Oconee County Commissioners Review Spending Categories For New SPLOST Planned For May 19 Ballot, With Parks Spending Topping List

***Plan Is To Pay Off Two Bonds***

Oconee County commissioners are projecting that renewal of the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) next May would result in $90 million in revenue and are planning to spend between $24 million and $30 million of that money for recreation and park facilities.

The plan is to dedicate another $13.3 million to retire two General Obligations Bonds, one from 2002 issued for construction of Oconee Veterans Park and the other from 2021 for construction of the new county Administrative Building.

Oconee County Voters Opt To Renew Education Sales Tax, Give Boost To Democrats In Statewide Public Service Commission Races

***Incumbents Win In Bishop, Bogart, Watkinsville***

Nearly two-third of Oconee County voters approved of renewal of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) in Tuesday’s election, extending the 1 percent tax until 2031, or until it brings in $86.8 million in revenue.

While the margin of approval for renewal of the tax was substantial, it was the lowest in any of the seven ESPLOST referendums in the county, going back to the first referendum in 1997.

Oconee County Commissioners To Consider Rezone Request For Third QuikTrip In County At Hog Mountain Road And U.S.78

***To Include Diesel Pumps For Trucks***

Oconee County Commissioners on Tuesday evening are scheduled to take action on two rezone requests designed to bring a third QuikTrip to Oconee County, the second with dedicated diesel truck pumps.

Property Owners Amir and Connie Tahamtan are asking the Board to rezone 3.3 acres pulled out from an 8.7 acre parcel on U.S. 78 (Monroe Highway) at Hog Mountain Road (SR 53) between Bethabara Baptist Church and Stripling’s from AG(Agricultural) to B-2 (Highway Business District).

Oconee County Schools Financial Officer Reports On Spending On Education Sales Tax In Last Meeting Before Renewal Referendum

***Early Voting Turnout Picked Up In Final Days***

Oconee County Schools has spent $72.4 million for projects covered by its current Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST VI), has made payments of $9.9 million against bonds sold to finance those projects, and has $14.4 million available in its ESPLOST VI account.

Spending of revenue from the tax continues for technology systemwide and for four projects: parking at Oconee County High School, paving at the system maintenance building, sports lighting at Oconee County High School, and classroom locks at North Oconee High School.

Special Election Set For Dec. 9 For House District 121 To Replace Wiedower, Who Stepped Down As Oconee House Representative

***Republican Party Meeting Focused On District 120***

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday issued an executive order setting Dec. 9 as the date for a special election to fill the vacancy for House District 121, which includes three of Oconee County’s four precincts and parts of Clarke County.

Republican Marcus Wiedower announced on Tuesday morning that he was stepping down as House District 121 Representative to devote more time to his job as vice president of external affairs for Hillpointe, a real estate development and investment management firm.

Oconee County Commissioners Put Forward A Rezone For Shopping Center At Oconee Connector And Mars Hill Road

***Response To Law Suit***

Oconee County Commissioners are initiating a rezone of 33 acres at the corner of the Oconee Connector and Mars Hill Road that had been proposed for a shopping center to include a Publix as an anchor.

The Board turned down the requested rezone for that property in 2022, in part because of traffic concerns, and subsequently was sued by the property owner, Deferred Tax LLC.

Russ Page, Whose Contributions To Oconee County Were Numerous, Passes

***He Was A Farmer–And Much More***

Russ Page, business entrepreneur, farmer, and dedicated civic activist in Oconee County, died peacefully at his home in Wilmington, N.C., on Saturday (Oct. 25) after a long battle with cancer. He was 80.

Page was instrumental in creating Oconee County’s farmland protection program, was one of the founders of the county’s farmers market, and was the key advocate for including designated funding for historic preservation in the county’s budget.