Watkinsville Mayor And Council Find Little To Agree On

Watkinsville Mayor Bob Smith suggested delaying a decision on the development plan for the Wisteria Ridge apartment complex on 75 North Main Street at the Watkinsville Mayor and Council meeting last week.

The Mayor votes only in the case of a tie, and Council approved the plan in a 3 to 1 vote.

Mayor Smith strongly opposed the site development plan submitted by Oconee State Bank for its new headquarters at 41 North Main Street.

Council approved the plan 3 to 0, with Council Member Brian Brodrick recusing himself from the discussion and vote. (Council Member Christine Tucker was absent from the meeting.)

Mayor Smith argued against the city signing a letter of intent with Extra Special People for discussion of a collaborative development of Harris Shoals Park.

Council voted 4 to 0 to approve such a letter.

Mayor Smith argued against approval of a contract to recodify and restructure city code, questioning the amount of money to be spent.

Council voted 4 to 0 to approve the contract.

The Mayor asked Council to undertake a forensic audit of the city’s financial records and rezoning documents.

No one on Council expressed any interest in such an audit.

Council did unanimously approve, at the mayor’s request, appointment of Jonathan Kirkpatrick to the Oconee County Planning Commission.

Even without a vote, the Mayor controls the agenda once the meeting starts, and Mayor Smith, in his third meeting in that role, demonstrated that power by holding the group for his Mayor’s Report near the end of the nearly four-hour-long meeting.

For more on this story, with an annotated video of the lengthy Mayor and Council meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.