Oconee County Magistrate Court Judge Delayed Decision On Ordinance Violation Issued To Oconee Waste Transport

***Noise Ordinance Cited***

Following and hour-long trial on Friday, Oconee County Magistrate Court Judge Sam Barth postponed his decision on whether Oconee Waste Transport violated the county’s noise ordinance while operating prior to 7 a.m. behind at least one business along Epps Bridge Parkway.

Clyde Edwin Pittman, an Athens plastic surgeon who lives at 1591 Tanglebrook Drive just off Epps Bridge Parkway, testified that he has been awakened in his home going back five years by haulers picking up trash from dumpsters at businesses on Epps Bridge Parkway.

Oconee County Announces “Major Spill” At Its Calls Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

***Suspended Solids Exceeded***

Operational problems caused a spill of partially treated wastewater into Calls Creek from the Oconee County wastewater treatment plant of that name located just north of Watkinsville, the county announced this (Thursday) morning.

The partially treated release occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 9, according to the statement from Wayne Haynie, director of the county’s Water Resources Department, previously called the Utility Department.

Democratic Georgia House Representatives Gonzalez And Wallace Entered 2018 With Small Campaign Surpluses

***Dwarfed By Republicans***

Deborah Gonzalez, newly elected to represent Georgia House District 117, began 2018 with $11,466 in her campaign account, and Jonathan Wallace, newly elected to represent Georgia House District 119, began the year with $11,639 in unspent campaign funds.

Gonzalez and Wallace are Democrats. Both the 117th and 119th House Districts are split between Oconee and Clarke counties.

Panelists From Oconee And Surrounding Counties Engaged In "Focus Group" On Range Of Political Topics

***At Civic Center***

The organizers labeled the group conversation as one that should not involve political rhetoric, but given the topics selected that was a near impossibility.

Business, Economy, Education, Free Speech, Healthcare and Immigration are political issues, at least in the current environment.

Oconee County Commissioners To Consider Rezone for Another Reception Hall On Land Currently Zoned For Agriculture

***Cliff Dawson Road Site***

Oconee County Commissioners, in their first meeting of 2018, are to decide the fate Tuesday night of a request for a reception hall on what is currently agricultural land on Cliff Dawson Road near Mars Hill Road.

The Planning Commission voted 5-3 on Dec. 11 to recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it deny the request by John Hadden III and Jennifer Hadden to convert 6.3 acres at 1110 Cliff Dawson Road from agricultural to business use so they can construct a barn-like reception facility.

Oconee County Fireworks Display In 2018 To Be Moved To Epps Bridge Centre

***Construction Necessitates Move***

The Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department plans to move its July 4 fireworks display for 2018 to Epps Bridge Centre off Epps Bridge Parkway to accommodate construction of three new multi-purpose fields at Oconee Veterans Park.

No firm agreement has been made with the owner of the expanding Epps Bridge Centre on details of the move, according to County Administrator Justin Kirouac.

Oconee County Has More Than $6 Million In Unspent Funds From 2004 And 2009 Tax Initiatives

***Collecting On 2015 Tax***

Oconee County had $6.3 million in unspent funds from its 2004 and 2009 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referenda at the end of June of 2017–or after 18 months of collection from its 2015 SPLOST.

The county had $3.2 million in unspent money from SPLOST 2004 set aside for County Facility Expansion and Renovation.