Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Wilkes Spent Four Times As Much As Hale In Oconee County Republican Primary And Runoff

Mostly For Advertisements

W.E. “Bubber” Wilkes spent nearly $12,000 to regain a seat on the Oconee County Board of Commissioners, or four times the amount spent by incumbent Margaret Hale, whom Wilkes defeated by 105 votes in the July 22 runoff.

Wilkes spent almost all of his $11,988 on advertising, with $5,256 going to The Oconee Enterprise, $1,375 to The Oconee Leader, and $4,546 for printing of signs, campaign materials, and T-shirts.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Few Seize Chance To Speak On Liquor-By-The-Drink Referendum Now Before Oconee County Board Of Commissioners

Action Expected Next Week

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners, anticipating a large turnout tonight for its discussion of a liquor-by-the-drink referendum, moved its meeting from the relatively small Commission Chamber to the much larger Courtroom 1, but the change of venue proved to be unnecessary.

Only nine people spoke, with three of them expressing opposition to the proposal to put the issue before voters in November.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Busy Oconee County Board of Commissioners Agenda Includes Liquor-By-The-Drink Referendum And Daniells Bridge Road Flyover Agreement

COLA For Retirees Too

Discussion of a liquor-by-the-drink referendum tops a busy agenda of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night that also includes consideration of contracts for three roadway projects, at least one of which has been controversial in the past.

Also on the agenda is an amendment to the benefits plans for retired county employees that led to open disagreement among commissioners early last month and an update on Mars Hill Road widening project that has been let for bid by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Oconee County Industrial Development Authority Calls For Liquor-By-The-Drink Referendum

Vote Unanimous

The Oconee County Industrial Development Authority decided to weigh in on the liquor-by-the-drink issue on Monday afternoon, voting unanimously to ask the Board of Commissioners to put the issue on the November 4 ballot.

BOC Chairman Melvin Davis, a member of the IDA, said the commissioners will take up the issue at their meeting next Tuesday night and then vote on whether to put it on the ballot at the meeting on Aug. 5.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Wilkes Defeats Hale In Oconee County Board Of Commissioners Race

Only Woman Defeated

Former Oconee County Commissioner W.E. “Bubber” Wilkes unseated incumbent Margaret Hale in the Republican primary runoff for Post 3 on the Board of Commissioners today, with 51.2 percent of the 4,253 votes cast.

Wilkes will have no opposition in November, meaning he will return to the Commission after an absence of 10 years.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

A Name Not On Oconee County Ballot On Tuesday Is Key Part Of Election

Early Turnout Nearly Matches May

Melvin Davis’ name is not on the ballot on Tuesday, but he is very much a part of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Republican primary runoff election.

Post 3 commissioner candidates Margaret Hale, the incumbent, and W.E. “Bubber” Wilkes, seeking to regain a spot on the Commission after a 10 year absence, have made the role of the Commission chairman a key issue in the campaign.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Georgia Department Of Transportation Too Busy To Enforce Sign Law At Oconee County Connector, Deputy Commissioner Says

Explanation For Boswell Signs

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis seems to have it about right.

The state does not have the time for, resources for or interest in enforcing its ban on signs in the right-of-ways for highways around the state, according to Georgia Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Todd Long.

Monday, July 07, 2014

Oconee County Commissioners Set To Approve Agreement For Roadway In Gateway Industrial Park

State paying $172,000

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is set to give formal approval tomorrow night to an agreement whereby the county will pay John W. Rooker and Associates nearly $250,000 to build a roadway to property Rooker Properties LLC bought from the county in its Gateway Business Park.

The Georgia Department of Transportation gave the county a $172,000 grant to pay for the bulk of the cost. The county, through its Industrial Development Authority, will pay the remaining $75,674 from the money it earned from the sale of the property to Rooker.

Sunday, July 06, 2014

Cheddar’s Files Planning Documents, Joining Other Development In Oconee County’s Expanding Commercial Corridor

Yogurt Too

The Oconee County Planning Department has approved the final construction planning documents for the proposed Cheddar’s Restaurant on Epps Bridge Parkway at the front of Epps Bridge Centre, signaling that the project is moving forward even without the certainty of liquor sales.

Engineers for Cheddar’s submitted the documents on June 25, and the Planning Department stamped them as compliant with county requirements that same day. The next step is the application for and issuance of actual construction permits.

Thursday, July 03, 2014

Oconee County Republican Party Hosting Debate Tuesday Between Congressional Candidates

At Library

The Oconee County Republican Party Tuesday night will host the second of three scheduled debates between Mike Collins and Jody Hice, candidates seeking the Republican Party nomination for Congress from the 10th District.

The debate is scheduled to take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the library on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville.