Oconee County's Two State Representatives Cool To Proposal To Create Independent Redistricting Commission

Both withheld final decision on the initiative but objected to the proposal that the General Assembly only would have an up or down vote.

Oconee County Industrial Development Authority Agrees To Explore Borrowing For Parkway Boulevard Extension

The Authority agreed to investigate the bond market but only on the condition that the county agree to pay the principal and interest.

Oconee County Commission Chairman Turns Work Session On Mars Hill Overlay Into Opportunity For One Land Owner To Complain

The commissioners didn’t articulate any consensus on the plan, and it was left with the uncertain future it had when the session began.

Oconee County Commissioners Accept $3.35 Million Bid For Construction Of Parkway Boulevard Extension

The road will run from the current terminus of Parkway Boulevard just west of Kohl’s to opposite an existing entrance to Epps Bridge Centre.

Oconee County Commission To Review Bids For Construction Of Parkway Boulevard Extension At Tomorrow's Mars Hill Road Session

A rough estimate of the cost of the road project offered back in January was $4 million.

Oconee County Commissioners Agree On Staff Salary Allocation, Discuss Future Changes In Animal Control Ordinance

Chairman Melvin Davis’ support for an across-the-board allocation was a change from his earlier call for merit increases.

Oconee County Commissioners To Discuss Staff Pay Once Again At Meeting Tomorrow Night

The Board spent more than 50 minutes at its last meeting on the topic, and then another 1 hour and 45 minutes in a work session on Dec. 29.

No Route For U.S. 441 Widening And Bishop Bypass Exists, GDOT Tells Oconee County Citizen Committee

GDOT now is focusing its data gathering on the existing route, GDOT officials said.

Oconee County SPLOST Report Shows $9.2 Million In Unspent Funds From 2004 and 2009 Tax Collections

The $5.6 million in excess revenue over expenditures for the 2009 SPLOST occurred even though revenue for that 2009 tax fell short.

Oconee County Legislators Said They Expect The Upcoming Session Of The General Assembly To Be Brief

Two topics the legislators are likely to deal with are education and casino gambling.

Oconee County Sounding Board On U.S. 441 Widening And Bishop Bypass To Meet Tuesday

Attendees will include legislators, Georgia Department of Transportation officials, and 441 Sounding Board members.

Oconee County Commission Chairman Says More Information Needed Regarding U.S. 441 Widening But Withholds Maps Of Project

Chairman Davis said he agreed there was confusion and that he wanted to help solve that.

Oconee County Commission Chairman To Unveil His "Sounding Board" For U.S. 441 Widening and Bishop Bypass Project

At least two of those Davis has designed as members of the citizen group have property likely to be impacted by the road construction.

Oconee County Planning Commission To Consider Request To Bring Hots BBQ and Reception Hall Into Zoning Compliance

The goal is to bring a famous south-Oconee BBQ, grandfathered when zoning was put into place, into compliance with current law.

GDOT Told Bidders For Engineering Design Services For U.S. 441 Widening And Bishop Bypass It Need Plan Validation

GDOT told a gathering of citizens at Oconee Veterans Park on Nov. 30 that “we do not have a preferred alignment.”

Farmland Protection Was A Central Theme Of Oconee County Citizen Group Meeting Regarding U.S. 441 Widening and Bishop Bypass

Audience member said "We need to stay organized and informed and push what’s best for the town of Bishop, Oconee County and environment."

Crowd At Regional Transportation Authority Meeting Concerned About Possible Route Of U.S. 441

When Planner Sherry McDuffie threw the meeting open for questions, the topic quickly turned to routes.

Boswell Properties Finally Placed Its Sign At SR 316 And Oconee Connector In Location Specified By Its Permit

The county has twice removed signs Boswell Properties installed in the right of way at the corner of SR 316 and the Connector.

MACORTS, Citizen Group Holding Meetings on U.S. 441 Widening and Bishop Bypass

A newly formed citizen group calling itself Positively Oconee will hold a meeting in the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville.

Oconee County Board Of Commissioners Has Revised Animal Cohttp://contribute.patch.com/compose#photo-widgetntrol Ordinance On

The Board is to discuss minor modifications to the existing ordinance to bring it into alignment with changes to the state regulations.

Oconee County Consultant Says Mars Hill Road Widening Will Adversely Affect Existing Homeowners Along The Corridor

The increased traffic is going to make it unattractive for people to stay in their houses, Bill Ross told a Citizens Advisory Committee.

Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Board Votes To Move Forward With Construction Of Apalachee River Intake Facility

The Board voted to go forward with three contracts totaling $48,583 for the Apalachee River intake facility.

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

Administrator said he was responding to a request from Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis “to get a firm estimate “ of the costs.

Oconee County Commission Chairman Inquired About Animal Shelter Operated By Citizen After She Filed An Ethics Complaint

Chairman inquired about the animal shelter, according the owner of the land in the western part of the county where shelter will be located.

Oconee County Commissioners Turn Down A Rezone Request By One Of Their Own

The vote came after a nearly hour-long discussion of the request, with all three commissioners expressing concern about zoning change.

Oconee County Commissioners Discussed In Executive Session Property Needed For Greenspace Project Along Oconee River

BOC Chairman Melvin Davis sent an email message to the county’s Citizen Advisory Committee on Recreational Affairs chairwoman.

Oconee County Commissioner Asking His Colleagues To Allow A Rezone Of His Property Despite Conflict With County's Land Use Ma

The three voting commissioners have good reasons to turn down the request by Commissioner William “Bubber” Wilkes.

Two Incumbent Commissioners Considering Running For Chair Position In Oconee County

Commissioner John Daniell says he is actively “investigating” a run for the Commission chairmanship.

GDOT Will Build Bishop Bypass And Widen U.S. 441 In Oconee County Without Federal Funds To Speed Up Construction

The decision moves the timetable forward so that project engineering will begin in 2019 and right of way acquisition will start in 2022.

Oconee County Commissioners Delay Effort By Chairman To Assert Power On Human Resources

Davis acknowledged that he had inserted the references to the chair in the document after an earlier version had been circulated.

Oconee County Commissioners To Consider Human Resources Policy That Would Strengthen The Power Of The Chairman

The agenda is relatively light and does not include one item that county Parks and Recreation Director John Gentry suggested be included.

Oconee County Chairman Davis Distancing Himself From Decision To Spend $10,000 On Design Work For Old Mars Hill Road

Davis has said the spending for the design was "authorized by others."

Oconee County Development Authority Contemplating How To Spend Future Sales Tax Money

At its meeting earlier this month, the Authority decided it was time to give some thought to what it will do with the windfall.

Oconee County Recreational Affairs Committee Endorses Greenway Project Along Oconee River

Greenway project had the potential to create a recreational pathway from Oconee County to Sandy Creek Park in Clarke County.

Special Master Rejects Citizen Complaint Against Oconee County Commission Chairman

Special Master Warnes rejected Sarah Bell’s contention that the chairman had violated eight separate prohibitions of the Ethics Ordinance.

Called Meeting Of Oconee County Recreational Affairs Committee To Reconsider Greenway Along Oconee River At Barnett Shoals

The committee will consider purchase of easements on two key properties along both sides of the river.

Citizen Bell Refiled Her Ethics Complaint Against Oconee County Chairman Davis, Charging Interference With County Work

Bell contends Davis violated several provisions of the code when the county spent, at Davis’ initiative, nearly $10,000 for design work.

Oconee County To Hold Hearing On A Landfill, Discuss Overlay District, Consider Zoning For A Business Park-All On Tuesday

The county was informed in August that its request for a permit to continue operating its landfill was denied.

Oconee County Commission Chairman Attempting To Put Himself At Center Of Email Flow In County

Davis’ directive contradicts the county’s organizational chart, approved by the Board of Commissioners in 2009.

Oconee County Animal Control Board Heard About Citizen Concerns Near End of Three-Hour Meeting

The Board received its most vocal criticism for its unwillingness to consider strengthening the county’s existing animal control ordinance.