Watkinsville voters have overwhelmingly approved a referendum allowing for the sale of alcoholic drinks in addition to beer and wine in city restaurants.
By 4 to 1 ratios, voters in both the City Hall and Annex precincts authorized the Watkinsville Mayor and Council to pass an ordinance establishing liquor-by-the-drink licenses, bringing the city into line with the unincorporated parts of the county.
The developer of a proposed complex of office warehouses on Jimmy Daniell Road on Friday requested that the project be withdrawn from the agenda of the Oconee County Planning Commission tomorrow night, simplifying what was to be a long and complex meeting.
Remaining on the agenda is a request by Presbyterian Homes of Georgia for a continuing care retirement center on 70 acres with frontage on U.S. 441 and Welbrook Road.
Oconee County’s two representatives, both Republicans, cast conflicting votes on House Bill 170, which overhauls the state’s motor fuel tax, with Rep. Regina Quick joining the 43 Republicans in opposition and Rep. Chuck Williams voting as part of the 72 Republicans in favor.
The bill, approved on March 5, would have major impact on both local and state taxes on motor fuel if approved by the Senate in its present form.
While Oconee County has no history of citizen direct oversight of its Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax program, neighboring Athens-Clarke County has an active citizen committee monitoring how the unified government of the city and county spends its SPLOST revenues.
Such citizen oversight committees also exist or have existed elsewhere in the state, including in Cobb and DeKalb counties, in Savannah and in Atlanta.
Oconee Farmers Market will launch its 12th season on April 4.
Vendors will assemble at 8 a.m. in front of the Courthouse in Watkinsville, selling early season produce, eggs, meats, honey, jams, and farm-related handicrafts, such as woolen products.
The next phase of discussion of the future of the Courthouse in Watkinsville and of the county’s need for additional space will take place behind closed doors.
Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis announced at the beginning of the BOC meeting last night the schedule for three executive sessions, on March 9, March 19 and March 26.
Oconee County long-range planner Wayne Provost went out of his way last week to argue that the proposed widening of Daniells Bridge Road and construction of an extension of that road with a flyover of SR Loop 10 is to manage traffic, not to promote development.
Much of the discussion that followed, however, focused on development of a section of the county that currently is landlocked and that would be made more accessible if the flyover were built.
