tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:24:46 +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)Blogger3087125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-723409615360472554Sun, 28 Jun 2026 21:46:25 +00002026-06-28T16:46:25.052-05:00***Agreement To Be Discussed Prior To July 6 Joint Board Meeting*** Oconee County Schools will take over full administration of and ownership of the Oconee County Civic Center as of Sept. 1 of this year, even gaining the right to change the name of the facility, according to a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement released by the county on Friday afternoon. In return, Oconee County will assume http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-releases-details-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-1130270634432148052Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:39:04 +00002026-06-26T16:39:04.162-05:00***Final Bill Removed Mandate*** The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration, meeting on Monday (June 22) for certification of the June 16 Primary Runoff Election, voted to tell the county’s two representatives in the Georgia House of its opposition to legislation passed in the Senate a few days earlier. The Senate had passed Senate Bill 3 EX on Saturday (June 20) that would have http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-election-board-urged.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-2519153559974325415Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:58:36 +00002026-06-21T00:07:37.573-05:00***Only Five Citizens Spoke*** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will have a draft of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Board of Education spelling out the details of transfer of the Civic Center to Oconee County Schools at its June 30 meeting, Commission Chair John Daniell said on Tuesday (June 16). The Board of Commissioners will discuss the agreement at that meeting, http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/announcements-at-oconee-county.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5386509315723216881Sat, 20 Jun 2026 02:27:06 +00002026-06-19T21:27:06.445-05:00***Main Street Linked To Thomas Farm Preserve*** A group of children cut the ribbon on Friday (June 19) on the newly completed Watkinsville Mulberry Street Covered Bridge, reflecting the stated goal of Mayor Brian Brodrick that the structure be one that children will know and remember. “We want to build communities that our children want to come back to,” Brodrick told the more than 100 people http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/watkinsville-mayor-celebrates-children.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4945362307004472878Fri, 19 Jun 2026 02:12:44 +00002026-06-18T21:12:44.354-05:00***Millage Rate Revised Slightly Higher*** The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday passed a revised Fiscal Year 2027 Budget that adds $1.2 million to the Fund Balance and is based on a slight increase in the millage rate from the budget the Board tentatively approved in May. Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams told the Board that the new budget is based on an increase of nearly $3 http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-school-board-approves.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-1314114532806075879Wed, 17 Jun 2026 02:52:49 +00002026-06-16T22:01:41.510-05:00Only A Quarter Of Active Voters Cast A Ballot*** Oconee County Republican voters picked Walton County resident Marc McMain (61.4 percent) over Oconee County resident Doug McKillip (38.6 percent) in the runoff for the party nomination for Senate District 46. County Republicans preferred Derek Dooley (54.5 percent) over Mike Collins (45.5 percent) in the race for the party nomination for the U.S.http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/mcmain-wins-in-oconee-county-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-2065934822534509908Tue, 16 Jun 2026 03:13:38 +00002026-06-16T07:24:12.933-05:00***Gisler Listed Five Topics Of Call For Session*** The outline that State House District 121 Rep. Eric Gisler gave on Saturday for the upcoming special session of the Georgia General Assembly, set to begin on Wednesday, was very sparse on details, as Gisler readily admitted. Gov. Brian Kemp has asked the legislature to “consider” changing the district maps for Congress and the Georgia Senate http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/rep-gisler-in-town-hall-meeting-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7076897825019357540Sat, 13 Jun 2026 03:14:32 +00002026-06-12T22:32:04.040-05:00***Democratic Voting Down More Than Republican Voting*** A total of 4,333 of Oconee County’s 34,000 eligible voters, or 12.7 percent, had cast a ballot in the June 16 Party Primary Runoffs as of the end of the day on Friday, the final day of Advance In Person voting. Most of those votes were cast in person, with 4,165 voters casting a ballot at the County Administrative Building north of http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/one-third-fewer-oconee-county-voters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-3312709604001172695Fri, 12 Jun 2026 03:54:17 +00002026-06-11T22:54:17.028-05:00***Includes Additional Access To Apalachee River*** The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has awarded Oconee County a $3 million grant for expansion of and improvements to Heritage Park, located on U.S. 441 south of Farmington. The county made application for the grant after agreeing last October to spend $1.91 million to acquire 110 pristine acres to expand the park. The DNR has http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-receives-grant-from-state.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5696611029655977166Thu, 11 Jun 2026 03:25:02 +00002026-06-12T22:00:31.970-05:00***Democrats Underperforming May Turnout Numbers*** After three days of Advance In Person voting, and with only two days remaining, 2,175 of Oconee County’s eligible voters, or 6.4 percent, have cast an In Person ballot in the June 16 Party Primary Runoff. Another 87 voters have returned an Absentee by Mail ballot, bringing the total number of votes cast by the end of the day on Wednesday to http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/early-voting-for-june-16-party-primary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4187029125913338361Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:37:13 +00002026-06-09T22:37:13.489-05:00***Two Opportunities For Citizens To Offer Input*** In separate news releases on Tuesday, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners and the Oconee County Board of Education announced plans to transfer ownership of the Oconee County Civic Center from the county to Oconee County Schools. If the plans are approved by both Boards, the county would transfer ownership of the nearly 30,000 square foot http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-board-of-commissioners.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-6952255365735933750Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:11:11 +00002026-06-09T15:37:53.961-05:00***School Nutrition Program Will Require Infusion Of Funding*** The Federal Funds Fiscal Year 2027 Budget for Oconee County Schools, which at $6.3 million is dwarfed by the $122.5 million General Fund Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, has played a slightly more prominent role than usual in budget discussions this year. Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams told School Board Chair Michael Ransom at the http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-schools-federal-funds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-3260556569003069095Sun, 07 Jun 2026 04:36:55 +00002026-06-07T07:22:39.553-05:00***Town Hall Meeting Set For June 16*** The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday gave official approval to a Fiscal Year 2027 General Fund Budget of $49.0 million, up by 7.2 percent from the original Fiscal Year 2026 Budget of $45.7 million The Board also approved a new fee schedule for county services that includes a 3.6 percent increase in the basic water rate for residential http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-commissioners-adopt-49.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-224009698891082378Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:43:16 +00002026-06-05T22:43:16.441-05:00***Hotel Off Virgil Langford Road In Final Permitting Stage*** The developer of the large, upscale athletic club on Plaza Parkway across from Costco is asking the county to allow it to change its development plans to eliminate the proposed hotel and substitute instead two medical office buildings. The 14.3 acre parcel has been cleared and graded for the proposed athletic facility and hotel, buthttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/developer-asking-oconee-county-planning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5112147406376476874Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:17:29 +00002026-06-03T07:32:32.367-05:00***State Senate District 46 Candidates Lead Off*** The Republican Party Stumping Ground forum got off to a contentious start on Monday as Doug McKillip and Marc McMain, seeking the party’s nomination in the state Senate District 46 race, tussled over gambling, property tax relief, campaign financing, party affiliation, and other matters. The event ended nearly two hours later with a sharp http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/06/oconee-county-gop-stumping-ground-forum.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-6712267154404528289Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:20:42 +00002026-06-01T10:33:51.865-05:00***All 12 Schools Will Have Officer, He Says*** The reduction of funding in the Oconee County Schools Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to allow for 14 School Resource Officers rather than 16 does not reflect a “cut” to the School Research Officer (SRO) program, Oconee County Schools Chief Financial Officer Peter Adams said on Thursday. The withholding of funding for two positions that were requested by http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-schools-administrator.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7888036975802198563Sun, 31 May 2026 03:45:02 +00002026-05-30T22:45:02.005-05:00Democratic Lieutenant Governor Race Still Open Oconee County voters wishing to participate in the June 16 General Primary Runoff will have only five days of early voting, beginning Monday, June 8, and ending on Friday, June 12. The runoff is particularly important for Republicans, since the party has not yet selected its candidates for the U.S. Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/only-five-days-of-early-voting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-5761766613898961835Tue, 26 May 2026 04:48:10 +00002026-05-25T23:48:10.388-05:00***About 200 People Participated*** About 200 people gathered in the gym at Herman C. Michael Park on Hog Mountain Road on Monday (May 25) to honor the memory of those who gave their lives in foreign wars and recognize the sacrifices of their families. The program had been scheduled for the Veterans Memorial at the entrance to Oconee Veterans Park across the street from Herman C. Michael Park http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-memorial-day-program.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-521999522592029494Mon, 25 May 2026 04:48:39 +00002026-05-25T12:25:50.276-05:00***Cut Is Fiscally Responsible, Finance Director Says*** Oconee County Schools Finance Director Peter Adams, in his presentation on the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget on Thursday (May 21), told the Board of Education that the budget he has prepared for them includes three “significant reductions” in spending. The budget eliminates 14 school employees, cuts the operating budget by 3.3 percent, or $http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/cut-to-school-resource-officer-program.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-77350080630976176Sat, 23 May 2026 01:53:38 +00002026-05-22T20:53:38.188-05:00***Work Should Be Completed By Fall*** Oconee County commissioners on Tuesday night, at their agenda setting meeting, gave tentative approval to spending $1.4 million on the decommissioning of the Rocky Branch Land Application System (LAS) wastewater treatment site. The decommissioning of the 246-acre site on Rocky Branch Road should begin four to six weeks after the commissioners give final http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-commissioners-agree-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-8347103123824880528Wed, 20 May 2026 05:28:56 +00002026-05-20T09:17:21.698-05:00***Tight Race Locally For Republican State Senate*** Oconee County voters approved renewal of the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) on Tuesday, by a lower margin than they approved the tax six years ago. Oconee County Republican voters gave a tiny edge to Marc McMain as their choice to represent them in the state Senate District 46 race and picked Gary “Ward” Black Jr. ashttp://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-voters-approve-renewal-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-6849235401277071855Tue, 19 May 2026 02:08:16 +00002026-05-18T21:16:56.263-05:00***McKillip Fully Self-Funded His Campaign*** The seven candidates in competitive races in tomorrow’s election to represent Oconee County in the Georgia General Assembly entered the final weeks of the campaign in very different financial positions, according to their Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports. Marc McMain, one of three Republicans running for the party’s nomination for Senate http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/campaign-finance-reports-show.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-246470528941989859Sun, 17 May 2026 03:48:46 +00002026-05-17T11:24:28.120-05:00***Precincts Open At 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. On Tuesday*** One in five of Oconee County’s 34,013 registered voters (20.0 percent) has cast a ballot for the May 19 Party Primary and Nonpartisan elections as of the end of early voting on Friday, up from 16.7 percent at that same point four years ago. The increase in voting compared with 2022 is largely the result of increased voting in the Democratic http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/early-voting-for-may-19-party-primary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-7424291814207721529Fri, 15 May 2026 05:00:27 +00002026-05-24T14:51:30.468-05:00***Praised Collaboration With Oconee County Schools*** When the Oconee County Democrats invited Oconee County Sheriff James Hale, a Republican, to speak to them last week, they asked him to talk about two issues, school safety and immigration. Hale obliged, spending more than 50 minutes talking and answering questions about various aspects of those two topics. Hale said he had started working http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-sheriff-focused-on-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714015.post-4928730689175899381Wed, 13 May 2026 03:53:09 +00002026-05-14T23:16:11.884-05:00***Told Proposed Cuts Reflect Declines In Enrollment*** The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday night gave approval to a $122.5 million preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 budget, up 1.6 percent from the $120.5 million budget for the current fiscal year. Revenue is projected at $120.7 million, and the budget is balanced by a transfer of funds from the General Fund Balance, or money held in http://www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/05/oconee-county-board-of-education.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Becker)0