Oconee County Commission Chair Tells Citizens That Park Needs Compete With Other County Demands

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman John Daniell last week had a simple message for the Advisory Committee on Recreational Affairs and representatives of the citizen Stakeholders Committee that is updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

Daniell said the proposed Fiscal Year 2018 Budget contains only one new full-time position, and that will go to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Daniell said that the proposed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax budget for Fiscal Year 2018 includes $2 million for completion of multi-use fields at Oconee Veterans Park.

That is on top of the $.8 million in SPLOST money budgeted to pay against the debt for purchase of the land for and construction of Oconee Veterans Park.

But there is a limit to what the county can do, Daniell said, and when the county spends nearly as much on Parks and Recreation from its General Fund Budget as it spends on roads in the county, it raises questions.

For more on the story, with a video of the meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Commission Chair John Daniell.