Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Oconee County Commissioners Move Forward With Plan For Nov. 2 Vote On Transportation Sales Tax

***Would Increase County Sales Tax From 7 Percent To 8***

Oconee County commissioners on Tuesday night took the first step to place a new 1 percent Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax on the ballot in November.

Following a presentation by Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell, the three members of the Board present, without a formal vote, agreed that Daniell should meet on July 1 with representatives of the county’s four cities to outline the referendum.

At the meeting on Tuesday, Daniell said revenue from the tax would be used for four purposes: to cover transportation costs already being funded by the county by property tax, to create new revenue for multi-use paths, for intersection improvements, and for paving.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Oconee County Commission Chair Focuses On Millage Rate Reduction At Town Hall Meeting

***Judicial District Split Raised By Citizen***

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell used the summer Town Hall Meeting to highlight the Board’s decision to reduce slightly the county millage rate for next year, provide an update on road projects, and once again anticipate a transportation tax referendum.

Daniell and others on the Commission also responded to a dozen questions posed by four of the five citizens who turned out for the meeting.

Daniell said there is nothing new to report on Costco coming to the county, that he anticipates a “solution” to the U.S. 441 bypass before the widening of that highway reaches the town, and that restoration of the foundation of Eagle Tavern is now on schedule.

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Northeast Health District Adds 70 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week, Four Confirmed Deaths From Disease

***Oconee County Reported No New Cases In Last Seven Days***

The Northeast Health District added 70 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, and four confirmed deaths attributed to the disease.

The 70 added cases of COVID-19 and four deaths compare with the 91 cases and the five confirmed deaths added in the week ending June 18.

The average of 10.0 new cases per day for the week ending on Friday compares with the average of 13.0 new cases per day for the week ending on June 18.

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Sheriff Hale To Talk About Public Safety In Oconee County At GOP Meeting On Monday; Party Leader To Talk About New Group

***Party Chair Bans Recording Of Session***

The Oconee County Republican Party is scheduled to meet on Monday with Sheriff James Hale and party Executive Committee Member Julie Mauck as guest speakers.

Hale will talk about the state of public safety in Oconee County, according to the party announcement, while Mauck will talk about formation of a local chapter of Moms for Liberty.

The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Oconee Chamber of Commerce, 55 Nancy Drive, Watkinsville.

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Northeast Health District Adds 91 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week, Five Confirmed Deaths From Disease

***District, Oconee, Clarke Report Improved Vaccination Rates***

The Northeast Health District added 91 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, and five confirmed deaths attributed to the disease.

The 91 added cases of COVID-19 and five deaths compare with the 107 cases and the nine confirmed deaths added in the week ending June 11.

The average of 13.0 new cases per day for the week ending on Friday compares with the average of 15.3 new cases per day for the week ending on June 11.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Watkinsville Voters Overwhelmingly Pick Garrett For Council Post 1 In Special Election

Chuck Garrett overwhelmingly defeated Carolyn Maultsby in the Watkinsville special election on Tuesday to fill Post 1 on the Watkinsville City Council.

Only 89 voters went to the polls on Tuesday, and final turnout in the election was only 18.3 percent.

Monday, June 14, 2021

Small Number of Voters Likely To Cast Ballots In Watkinsville Special Election

***Early Voting Turnout Light***

Only about one in five of Watkinsville’s 2,247 registered voters is likely to decide whether Chuck Garrett or Carolyn Maultsby holds Post 1 on City Council through the end of this year.

At the end of early voting on Friday, 296 voters had cast a ballot in the 14 days of early voting in the special election.

All seven of the voters who had requested an absentee ballot had returned that ballot.

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Northeast Health District Adds 107 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week, Nine Confirmed Deaths From Disease

***District, Oconee Below National Average In Level Of Vaccinations***

The Northeast Health District added 107 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, and nine confirmed deaths attributed to the disease.

The 107 added cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths compare with the 99 cases and the two confirmed deaths added in the week ending June 4.

The average of 15.3 new cases per day for the week ending on Friday compares with the average of 14.1 new cases per day for the week ending on June 4.

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Oconee School Board Receives Bids For New Classrooms At Colham Ferry Elementary School, New Policies On Public Comment

***Also Reviews Impact Of Hourly Salary Increases***

The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday will be asked to award a $3.1 million contract for the 10-classroom addition to Colham Ferry Elementary School, the first expenditures from the Education Local Option Sales Tax approved by voters in March.

Construction is expected to begin in late summer and be complete for the next school year.

Brock Toole, chief operations officer for Oconee County Schools, presented the recommendation that the contract go to Amacher Bros. Construction Company of Atlanta at the School Board’s work session on Monday.

Monday, June 07, 2021

Watkinsville Early Voting Slowing In Final Days Before June 15 Special Election

***Only Two Absentee Ballots Returned

Early voting slowed to a trickle on Monday, with only 11 persons casting a ballot in the Watkinsville Special Election that will fill the position of Mayor and Post 1 Council Member.

As of the end of the day on Monday, a total of only 232 voters had cast a ballot, and two more had returned an absentee ballot.

The total of 234 ballots cast is 10.4 percent of the city’s 2,247 eligible voters.

Sunday, June 06, 2021

Oconee County Commissioners Pass Fiscal Year 2022 Budget But Property Tax Rate Not Yet Set

***Expect Millage Rate Reduction***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday adopted a $58.5 million Fiscal Year 2022 budget that anticipates a reduction in the county’s property tax rate.

The size of the reduction has not yet been specified, however, and it isn’t likely to be enough to offset inflationary growth in the tax digest.

The Board has scheduled three hearings on the new millage rate for July and August leading up to adoption of the rate on Aug. 3.

Friday, June 04, 2021

Northeast Health District Adds 99 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week, Two Confirmed Deaths From Disease

***District, Oconee, Clarke, State Lag National Vaccine Averages***

The Northeast Health District added 99 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday and two new confirmed deaths attributed to the disease.

The 99 added cases of COVID-19 compare with the 141 cases and the four confirmed deaths added in the week ending May 28.

The average of 14.1 new cases per day for the week ending on Friday compares with the average of 20.1 new cases per day for the week ending on May 28.

Wednesday, June 02, 2021

Oconee School Board Approves Resolution To Sell $37.2 Million In Bonds For School Projects

***Half Of Debt From 2016 Bond Sale Remains To Be Paid***

The Oconee County Board of Education has authorized the sale of $37.2 million in General Obligation Bonds for capital projects approved by voters in the Education Local Option Sales Tax referendum on March 16.

The Board took the action in a special called meeting that followed a budget hearing held by the Board on May 18.

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners finalized the action by approving the resolution at it meeting on Tuesday evening.