Oconee County School Board Approves Fiscal Year 2022 Budget After Rare Public Disagreement--Over Salaries

***Board Does Not Respond To Questions At Hearing***

The Oconee County Board of Education is scheduled to hold is second and final public hearing on June 7 on its proposed $86.7 million Fiscal Year 2022 budget that leaves unchanged the existing property tax millage rate and increases spending per student by $333.

The budget includes a $1,250 one-time bonus paid to each of the system’s more than 1,000 employees plus an additional increase of $1 per hour for custodial staff, bus drivers, and school nutrition workers.

The bonus and hourly salary increase were not part of the budget submitted to the Board by Superintendent Jason Branch on May 3 but were added by the Board at its meeting on May 10.

Watkinsville Council Candidates Agree On Many Questions Posed At Candidate Forum

***Differ On Role Of Party In Nonpartisan Race***

For 40 minutes on Monday evening, the two candidates for Watkinsville Council Post 1 in the June 15 special election responded to questions ranging from their views on managing city growth to the need for a city manager.

WGAU New Director Tim Bryant asked Chuck Garrett and Carolyn Maultsby 23 different questions in the candidate forum organized by the Oconee County Republican Party and Bethel Baptist Church.

Agreement between them was more common than disagreement.

Oconee County Planning Commission Recommends Use Of Shipping Container Shells For Outdoor Food And Retail Court

***Concerned About Lack Of Pedestrian Access To Site***

The Oconee County Planning Commission took quick action at its meeting on Monday night on a request by John and Brittany Wardlow that they be given permission to use a barn on their property on Osborne Road to house equipment from their septic cleaning service.

The Planning Commission recommended approval of Wardlow’s request, as well as a request by Tyler McClure that property he owns on Moreland Heights Drive just outside Watkinsville be rezoned for an assisted living facility and general office building.

Northeast Health District Adds 199 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week, Six Deaths From Disease

***Oconee Schools End Year With No Active Cases***

The Northeast Health District added 199 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday and six new confirmed deaths attributed to the disease.

The 199 added cases of COVID-19 compare with the 264 added cases and seven confirmed deaths added in the week ending May14.

The average of 28.4 new cases per day for the week ending on Friday compares with the average of 37.7 new cases per day for the week ending on May 14.

First Hearing Set on Oconee County Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Following Outline Of Budget Plans By County Finance Director

***Tax Rate Decision Is Still Pending***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the county’s proposed 2022 Fiscal Year Budget at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday before its agenda setting meeting.

County Finance Director Wes Geddings released spending requests and recommendations for the General Fund portion of the budget at the Commission’s May 4 meeting and promised to provide additional detail at the May 25 meeting.

Watkinsville Candidate Forum Set For Monday Even With Only One Candidate For Mayor

***Republicans, Bethel Baptist Church Join As Sponsors***

Watkinsville’s nonpartisan special election on June 15 had taken on the character of an inter-party affair before the surprise announcement on Tuesday by Peter Steckel that he was withdrawing from the mayoral race.

The Oconee County Republican Party has organized a candidate forum for the election in partnership with Bethel Baptist Church for 6:30 p.m. on Monday (May 24), with Tim Bryant, WGAU news director and conservative commentator, serving as moderator.

Minutes Of Oconee County Board Of Commissioners May Meeting Take On Significance

***Rezone Vote Has To Be Finalized***

When Oconee County commissioners gathers on June 1 and approve the minutes of their May 4 meeting, they will set the parameters for any near-term plans for development of a shopping center at the corner of Mars Hill Road and the Oconee Connector.

Property owner Maxie Price has 30 days from that date to file an appeal to Oconee County Superior Court of the May 4 denial by the commissioners in a 3 to 1 vote of his request to rezone the nearly 47 acres he owns at that intersection for a large shopping center anchored by a Publix.