Oconee County’s Two Weekly Papers Ignore Key Documents In Reporting On Bogart Library Defunding

More Than Spending Cut

Oconee County’s two weekly newspapers last week reported explanations for the lack of funding of the Bogart Library renovation and expansion in the state budget passed by the General Assembly last month that are at odds with the public record of the Georgia Public Library Service.

The Oconee Enterprise quoted Sen. Bill Cowsert as saying the Bogart Library project was not listed as a top priority by the Board of Regents, the budget of which includes the requests of the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS).

Oconee County Commissioners Vote To Terminate Lease On Dolvin Property, Go Into Executive Session With Atlanta Developer

Reservoir Report Too

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 last night to move the Planning Department, Code Enforcement and three other offices out of the Dolvin buildings within the year but gave no indicate where it will move them.

Commissioner Jim Luke, who voted against the motion to terminate the lease for the Dolvin buildings, said he did so because he wasn’t confident the county would have a place to put those offices.

Oconee County Board Of Commissioners To Consider Terminating Lease On Dolvin Buildings

Agenda Item Added

The public might get at least a hint tomorrow night of county plans for handling future space needs when the Board of Commissioners considers termination of the lease on the government offices across the street from the Courthouse.

County Attorney Daniel Haygood told me in an email message this afternoon that he is anticipating the Board will give a one-year notice to the landlord that the lease will be terminated.

Oconee County Commissioners To Get An Update On Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Project

Follows Decision On Treatment Plant

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night is scheduled to get an update on the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir from Project Manager Jimmy Parker.

The meeting will follow by one week the first concrete decision by the Management Board for the reservoir project to move forward with plans for design work on the water treatment plant.

Caterpillar Told Athens-Clarke County And Oconee County Authorities It Had 658 Full-Time Jobs During Average Month In 2014

Increase From 2013

The number of full-time jobs at the Caterpillar plant on the Athens-Clarke County and Oconee County line during the average month in 2014 was 658, up from a monthly average of 214 a year ago.

A total number of 932 full-time jobs were created at the facility by the end of 2014, or 568 more than the 364 that had been created by the end of 2013, the first year of operation of the plant.

Oconee County Administrative Officer Tells County Department Heads To Clear All Comments To The "Press" With Him First

Complaint By Williams

Oconee County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko has issued a directive to county department heads telling them not to make statements to “the press” without clearing those statements in advance with him.

The directive, sent out by email to the department heads at 5:03 p.m. on April 3, followed a 3:49 p.m. email on that date to Public Works Director Emil Beshara telling him to “refrain from discussing” issues “in the paper.”

Construction Underway On Last Buildings In Core Of Oconee County’s Epps Bridge Centre

Latest Building Without Tenant

Construction is well underway on the last major buildings that makes up the core of Epps Bridge Centre, the shopping complex surrounded by Epps Bridge Parkway, SR Loop 10 and the Oconee Connector.

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office issued a permit on March 27 for the shell of a 25,024-square-foot building that connects the building housing Marshalls with the building under construction that will be home to Party City and Bed, Bath & Beyond.