Oconee County, GA Politics

Dear Listizens, In going through upcoming legislation, I noticed the house bill shown below. Basically, it would require that each and every county approve by referendum any new passenger rail line, which would allow any single county to block a rail line. This would cripple any efforts to develop a rational, regional passenger rail system. I have no earthly idea why they want to do this, unless it is sponsored by road building interests. In any case, please contact your legislators and tell them you oppose this ill-conceived and unfair piece of legislation which creates barriers that are not there for road building or other forms of transport. Especially in a time when sprawl, pollution, traffic, and population growth are straining our infrastructure, it makes no sense to throw up additional roadblocks to rail. Here are links for contacting your representative: The Honorable Senator Ralph Hudgens: ralph.hudgens@senate.ga.gov The Honorable Senator Bill Cowsert: bill.cowsert@senate.g

Out in the public arena, people frequently twang on me for being "Mister Gloom'n'doom," or for "not offering any solutions" to our looming energy crisis. So, for those of you who are tired of wringing your hands, who would like to do something useful, or focus your attention in a purposeful way, here are my suggestions: 1. Expand your view beyond the question of how we will run all the cars by means other than gasoline. This obsession with keeping the cars running at all costs could really prove fatal. It is especially unhelpful that so many self-proclaimed "greens" and political "progressives" are hung up on this monomaniacal theme. Get this: the cars are not part of the solution (whether they run on fossil fuels, vodka, used frymaxT oil, or cow shit). They are at the heart of the problem. And trying to salvage the entire Happy Motoring system by shifting it from gasoline to other fuels will only make things much worse. The bottom line o

AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE February 14, 2007 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK MINUTES APPEARANCES 1. Gregory Zengo – business license – Georgia Women’s Care, PC d/b/a New Image Medical Aesthetics & Wellness – 2 S Main Street, Suite 201 2. Sharon Lacy – business license – Cherokee Connections Spirit of Watkinsville – 18 N Main Street 3. Scott Kirk – business license – Sign Worx of Athens – 1410 Greensboro Highway 4. Patti Wagner – building permit – 17.3’ x 20.9’ bedroom addition to existing residence - 102 Mimosa Drive. 5. Larry Sheats – building permit – 12’ x 36’ addition to existing residence - 112 Morrison Street 6. Flo Wilkes – final building permit – 167’ x 65’ daycare center – 1420 Greensboro Highway 7. David Branch – building permit – 60’ x 40’ warehouse/storage building – 72 ½ N Main Street 8. Scott Boswell – restaurant beer & wine pouring license – Floyd’s Grill – 64 N Main Street 9. Bob Bishop – Highway 15 Sewer Project ADMINISTRATION 1

Georgia Republican Congressman Charlie Norwood will be coming back to Augusta, GA "to let God do what He may", according to the ailing Dentist . The Congressman has refused treatment in Georgetown to come home to a 24-hour hospice care. Oddly he may actually make a case for Dr. Kevorkian style euthanasia in his waning days. Governor Perdue will have to call a special election after Norwood's evidently eventual extinction. Terry Holley would like you to consider him for the position, if you please. There will be a non-partisan election so he may actually have a chance this time. Holley addressed the Oconee County Democratic Committee meeting the last two months and talked about Norwood's increasingly grave condition. We certainly wish the best for Congressman Norwood, but if he is refusing treatment, the least he could while still alive is to resign the seat with dignity intact. Death is a tremendously difficult subject to write about, and it proves an old adage one st

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 This message is going to a small group of citizens who have shown an interest in issues impacting your neighborhoods and the County. It appears the Board of Commissioners is about to jump into an agreement with Walton County that will obligate the County to spend in excess of $100,000,000 on a water project with Walton county. The initial spending will be $40,000,000 which is to be raised by a bond issue to be done jointly with Walton county. There is a good possibility the BOC will vote on this at the next meeting which is Thursday Feb. 8th. That is a different night from the regular meeting night because the members will be in a meeting on Tuesday. They are about to jump into this having made little of the specifics available to the public, without a working agreement on operation of the water project and with little or no consideration of less expensive water. Please come to this meeti