The Oconee County Board of Education paused its regular meeting on Monday (Nov. 10) night to thank and honor Debra Harden, who stepped in as interim superintendent and then interim associate superintendent during the transition in school leadership.
New Superintendent Melissa Butler, in her first superintendent report to the Board, said that Harden will be leaving her current position effective Nov. 21. Butler said she “will forever be grateful for my time working alongside her.”
Oconee County voters who decide to cast a ballot in the Dec. 9 Special Election to fill the vacancy for Georgia House District 121 will have only two names to choose from, Democrat Eric Gisler and Republican Mack “Dutch” Guest IV.
Republican Steven Strickland, who had declared for the opening soon after Republican Marcus Wiedower announced he was stepping down on Oct. 28, decided not to qualify by the 1 p.m. deadline on Monday (Nov. 10).
When Oconee County Commission Chair John Daniell last week outlined spending proposals for a renewed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), he noted the $24 million designated for Parks and Recreation would not include a gymnasium at the new Dawson Park.,
Phase 1 of the project, he said, which would be funded by the new SPLOST if voters approve it in May, would include 10 sports fields and nearby parking, road infrastructure, and be “pad ready for the gymnasium,” Daniell said.
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.
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 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 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.
