Oconee County Administrative Officer Takes Responsibility For Spending $10,000 On Road Design, But Says Chairman Knew Of Cost

Oconee County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko said he was the one who authorized the spending of nearly $10,000 in design costs to allow for a reconnection of Old Mars Hill Road with Mars Hill Road proper.

Benko said he was responding to a request from Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis “to get a firm estimate “ of the costs for reconnecting Old Mars Hill Road to Mars Hill Road.

Benko said he had “assumed” Davis had discussed the project with the other commissioners before making the request.

In hindsight, Benko said, he should not have made that assumption and should have communicated directly with the four voting commissioners before going forward with the design work and expenditure.

Benko also said he briefed Davis on the design and its costs on Aug. 4, which is 16 days before Davis sent Commissioner Jim Luke an email saying the county did not have a design for the roadway.

Benko’s version of how decisions were made to spend the $9,991.60 for the design costs are consistent with the email record as well as with the comments of county Public Works Director Emil Beshara, but they are at odds with Davis’ version.

For more on the story, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Jeff Benko.