Group Gives Oconee Commission Proposal For County Museum

Russ Page, a tireless advocate for farmland and historic site preservation, Tuesday night delivered on his promise in January to present the Oconee County Board of Commissioners a proposal for a county History Museum and preservation of historical sites on the Oconee River.

Page, representing a group of land owners, historians and archaeologists, and the Athens Land Trust, asked that the Board set aside $300,000 in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenue for the purchase of land for the museum.

Voters approved $250,000 in the 2015 SPLOST for “Historic and Scenic Facilities” and $1.1 million in 2009 SPLOST for “Recreation, Historic and Scenic Facilities.” As of the last accounting period, all of the 2015 revenue and $406,543 of the 2009 monies were unspent.

The Board offered no response to the proposal, which Page presented during the citizen comment section at the beginning of the meeting.

In other action Tuesday night, the Board gave tentative approval to a Strategic Plan for the county and tentative approval for a third alcohol license for a business in the Falls of Oconee commercial complex on old Macon Highway across from the Athens Ridge student housing complex.

The Board also interviewed Fran Davis, currently working as technical administrative assistant in the Elections and Registration Office. Davis is seeking appointment as chair of the Board of Elections and Registration, which oversees the Elections and Registration Office.

For details of the Commission meeting, including a video of the entire session, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Booklet documenting the history of the area covered by the proposal.