Sunday, July 28, 2024

Oconee County Libraries Struggling With Funding Shortfall

***Budget Balanced By Drawing On Reserves***

Oconee County’s two libraries are facing financial problems, as projected revenue is not sufficient to sustain current levels of staffing and programming.

Athens Regional Library System Executive Director Valerie Bell says the libraries need to find new sources of revenue for the future.

Friday, July 26, 2024

Oconee County, Clarke County Election Offices Told Secretary Of State Yalamanchili Turned In More Than Needed Accepted Signatures

***Goal Is To Be On District Attorney Ballot In November***

UPDATE: As of 7/30/2024, the Georgia Secretary of State is listing Yalamanchili as "Qualified-- Signatures Accepted," as an Independent candidate for the November ballot.

Kalki Yalamanchili has turned in 9,967 accepted petitions, or just more than twice the number the Secretary of State Office has determined he needs to have his name placed on the ballot on Nov. 5 as an Independent candidate for Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney.

That determination comes from a report filed with the Secretary of State Office dated Friday (July 26) by the Oconee County Office of Elections and Registration and the Clarke County Office of Elections and Voter Registration.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Transportation Planning Organization Updating Funding For Right Of Way Acquisition For Oconee Connector Interchange With SR 316

***Public Comment Continues Through July 29***

The metropolitan transportation planning organization that has responsibility for Oconee County is in the final stage of modifying its documents to reflect the addition of $1.9 million in right of way funds for construction of the new interchange at SR 316 and the Oconee Connector.

The new money brings to $3.4 million the amount for right of way and preliminary engineering of the multi-grade interchange in the current Fiscal Year 2025. Of that, $2.8 million is federal funding.

Monday, July 22, 2024

Tim Bryant Tells Oconee County Republicans He Is Close To Getting His Radio Program Back On The Air

***Featured Speaker At GOP Meeting***

Tim Bryant, whose radio program on Cox Media Group’s WGAU was ended on June 18, said on Monday night that he expects to be back on the air “in the next few weeks.”

Bryant said he also expects to resurrect his podcast, but his primary focus is getting back on radio, and he said he expects to be able to make an announcement soon.

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Oconee County Schools Amended Budget For Last Fiscal Year Shows $4.5 Million More In Revenue Than Original Budget

***Spending Increased By $3.9 Million

Oconee County Schools received $4.5 million more in revenue over the just-completed Fiscal Year 2024 than it had anticipated when the Board of Education adopted that budget in May of 2023.

The largest part of that increase resulted from $2.4 million in Investment and Interest Income. The budget approved by the Board in May of 2023 had listed only $50,000 in expected income in that category.

Friday, July 19, 2024

Republican Incumbent State Legislators Representing Oconee County Have Large Cash Reserves Going Into November Election

***Democratic Challengers Have Little Money On Hand***

To say that the Democratic challengers to Oconee County’s three incumbent Republican state legislators are entering the fall campaign at a financial disadvantage is a gross understatement.

House District 120 Rep. Houston Gaines had $657,766 Net Balance Cash On Hand at the beginning of this month.

His Democratic challenger, Andrew Ferguson, had $4,538.

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Oconee County Planning Commission Recommends Changes In Plans For Development On Oconee Connector To Allow For New Uses

***Goddard School Proposed***

The Oconee County Planning Commission on Monday night recommended that previously approved plans for the 24-acre cleared and graded parcel on the Oconee Connector at SR Loop 10 be modified to allow for a day-care center and private kindergarten.

Landscape Architect Ken Beall told the Commission that the developer of the multi-use project has been approached by someone who wants to open a Goddard School, a preschool franchise, as part of the project.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Political Scientist Bullock Tells Oconee County Democrats What Biden Must Do To Win Georgia

***Says Trump Underperforms Other Republicans In Georgia***

University of Georgia Political Science Professor Charles Bullock didn’t tell Oconee County Democrats last month that Joe Biden will win Georgia in November, but that he could, and he explained how that victory likely will have happened if it comes about.

Drawing on data from recent elections, Bullock said Democrats win when they get about 30 percent of the White vote and African-Americans make up about 30 percent of the electorate.

Monday, July 15, 2024

Townley Attorney Asks Judge To Reverse Deannexation Decision Of North High Shoals; Town Counsel Asks Judge To Dismiss The Case

***Superior Court Judge Wants Time To Make Decision***

Oconee County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard said at the beginning of an hour-long hearing last week on the suit filed by the Townley Family Partnership LLLP against the Town of North High Shoals that he would not make a decision at the end of the session.

He told attorneys for Townley and the Town of North High Shoals that he would be reviewing the materials already submitted after the hearing and would follow up on “things that you think are important.”

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Oconee County Election Board Votes Not To Proceed With Challenge Of 45 County Voters

***Issues Call For Special Election To Change School Board***

The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration on Tuesday voted not to proceed with a challenge filed by Stephen Aleshire of 45 Oconee County voters “due to lack of probable cause.”

Aleshire addressed the Board during the public comment section of the meeting, which was before the Board vote, and said he was challenging the registration of the voters, not their “ability to vote.”

Saturday, July 13, 2024

Oconee Commissioners Turn Down Office Building On Mars Hill Road, Approve Large Retail Project For U.S. 441 Near Hog Mountain Road

***Also Officially Set Millage Rates***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night turned down a rezone request for a commercial development on Mars Hill Road at Julian Drive and approved a large strip development on U.S. 441 just north of Watkinsville.

The vote against the Mars Hill Road development represented an attempt to keep that section of Mars Hill Road residential. Commissioner Mark Thomas was the sole negative vote on the rezone denial.

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Oconee County Election Office Verifying Signatures Of County Voters On Petition To Put Yalamanchili On November Ballot In DA Race

***Deadline For Completing Verification Is July 26***

The Oconee County Elections and Registration Office on Monday began verifying the petitions with Oconee County signers to put Kalki Yalamanchili on the November ballot as an independent candidate for Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney.

The Georgia Office of the Secretary of State has given the election offices in both Oconee and Clarke counties until July 26 to complete the verification process.

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Oconee School Board Sets Millage Rate After Receiving Little Pushback From Citizens About 2.27 Percent Tax Hike The Rate Produces

***Millage Rate Is Down From Original Proposal***

The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday voted to set the millage rate for the collection of property taxes for Oconee County Schools at 14.25, representing a 2.27 percent property tax increase.

The Board took the unanimous vote after completing the last of three required public hearings on the tax increase.

Saturday, July 06, 2024

Oconee School Board Scheduled To Vote On Monday On 2.27 Percent Property Tax Increase

***Final Tax Hearing Scheduled Before Vote***

The Oconee County Board of Education is poised to vote on Monday to set the millage rate at 14.25 for Oconee County Schools, down from the originally proposed 15.0, and to compensate for the lost revenue from the lower rate by drawing down the school system’s savings account, or Fund Balance.

Oconee County Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams revealed the strategy of spending reserves to allow for the reduction in the millage in two tax hearings on Monday and in a revised budget he released at the second of those hearings.