Citizen Committees Begin Discussions For Launch Of 2021 SPLOST

Preparation for a vote this November on renewal of Oconee County’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is underway.

County Administrator Justin Kirouac said he has asked county departments to develop projects lists and cost estimates and that the Board of Commissioners will discuss in February the schedule for creating the projects to be put before the voters in the fall.

Mark Campbell, chair of the Oconee County Library Board of Trustees, announced at the Board’s Jan. 13 meeting that the Oconee County libraries have been included in that solicitation and that the Library Board members should begin preparing a list of projects for the initiative.

At the Tuesday meeting of the Recreation Advisory Committee, Lisa D. Davol, director of the county’s Parks and Recreation Department, led the group through a nearly hour-long discussion of projects that might be included on the ballot for SPLOST in November.

Davol said additional tennis courts at Oconee Veterans Park and a new entrance to that park would seem to be likely top projects for the renewal of the 1 percent sales tax.

The Recreation Advisory Committee scheduled a 6 p.m. meeting on Feb. 18 at Oconee Veterans Park for citizens to provide input to the Committee as it narrows down and prioritizes its list.

At the Library Board meeting, Cara Karnes, Oconee County Branch Managing Librarian, announced that the Friends of the Oconee County Library will hold is Winter Book Sale next month at the Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville.

The sale starts at 5 p.m. on Feb. 6 for members, though anyone can join at the door. Sales are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Feb. 7 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 8.

For more on this story, with videos of the Recreation Advisory Committee and Library Board of Trustees meetings, please go to Oconee County Observations.