The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last night to approve loan documents from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) that add $5.8 million in new county debt for construction of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir in Walton County.
The BOC took the action following a financial analysis by County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko showing that the county can handle this and all future debt for the reservoir and other projects without a water rate increase, though he did not guarantee that a rate increase would not be necessary in the future.