The chairs of the Oconee County Democratic and Republican parties sent out emails to their followers on Friday encouraging them to vote in the upcoming Public Service Commission elections–something voters have not had a chance to do since 2020.
Early voting in the June 17 party primaries begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday (May 27) at the Oconee County Administrative Building, 7635 Macon Highway, north of Watkinsville, and runs through June 13.
Oconee County commissioners on Tuesday decided to postpone a decision on the county’s 2025 millage rate pending further details on the size of the county tax digest.
As a result, the Annual Assessment Notice that goes out from the Oconee County Tax Commissioner, usually in May, will use the current millage rate in estimating property taxes for the county, as it has in the past.
Daniel Shaver was given the opportunity by Oconee County Republican Party Chair Kathy Hurley on Monday night to make the case for Tim Echols, who is seeking re-election to the Public Service Commission from District 2, which includes Oconee County.
Echols has opposition in the June 17 Republican Party Primary, but neither Echols, challenger Lee Muns, nor incumbent District 3 Commissioner Fitz Johnson had accepted an invitation to appear at the May 19 meeting, Hurley said.
Community Works Oconee has firmed up its plans to hold a listening session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on May 28 at the Community Center in Oconee Veterans Park to give citizens a chance to say what they are looking for in the next superintendent of Oconee County Schools.
Ann Hollifield, who is organizing the event, said at the meeting of the Oconee County Democrats last week that the session is nonpartisan and open to all members of the community.
The three candidates appearing before the Oconee County Democratic Party last week were competing with each other for the party’s nomination for District 3 on the state Public Service Commission.
Each made it clear, however, that the real opponent is the existing Public Service Commission itself and incumbent Fitz Johnson.
Sports facilities dominated the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Town Hall meeting on Tuesday night, with citizens asking for additional sports fields, tennis courts, gymnasiums, and a swimming pool.
Sixteen citizens addressed the Board, and all but one of those lobbied for added recreational facilities. Just fewer than 50 people were in attendance.
The Oconee County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) has decided to hold a strategic session to consider what role it can play now that Gateway Technology and Business Park on the edge of Bogart is completed and that the county has transferred development responsibility to the Oconee Chamber of Commerce.
The IDA decided at its May 9 called meeting to hold a future strategic session after approving a $100,000 budget for Fiscal Year 2026 that reflects little expected activity on the part of the Authority.
