Local Oconee County Legislation, District Attorney Oversight, Ban On Gas Powered Leaf Blowers, Part Of Final Days Of General Assembly

***Watkinsville Gets Authority***

In the last two days of the legislative session, which ended on Wednesday, the Georgia House and Senate agreed to create an oversight commission for district attorneys, with the support of Oconee County’s legislators, who had championed the effort.

The General Assembly didn’t agree to make district attorney races nonpartisan, to make it easier to recall the district attorney, or to move Banks County from the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, perhaps putting into motion transfer of Oconee to the Piedmont Circuit.

Legislation For Oconee County Homestead Exemption Referendums Includes Complex Ballot Language

***All 10 Referendums Must Pass***

Oconee County voters will confront a hodgepodge of 10 ballot items next May when they vote on efforts to revise the county’s homestead exemptions and freeze property tax assessments for homeowners who have turned 65.

Four of the 10 items repeal or change existing laws, and six enact new ones.

Georgia Senate Has Two Days To Vote On Local Legislation For Oconee County Commissioners And Watkinsville Mayor And Council

***Bills Cleared House Last Week***

The Georgia House of Representatives passed 11 pieces of local legislation last week sponsored by Oconee County representatives Houston Gaines and Marcus Wiedower with votes in each case of 162 to 0.

The House sent the bills immediately to the Georgia Senate, where they have been reviewed favorably by that body’s State and Local Government Operations Committee.

Oconee County Planning Commission Approves Redesigned Research Quarter Commercial Subdivision On Virgil Langford Road

***Access To Connector Removed From Plans***

Land Planner Ken Beall, appearing before the Oconee County Planning Commission on Monday evening, told that group something that those who drive along the Oconee Connector as it crosses SR Loop 10 toward Epps Bridge Centre know quite well.

Beall said that his clients' 22.7 acre property east of the Connector between Virgil Langford Road and the Loop had been clearcut and is sitting undeveloped. The wood piles and open space are hard to miss.

Northeast Health District Reports Slight Uptick In COVID-19 Cases

***New Confirmed Death From Disease In Oconee***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that the Northeast Health District added 135 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on March 22, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.

That number of cases added a week earlier had been 105.

Oconee County Town Hall Meeting Bought Out Advocates For Wide Range Of Uses Of County Parks

***Horse Crowd Dominated***

One could score the Town Hall Meeting that the Oconee County Board of Commissioners held on Tuesday evening at the Civic Center this way:

Horses: 10 speakers

Sports Fields: 7 speakers

Pool: 5 speakers

Rails to Trails: 3 speakers

Pickleball and Oconee Parks Foundation: 2 speakers each

GDOT Reconsidering Plans For SR 316 Interchanges at McNutt Creek Road, Dials Mill Road, Dials Mill Extension, Julian Drive

***Oconee Commission Chair Reports***

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is considering changes to its plans for the McNutt Creek Road intersection with SR 316, switching from a flyover to a full access multi-grade intersection.

At the same time, GDOT is re-evaluating, in response to citizen input, its proposed intersection designs for Dials Mill Road and Dials Mill Extension with SR 316.

The planned flyover of Julian Drive of SR 316 also is being reassessed.