Rep. Gisler, In Town Hall Meeting In Oconee County, Focused On Upcoming Special Session Of General Assembly

***Gisler Listed Five Topics Of Call For Session***

The outline that State House District 121 Rep. Eric Gisler gave on Saturday for the upcoming special session of the Georgia General Assembly, set to begin on Wednesday, was very sparse on details, as Gisler readily admitted.

Gov. Brian Kemp has asked the legislature to “consider” changing the district maps for Congress and the Georgia Senate and House, but Gisler said, as a member of the Democratic minority, he hasn’t seen any maps or been given any insights about what the Republicans will propose.

One Third Fewer Oconee County Voters Have Cast A Ballot At End Of Early Voting In Runoff Than At Same Point In May Election

***Democratic Voting Down More Than Republican Voting***

A total of 4,333 of Oconee County’s 34,000 eligible voters, or 12.7 percent, had cast a ballot in the June 16 Party Primary Runoffs as of the end of the day on Friday, the final day of Advance In Person voting.

Most of those votes were cast in person, with 4,165 voters casting a ballot at the County Administrative Building north of Watkinsville.

Oconee County Receives Grant From State For Expansion Of And Improvements To Heritage Park In South Of County

***Includes Additional Access To Apalachee River***

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has awarded Oconee County a $3 million grant for expansion of and improvements to Heritage Park, located on U.S. 441 south of Farmington.

The county made application for the grant after agreeing last October to spend $1.91 million to acquire 110 pristine acres to expand the park. The DNR has decided to allow the grant to cover that purchase price.

Early Voting For June 16 Party Primary Runoff In Oconee County At 7 Percent Of Eligible Voters With Two Days Of Early Voting Remaining

***Democrats Underperforming May Turnout Numbers***

After three days of Advance In Person voting, and with only two days remaining, 2,175 of Oconee County’s eligible voters, or 6.4 percent, have cast an In Person ballot in the June 16 Party Primary Runoff.

Another 87 voters have returned an Absentee by Mail ballot, bringing the total number of votes cast by the end of the day on Wednesday to 2,262, or 7.0 percent or those eligible.

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.