Incumbent Commissioners Hale And Daniell Receive Most Votes In Oconee County Republican Primary, But Hale Forced Into Runoff

Broun Wins Locally

Board of Commissioners incumbents Margaret Hale and John Daniell bested their challengers in the Oconee County Republican primary today, though Hale did not get a majority of votes in the three-way race and will meet challenger Bubber Wilkes in the runoff election on July 22.

Rep. Paul Broun, seeking the Republican nomination for the open U.S. Senate seat, led the field in his home Oconee County, with 31.1 percent of the vote. David Perdue got 26.6 percent of the vote, and Jack Kingston got 21.4 percent.

Oconee County Attorney Offers Advice To Development Authority And Others On State Open Meetings Law

Two Memos Sent

Oconee County County Clerk Jane Greathouse sent a memo to the county’s Industrial Development Authority and other county advisory boards and committees on May 8 requesting that they hold executive sessions as “a rare occurrence” and only after contacting County Attorney Daniel Haygood.

Rick Waller, chairman of the county’s Industrial Development Authority, discussed the memo as part of his chair’s report at the IDA’s regular meeting on May 12, saying the IDA had not “stumped our toes as far as we know, but we want to be sure that we don’t” in the future.

Voters Given Chance To Express Views On Oconee County’s Split Between Georgia House Districts

On Republican Ballot

Oconee County Representatives Regina Quick and Chuck Williams should have a better sense on Tuesday evening of how at least a segment of the county’s voters feels about the boundaries of their districts in the Georgia House of Representatives.

That is when the results of a nonbinding question the Oconee County Republican Party placed on the ballot for the Republican primary will be announced.

Oconee County Farm Being Readied For Submission Under New Federal Farmland Protection Program

Ludwig Farm Top Rated

The Athens Land Trust is processing paperwork to submit the Oconee County farm of Carole Ludwig for protection following an announcement earlier this month that the federal government is accepting applications under the new Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Ludwig’s livestock farm,1510 Old Farmington Road in the south of the county, was selected by the Farmland Preservation Ranking Committee late last year after the Board of Commissioners took over review responsibility for the county’s long-successful farmland protection program.

Final 2015 SPLOST Meeting Shortest Of Four Held By Oconee County Board Of Commissioners

Reallocated 2009 Funds Explained

Only four people spoke Monday night at the final public hearing on the 2015 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum, held in the courthouse in Watkinsville.

The meeting covered little new ground and was the shortest of the four hearings held since January on projects to be funded by the 1 percent sales tax should voters approve it in November.

Bishop House Rezone Request Shows Complexity Of Oconee County Liquor Issue

Traditional Southern Fare

At a time when county officials are considering a referendum to allow the sale of liquor by the drink to entice restaurants to the area, the city of Bishop is going in the opposite direction by considering a rezone request to convert a historic home into a restaurant that will not be allowed to sell even beer and wine.

The parallel actions show the complexity of decisions that could be before voters in November.

Citizens in the county’s four cities will vote in a referendum, if the Oconee County Board of Commissioners decides to put on the ballot, as is widely expected.

More SPLOST Money May Be Needed For Courthouse Security, Oconee County Commissioners Told

Turnout Low At Hearing

Only about 20 people turned out tonight at the third meeting on proposed projects for the Oconee County 2015 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

And only four citizens spoke, with one advocating for spending for the libraries and another calling for funding for farmland protection and historic preservation.