tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:59:51 +0000Calls Creek wastewater plantMars Hill RoadAnimal ControlBishop BypassRocky Branch LASEpps Bridge CentreDaniells Bridge RoadHard Labor Creek Regional ReservoirJamie BoswellFalls Of OconeeCaterpillarJimmy Daniell RoadOconee County BudgetNews and comments about developments in Oconee County, Georgiahttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/noreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)Blogger3048125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-1181965560923091192Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:27:00 +00002026-04-13T07:14:11.740-05:00***Board Chair Said Decision On Actual Sale Not Yet Made*** The Oconee County Board of Education has decided to take the required legal step to issue $12.1 million in General Obligation Sales Tax Bonds to be retired by funds from the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) voters approved in November. The bonds will be sold at interest rates not to exceed 5.5 percent per yearhttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/oconee-county-board-of-education-takes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7649673152706436673Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:50:00 +00002026-04-12T07:39:38.630-05:00***Two Candidates Speaking Locally*** The contest for the Democratic Party nomination for Congressional District 10 has become quite visible in recent weeks in Oconee County, as both of the active candidates have appeared before groups, each making the case that she is better able to flip the traditionally Republican district in November. Lexi Doherty, who represented the party in the contest http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/democratic-party-primary-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-2254352167632528118Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:04:00 +00002026-04-10T23:04:02.878-05:00***Resolution Went Out On Friday*** The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration has asked Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special session of the General Assembly to address the unresolved problem with the QR Code used to tabulate election ballots. Elections and Registration Board Chair Jay Hanley said a copy of a resolution approved by the Board went out on Friday by regular mail and by http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/oconee-county-election-board-asks-gov.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4185247039833368723Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:32:00 +00002026-04-08T22:58:12.689-05:00***EMS Launch Likely By End Of Calendar Year*** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night voted unanimously to create the county’s own Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operation. In addition to formally making that decision, and in support of it, the Board also voted unanimously to spend $1.1 million for five F-350 Ford trucks and $0.8 million to equip those truck as ambulances.http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/oconee-county-commissioners-vote-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-9039891368050957032Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:24:00 +00002026-04-07T22:42:06.995-05:00***Plans Differ In Location, Length, Cost*** The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has identified three routes for the planned SR 15 truck bypass of Watkinsville that it will present at its Public Information Open House (PIOH) scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on April 16 at the Oconee County Administrative Building, 7635 Macon Highway, north of Watkinsville. Listed as a First Alternative is http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/citizens-at-april-16-gdot-open-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7457016505519681007Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:46:00 +00002026-04-05T22:46:19.903-05:00***Plan Is Before Board Of Commissioners On Tuesday*** Deferred Tax LLC will be back before the Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night with its latest plan for development of the 46.9 acres it owns on the Oconee Connector between Mars Hill Road and SR 316 stretching to Virgil Langford Road. This time, Deferred Tax is proposing a two-building, 26,000 square foot retail center withhttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/developer-of-shopping-center-at-oconee.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5023918469014829492Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:47:00 +00002026-04-03T22:30:23.775-05:00***Immediate Change In Staff *** Patrick Graham, owner of the Walton Tribune, announced on Friday that he has purchased The Oconee Enterprise from Oconee County businessman Mark Martin. The purchase will take place immediately, and Graham said the Enterprise will not miss an issue. Graham said the three employees of the paper, News Editor Nathalee Simoneau, Sports Editor Stuart Steele, and http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/owner-of-walton-tribune-purchases.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4171161429022283968Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:23:00 +00002026-04-03T07:49:30.002-05:00***Citizens Ask Questions Directly Of Candidates*** A candidate forum for the contested state Senate District 46 and House District 120 races in the May 19 Party Primaries is scheduled for 5:30 to 8 p.m. on April 21 at the Community Center, Oconee Veterans Park, 3500 Hog Mountain Road, west of Butler’s Crossing. Voters will have the opportunity to pose questions in one session to Republican http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/april-21-candidate-forum-scheduled-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-3672224909441545110Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:03:00 +00002026-04-01T23:03:41.411-05:00***Larger Drop From October To March Last School Year*** Oconee County Schools released its official March 6 enrollment report on Friday, showing a decline in enrollments of seven students from the count on Oct. 7 of 2025. Enrollment on Oct. 7, 2025, had been down by 192 students from Oct. 1 of 2024, and enrollment on March 6 of 2026 was down by 134 students from March 5 of 2025. Last year, http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/04/oconee-county-schools-reports-slight.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5260290215100444104Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:42:00 +00002026-04-01T07:01:41.904-05:00***Purchase Of Trucks And Equipment Also Put On Agenda*** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night agreed to put on its agenda for next week discussion of a proposal that the county launch its own Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operation. The Board also will consider purchasing five 2026 F-350 Ford trucks for a total cost of $1,124,000 and purchasing $768,279 in ambulance http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-commissioners-agree-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5250246313002009785Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:12:00 +00002026-03-30T00:12:46.583-05:00***Expresses Concern About QR Code Mandate On Ballots*** State Rep. Eric Gisler’s Third Town Hall meeting quickly became a conversation, and he exchanged ideas with the audience on topics including gun control, voting rights, education funding, property and income taxes, and the state budget surplus. Gisler, representing Oconee County in House District 121, noted as the session at the Town of http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-state-rep-gisler-at-third.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-1966512046208907778Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:59:00 +00002026-03-29T14:59:14.075-05:00One Of 10 Local Sites For National Rally*** More than 230 people turned out on a sunny but cool Saturday afternoon in front of the historic Eagle Tavern and in front of the Oconee County Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Watkinsville to join the national No Kings rally. Protesters carried hand-created signs with the No Kings theme, but also protesting the war in Iran, the cost of gasoline, http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/no-kings-rally-draws-crowd-at-center-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-9202690182445407762Sat, 21 Mar 2026 03:55:00 +00002026-03-20T23:12:21.370-05:00***Offers Updates On Dawson Park*** Oconee County Commission Chair John Daniell waited until about 12 minutes into his 40-minute-long State of the County address on Wednesday to talk about what he said he knew his audience was most interested in hearing: his annual transportation project update. Daniell reviewed the status of 11 Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) projects in the countyhttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-board-of-commissioners.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-2994240994370291196Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:08:00 +00002026-03-19T00:08:27.997-05:00***Cap On Revenue Will Affect Schools As Well*** Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell took a pause in his summary of county finances in his State of the County address on Wednesday (March 18) to comment on property tax legislation passed by the Georgia House of Representatives and now before the Senate. Daniell said the current version of House Bill 1116 would impact the http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/latest-version-of-property-tax-relief.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-68566074967594737Mon, 16 Mar 2026 02:32:00 +00002026-03-15T21:38:16.509-05:00***County Facing “Challenges” With Existing Service *** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners, seeking input on the provision of emergency medical services (EMS) in the county, will hold a called Town Hall Meeting at 6 p.m. on March 26 at the Oconee County Administrative Building, 7635 Macon Highway, north of Watkinsville. The meeting will focus on the current arrangement for provision of http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-commissioners-call.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4169985003305862793Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:58:00 +00002026-03-13T22:06:21.523-05:00***Purchase Part Of Expanding List Of ESPLOST Projects*** The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday night approved spending $108,128 for the purchase and installation of 120 new access control panels for doors in the system’s 12 schools. Tony McCullers, Chief Technology Officer for Oconee County Schools, told the Board the purchase will address technology needs of the schools and http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-school-board-votes-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5576362405645212149Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:10:00 +00002026-03-11T00:10:06.834-05:00***Horton Says Sports Fields And Gym Needed Quickly*** When the Oconee County Democratic Party asked County Commissioner Chuck Horton to give an overview of the proposed new Dawson Park last week, Horton focused on what he sees as the immediate need for new sports fields and a gym. The long-range plan for the 250-acre site on Rocky Branch Road that now is the county’s Land Application System (http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-commissioner-horton.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-939418549662018552Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:47:00 +00002026-03-08T23:25:05.265-05:00***Board Received Unsolicited Inquiry About Availability Of Property*** An unidentified interested party has approached the Oconee County Board of Education about the possibility of purchasing 42.7 acres on U.S. 41 north of Bishop that the School Board has owned since 2007 but has never utilized. The Board spent an hour and 45 minutes in executive session after its regular meeting on Monday (http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-school-board-evaluating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7171828144109203258Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:34:00 +00002026-03-09T09:41:31.965-05:00***Watkinsville Has Once Contested Election Only one candidate has qualified for each of the four Oconee County local races on the ballot on May 19, meaning the only wholly local question before voters is the referendum on renewal of the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). At the end of qualifying at noon on Friday, only incumbent Chuck Horton qualified for Post 2 on the http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-county-may-19-party-primary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5662016024321055881Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:47:00 +00002026-03-07T00:53:16.557-05:00***Citizens Pack Commission Chamber For Zoning Hearing*** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners, in a 3 to 1 vote, on Tuesday night turned down a request to build a contractor’s office/showroom/warehouse building with outdoor storage on Jimmy Daniell Road at the entrance to Silver Leaf subdivision. Oconee Medical Properties LLC, owned by Gavin Griffith and Tim Burgess, was asking the http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/oconee-board-of-commissioners-turns.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4864839022095461907Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:13:00 +00002026-03-02T23:14:22.384-05:00***Second Town Hall Draws Engaged Crowd*** Democratic State Rep. Eric Gisler began his second Town Hall meeting on Saturday with an update on legislation under consideration in the Georgia House of Representatives and a summary of his position on the legislation. Gisler said he will vote against House Bill 1116, which is designed to eliminate local property tax for homesteaded property in 2032,http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/state-rep-gisler-explains-his-vote-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-2801800197385048499Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:43:00 +00002026-03-02T09:53:03.600-05:00***Senate, Statewide Candidates, Also Spoke*** The Oconee County Board of Education does not have any plans to add a third high school in the near future, given the current decline in enrollments in the Oconee County Schools system. The Board is anticipating some future growth in enrollments and is monitoring the zoning and the issuance of building permits, but both high schools are under http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/republican-party-candidates-for-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-3696451250781636550Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:31:00 +00002026-02-27T01:31:04.650-05:00***Former Mayor Bob Smith Objected To Change In Dates*** The Georgia State Election Board last week voted to send to the Georgia Attorney General for further investigation a complaint filed against the Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration about qualification for the 2024 Watkinsville Council races. The Board took that action after former Mayor Bob Smith told the Board that three http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/02/state-election-board-sends-complaint.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-1835909550627096138Mon, 23 Feb 2026 02:29:00 +00002026-02-24T00:24:31.605-05:00***Shortfall $9.8 Million For County, $32.2 Million For Schools*** Oconee County government will lose $9.8 million in property tax revenue if the legislation being considered by the Georgia House of Representatives is approved in its current form, while each of the county’s four cities will lose between $13,504 and $306,307, and Oconee County Schools will lose a whopping $32.2 million. For the http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/02/legislation-before-georgia-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-3413007802821118662Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:57:00 +00002026-02-17T00:20:53.019-05:00***SPLOST 2027 Referendum Outlined*** Jeff Hood touched a fresh wound when he asked the first question at the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Town Hall meeting last week. Hood wanted to know how the county is going to “make up the missing revenue” if the state prohibits local governments from collecting property taxes on homesteaded property, as the Republican Party House leadership has http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/02/oconee-county-commissioners-at-town.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1