Houston Gaines, running as a Republican in the special election for House District 117, has raised more than $200,000 for his campaign and, as of Oct. 25, had more than $140,000 in unspent funds.
All of the money Gaines has raised is in the form of contributions, with large amounts coming from the campaign funds of politicians and from corporate interests.
Voting continued at a low rate this second week of early voting for the special elections in House District 117 and House District 119, with an average of only 167 persons going to the polls per day in Clarke County and 97 going to the polls per day in Oconee County.
Voting was even lower in Barrow and Jackson counties, parts of which contribute to the 117th House District.
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners last (Tuesday) night agreed to put a bid of $92,000 for demolition of the Old Jail located behind the Courthouse in Watkinsville on the agenda for final action at its Nov. 7 meeting.
County Administrator Justin Kirouac recommended that the Board accept the low bid from Complete Demolition Services Inc. of Carrollton to allow for both security and space upgrades to the existing Courthouse.
Responding to fixed questions they had received in advance, the six candidates running in the special elections for Georgia House District 117 and District 119 Monday night offered largely familiar responses on campus carry, redistricting and other issues.
One question not asked so simply and precisely in earlier forums did help to underscore the differences among the candidates in the Nov. 7 elections.
The owners of The Farm at High Shoals, the horse barn turned reception hall between Bishop and North High Shoals, filed an application for a business license last week, according to B.R. White, director of Oconee County Planning and Code Enforcement Department.
That was more than a month after the Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved a rezone for just less than 5 acres, including the horse barn, to allow the owners of the 306-acre horse farm to continue to operate the reception hall business.
Houston Gaines, running to replace Republican Regina Quick, who stepped down in August as representative from Georgia House District 117, had a warning for the Oconee County Republicans who attended the party’s meeting in late September.
“We’ve got to work hard to keep this seat,” Gaines said of the 117th, which is dominated by Clarke County but includes parts of Oconee, Barrow and Jackson counties as well.
Oconee County is exploring collaboration with Athens-Clarke County for future wastewater treatment, Oconee County Commission Chair John Daniell told a small group of citizens this week at a Town Hall meeting in Oconee Veterans Park.
“We’ve had different conversations since I’ve been in office,” Daniell said in response to a question asking if the commissioners had “met with Clarke County to discuss wastewater?”
