Oconee County Board of Commissioners and School Board Considering Transfer Of Civic Center From County To Oconee County Schools

***Two Opportunities For Citizens To Offer Input***

In separate news releases on Tuesday, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners and the Oconee County Board of Education announced plans to transfer ownership of the Oconee County Civic Center from the county to Oconee County Schools.

If the plans are approved by both Boards, the county would transfer ownership of the nearly 30,000 square foot Civic Center, located at 2661 Hog Mountain Road, to Oconee County Schools and receive in return 42.7 acres of undeveloped land owned by the Board of Education on U.S. 441 north of Bishop.

Oconee County Schools Federal Funds Budget, With Sharp Drop In Fiscal Year 2027, Provides Money For Literacy Coaches, Nutrition

***School Nutrition Program Will Require Infusion Of Funding***

The Federal Funds Fiscal Year 2027 Budget for Oconee County Schools, which at $6.3 million is dwarfed by the $122.5 million General Fund Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, has played a slightly more prominent role than usual in budget discussions this year.

Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams told School Board Chair Michael Ransom at the first public hearing on the budgets on May 21 that Oconee County Schools will draw from the Fiscal Year 2027 Federal Funds Budget to hire two literary coaches for the system’s middle schools.

Oconee County Commissioners Adopt $49 Million Fiscal Year 2027 General Fund Budget And Fee Schedule

***Town Hall Meeting Set For June 16***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday gave official approval to a Fiscal Year 2027 General Fund Budget of $49.0 million, up by 7.2 percent from the original Fiscal Year 2026 Budget of $45.7 million

The Board also approved a new fee schedule for county services that includes a 3.6 percent increase in the basic water rate for residential customers, a 3.5 percent increase for commercial water customers, and a 4.8 percent increase in the base sewer rate for both residential and commercial customers.

Developer Asking Oconee County Planning Commission To Allow Replacement Of Hotel On Plaza Parkway With Medical Office Buildings

***Hotel Off Virgil Langford Road In Final Permitting Stage***

The developer of the large, upscale athletic club on Plaza Parkway across from Costco is asking the county to allow it to change its development plans to eliminate the proposed hotel and substitute instead two medical office buildings.

The 14.3 acre parcel has been cleared and graded for the proposed athletic facility and hotel, but developer Kelly Mahoney has submitted a request with the county to divide the property into three lots, one with the athletic club and two smaller lots, each with a separate building.

Oconee County GOP Stumping Ground Forum Included Heated Exchanges As Candidates Made Appeals Before June 16 Runoff

***State Senate District 46 Candidates Lead Off***

The Republican Party Stumping Ground forum got off to a contentious start on Monday as Doug McKillip and Marc McMain, seeking the party’s nomination in the state Senate District 46 race, tussled over gambling, property tax relief, campaign financing, party affiliation, and other matters.

The event ended nearly two hours later with a sharp exchange between Vernon Jones, seeking the party nomination in the state Secretary of State race, and moderator Tim Bryant over Jones’s assertion that the 2020 presidential race in Georgia was “stolen.”

Oconee County Schools Administrator Says Reduction In Funding For SRO Program In Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Is Not A Cut In Program

***All 12 Schools Will Have Officer, He Says***

The reduction of funding in the Oconee County Schools Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to allow for 14 School Resource Officers rather than 16 does not reflect a “cut” to the School Research Officer (SRO) program, Oconee County Schools Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams said on Thursday.

The withholding of funding for two positions that were requested by Oconee County Sheriff James Hale still allows for one officer in each of the system’s 12 schools and two supervisors, Adams said in the second and final of two hearings on the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. (SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM.)

Only Five Days Of Early Voting Scheduled For June 16 General Primary Runoff, With Republican Top Of Ballot Races Still Not Fixed

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Race Still Open

Oconee County voters wishing to participate in the June 16 General Primary Runoff will have only five days of early voting, beginning Monday, June 8, and ending on Friday, June 12.

The runoff is particularly important for Republicans, since the party has not yet selected its candidates for the U.S. Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Secretary of State.