Politics & Government
Oconee County Officials Met With State Transportation Board Member And His Client To Discuss Modifications In Design For Mars Hill Road
County officials had rejected the change in plans for the roadway in advance but met after being urged to do so by Chairman Melvin Davis.
Oconee County officials–at the request of Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis–met last week with commercial real estate broker Jamie Boswell and one of his clients to discuss a possible change in the plans for the widening of Mars Hill Road.
Boswell and his client, Maxie Price, wanted to discuss a cut in the median to provide access to property Price owns once the roadway is widened.
Boswell, in addition to being a commercial realtor, is the local representative to the state Transportation Board, which oversees the administration of construction contracts, including the one let in July for the widening of Mars Hill Road from SR 316 to Butler’s Crossing.
Boswell’s client, Price, also is the defendant in a condemnation suit the county has filed to obtain right of way for the widening project.
County Attorney Daniel Haygood, who attended the meeting on Nov. 3, said it was “in connection with the condemnation action, which is still pending in Oconee County Superior Court.”
‘I think it is fair to point out that we told (and have repeatedly told) Mr. Price and his attorneys that the ultimate authority to settle these condemnation cases lies with GDOT, and not the County, particularly in the area of design changes,” Haygood said.
For more on this complex story, including details of an informative email exchange before the meeting, go to Oconee County Observations.
Pictured: Jamie Boswell from his GDOT photo.