Oconee County. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: SPLOST Ballot Language Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:39:18 -0500 From: Lee Becker <lbbecker@mindspring.com> Reply-To: lbbecker@mindspring.com To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, The ballot language for the March 17 election shows the wish list that voters will see when they cast their votes on the next SPLOST. The financial reports released to the Commissioners on Jan. 26 tell a lot about what has been done with money from the current SPLOST-- and what has not been done. Details, as usual, are http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/

Couple of cool local Democratic committee activities Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr.  Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:35:43 -0500  From: lelrod@UGA.EDU  Subject: Meeting- Commissioner Kelly Girtz  To: YDEM-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU    Hey Young Dems,    Join us for FREE FOOD tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5:30 in room 250 of the Miller Learning Center for guest speaker Kelly Girtz! Kelly is a member of the Athens-Clarke County Commission, and he'll be speaking about local government and big issues of the day. Bring your friends and lots of questions for Kelly!    See you tomorrow,    Louis Elrod  President, UGA/ACC Young Democrats    ANNOUNCEMENTS:    ATHENS-AREA DEMOCRATS BREAKFAST-The next breakfast will be on 14 FEBRUARY 2009 at 9:00 A.M. AT TRUMPS ON SOUTH MILLEDGE. This location is at The Shops of South Athens near the location of the old Bi-Lo.    The speaker will be: HEIDI DAVIDSON, MAYOR O...

State Representative Bob Smith has introduced legislation to attempt to convene Georgia's first Constitutional Convention since 1787 , and I think this would be the worst possible scenario for this State on any number of reasons. Smith's rationale is to rework the State Tax Code, which is fine, but why he does not introduce legislation to do just that is beyond me. Once we open Pandora's box with a Constitutional Conversion there is no telling what ridiculous legislation will be passed. Criminalize abortion and birth control? Sure, give women and their doctors 10 years in jail for exercising control over their own reproductive systems. School vouchers? Why not, let's kill all the public school systems and make the Taliban proud with every kid having to study the Bible. Get rid of all the Halls of Fame and every State sponsored everything. You get the idea. Basically once we start a Constitutional Convention then every crack pot idea ever introduced will have a short cut...

I have been battling an upper respiratory infection and what little energy I could muster has been directed toward my son and his basketball team. Tomorrow I turn 46 and I am on the mend. We also have another Oconee Recreation Department game tomorrow night as well. Former two time chair, 20 year lobbyist and twice defeated candidate Becky Vaughn will be recounting her recent Inauguration experience 7:30 pm Thursday at the Oconee County Governmental Annex off Highway 15 in the southern part of Watkinsville. Here are some excerpts of what else to expect from the meeting of the Oconee County Democratic Committee that night (the following have been lifted directly from their listserv): As is going to be my habit, I wanted to let all of you know what will be on the agenda for Thursday's meeting. I will be doing this about a week ahead of all our meetings so that those of you who are inclined to think about these things before hand will know what to think about. My hope is that this wil...

Lee Becker stays on top of the permitting process of a developer of Epps Bridge Centre behind the Lowe's in Oconee County. Dear Friends, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted a permit for destruction of the streams and wetlands on the site of the proposed Epps Bridge Centre on Epps Bridge Parkway. See my blog for details. http://oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/

Dear CCDC members and friends,   Please read the email below from the Athens Area Democrats concerning their plans for the upcoming February meeting and beyond!   Hope you can attend.   Sincerely, Karen Solheim CCDC Vice Chair for Communications From: anitabarney@charter.net To: Subject: AADems Breakfast 14 February Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:27:43 -0500 I hope all of you were as inspired by the inauguration ceremonies yesterday as I was! I watched from the departure from Blair House through the first couple of balls. Now it's time to get down to business, or as our President said: "pick ourselves up, shake ourselves off, and get to work". People are going to expect a lot from this administration. We helped put them there and we are going to have to help them succeed.  At the last Breakfast, the group voted to have meetings every month, so we are moving ahead with plans: Our next breakfast will be on 14 FEBRUARY 2009 at 9:00 A.M. AT TRU...

Not sure if it is even slightly related, but State Representative Bob Smith sent me a State of Georgia flag and some political memorabilia yesterday. The Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of his "subdivision of a subdivision" yesterday in a tract in Northern Oconee County.

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