Candidates For Oconee County Commission In July 22 Runoff Offer Different Views On Role Of Chairman

2009 Changes Debated

Oconee County Post 3 Board of Commissioners candidates Margaret Hale and W. E. "Bubber” Wilkes take similar stands on some of the issues facing the county, but they differ markedly on one important one.

Hale wants to keep in place the current organizational chart for the county in which the administrative officer and the finance director report to all five Commission members equally and in which all other department heads report to the county administrative officer.

Wilkes wants to revert to the old system in which all county administrators report to the BOC chairman alone, who then reports to the other four commissioners.

Discussion of Subdivision Amenity Illustrates Aspects Of Oconee County’s Approach To SPLOST Spending

”Bridges” Of County

In March of 2009, voters in Oconee County overwhelmingly approved a 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum setting aside $1.1 million for spending on “recreational, historic and scenic facilities” in the county.

More than three years later, in May of 2012, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to spend $90,000 from that “recreational, historic and scenic facilities” category of SPLOST 2009, with most of that money going to replacement of a damaged “bridge” in Northwest Woods.

Benson’s Bakery And Thomas’ Tower On Oconee County Planning Commission Agenda

The Oconee County Planning Commission is set to take up tomorrow night a request for an industrial rezone in the urban north of the county and a request for a new cell tower in the county’s rural south.

The Commission will be reviewing a rezone application from Benson’s Bakery in the city of Bogart.

Mars Hill Road Widening On Schedule Even Without Federal Funding, Oconee County Officials Say

State Borrowing

Oconee County officials now believe that the lack of congressional action to address a projected shortfall in federal highway funding will not affect the pending Mars Hill Road widening project.

Emil Beshara, director of the county's public works department, told the Citizens Advisory Committee on Land Use and Transportation Planning last night that he expects the state to let bids for the project in July.

Oconee County Decided Not To Enforce Sign Ordinance At SR 316 And Oconee Connector

Ordinance Enforced Last Year

Oconee County officials have made a conscious decision not to enforce the county’s sign ordinance for a property in the busy intersection of SR 316 and the Oconee Connector.

Code enforcement officials believe a double-sided sign the county approved for the property was installed in violation of the county requirement that such signs be five feet from the property line. The sign, the county contends, is outside the property itself and is in the state right of way, which is a violation of state law.

Public Service Commission Paying For Gas Pipeline To Business And Medical Park In Oconee County

For Development

The Public Service Commission of Georgia will spend $0.5 million to run a gas pipeline under SR 316 to Resurgence Park, the commercial subdivision being created by Nichols Land and Development Company on Virgil Langford Road.

The gas line was requested by David Dwyer of Atlas Real Estate Advisors of Athens on behalf of his clients, Thrive Senior Living and Georgia Skin Cancer and Aesthetic Dermatology, which plan to open facilities in Resurgence Park.

Oconee County Chamber Of Commerce Released Results Of Liquor-By-The-Drink Survey

Call For Vote

The Oconee County Chamber of Commerce released a report on Monday showing that 79 percent of its members responding to a Chamber survey said they would like to see a referendum on liquor by the drink on the November ballot.

And 77 percent said they would like the Chamber to encourage the Oconee County Board of Commissioners to put the issue before the voters.