While the 247-acre site for the future Caterpillar plant straddles the Clarke and Oconee county line, most of the actual plant will be in Oconee County, according to a preliminary site plan submitted to the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission.
The plan locates the plant mostly in the western part of the tract on the Bogart line.
It shows entrances to the site off U.S. 78 and U.S. 29.
Regina Quick told Oconee County Republicans earlier this month that the first thing she would do if she is elected to represent the county in the General Assembly in 2013 is introduce legislation to reverse redistricting from 2011 and make Oconee County whole in the 119th House District.
She said she would accomplish this by increasing the size of the Clarke County population in her district, the 117th, and by moving the three precincts in Oconee County now part of the 117th to the 119th.
Lowe’s Home Center on Epps Bridge Parkway, which lost one entrance when Jennings Mill Parkway was raised, will shift another and alter the traffic pattern for its parking lot if changes recommended by the Oconee County Planning Commission last night are approved by the Board of Commissioners on March 6.
The main entrance to the parking lot off Epps Bridge Parkway will be shifted south, and two out lots will be created on either side of the entrance.
Oconee County is seeking to renew its permit to discharge 1 million gallons per day of treated wastewater into Barber Creek, although county Utility Department Director Chris Thomas has indicated he does not plan to use the permit.
In fact, Thomas presented to the Board of Commissioners on July 26 of last year a long-range sewage and water plan that does not include construction of the sewage treatment plant on Rocky Branch Road.
Oconee County was sitting on $5.7 million in unspent money collected from the 2004 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax as of June 30 of last year, according to the required report on SPLOST spending filed by the county at the end of 2011.
The county currently is spending revenue from the current SPLOST approved by voters in March of 2009, according to the report.
As of the June 30 date, however, the county had not spent any money from three categories, for Recreation, Historic and Scenic Facilities, for Fire Station Facilities and Equipment, and for Farmland Protection.
In a split vote, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners last night approved a five-year contract to sell Walton County half a million gallons per day of water pumped from Oconee County wells.
Commissioner Chuck Horton, who had said earlier he was inclined to vote against the contract but was willing to hear arguments in its favor, said last night he was concerned because the utility department had changed its position on wells.
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night is scheduled to take up again a proposed contact that would allow Walton County to purchase up to a half million gallons per day of water from Oconee County.
The contract was brought to the Board at its Jan. 24 agenda-setting meeting by County Utility Department Director Chris Thomas.
All three of the current members of the Georgia General Assembly who will be seeking election in Oconee County this year begin the election season with significant funds in their campaign accounts.
Sen. Bill Cowsert had a net balance on hand of $61,248, according to the Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report he filed with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission on Jan. 7.
