Oconee County, GA Politics

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...

Here is the text of a letter sent by Charles Baugh: Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is the text of a letter to the editor which I just sent to the Oconee Enterprise. Dear Editor The attitude toward and disdain for citizens who speak out on issues important to Oconee County exhibited in the 9/20 opinion column by the former Oconee County Utility Department Director is the same arrogant attitude displayed when he was the utility director. It is good that he is now the former utility director. Perhaps if he had a more positive attitude about citizen suggestions and input his advice on the Walton water contract would have been different and Board members Davis, Luke and Norris would not have voted to enter into such an expensive open ended contract which will yield only 3.5 million gallons of water in 5 or 6 years. The former utility director has resorted to the method of defending a decision by attacking the messenger rather tha...

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...

From Charles Baugh and Citizens for Oconee's Future: Just a quick note to let you know the Board of Commissioners denied the request to rezone a parcel along Daniells Bridge Road. The vote was 3 to 0 with Norris recusing himself. Issue was lack of adequate road infrastructure in the area. The citizens in the area did an outstanding job of organizing and presenting the issues in opposition to the proposal. Was more than just the adjacent neighborhoods. This is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when larger numbers of neighborhoods join to support each other. Petitions with over 400 signatures were presented to the Board. Will send further information later. Charles Baugh

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Once again the Board of Commissioners will consider a rezone that will encroach on residential and agricultural areas. This rezone is along Daniels Bridge Road. Folks in Tanglebrook, Windy Creek, Northwest Woods and the Farmington area as well as several other neighborhoods are unfortunately all too familiar with this scenario. The Planning Commission recommended approval of this proposal, at its last meeting and the BOC will consider it at its next meeting on May 1. Following is the text of a message from Lee Becker with more information about the rezone and the Planning Commission hearing. Come to the May 1 hearing and support the folks along Daniels Bridge Road. If you live in a neighborhood where this has not happened, you are lucky, but your time is coming. If you have already experienced it you know it takes a lot of citizen input to be heard. Charlie Baugh Dear Neighbors: The Planning Commission ...

Anyone (except 3 BOC members and most of the Planning Commission) with a little bit of foresight and knowledge would quickly realize the curvy Daniells Bridge Road cut-through will see a hundred fold traffic increase with each new massive development thoughtlessly shoved down our throat. At least it looks like a traffic light is going into where it meets Experiment Station Road - most Gainesville State College kid drivers know this traffic route now. I wrote the preceeding paragraph but I got the rest of this from Lee Becker via Charlie Baugh. Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is a message from Lee Becker with information about a rezone on Daniells Bridge Road. More of the same, rezones creating more traffic on narrow unsafe roads. Just another step in our march toward "Developed Land". Those directly impacted by this may want to let our elected decision makers know of your concerns. Charles Baugh Dear Neighbors: As ...

Thanks to Charlie Baugh for this about Sheriff Scott Berry grandiose grey bar motel: Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Following is the agenda for the 4/17/07 Board of Commissioners meeting. Reckon the Sheriff's contract to house out of county prisoners will cover the cost of housing a prisoner in our new jail? Those who attended the BOC meetings where the jail was discussed will remember that we needed the jail because the old jail was inadequate to house our prisoners. Now we are out drumming up business to put prisoners in the beds and feed them well. Some will also remember the Sheriff stating the state does not pay enough to cover the cost of housing a prisoner. Let's hope the Sheriff sets a high rate for his new hotel. Charles Baugh AGENDA BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF OCONEE COUNTY, GEORGIA Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Commission Meeting Chambers Oconee County Courthouse 7:00 p.m...

Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc. P. O. Box 1301 Watkinsville, GA 30677 This is a reminder that the BOC will probably vote on the water reservoir at tomorrow nights meeting. It is the first item on the agenda. I know many of you have called, written and emailed the Board on this issue. Many also attended the 2 meetings at which the issue was discussed. Please do it one more time. The Commissioners should be looking at a full house when they vote. I have sent a great deal of information on the issue and the alternatives so I won't recount those now. I am including the text of a letter that was printed in the Banner Herald on the 26th written by Jerry Studdard that summarizes the issues quite nicely. Please turn out one more time. Charles Baugh The Athens Banner-Herald http://onlineathens.com/stories/022607/letters_20070226002.shtml . February 26, 2007 LETTERS . Jerry Studdard: Major questions linger on Oconee water issue ....