Board of Commissioners Recognizes National 4-H Week

Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday moved to recognize one of the county's educational youth programs by proclaiming the week of Oct.2 through Oct.8 National 4-H week.

The county's 4-H program educates and exposes children from elementary school to high school to the field of agricultural science. 4-H Participants may conduct research projects, raise livestock and develop additional life and leadership skills at competitions and conferences.

The proclamation, which was signed by each commissioner, was presented to the president of the 4-H club shortly after several members were recognized for their recent work and achievement at the State Congress 4-H Competition held in July.

Members Allison Barnes, Savanna Lockman, Bennett Guthrie, Kayla Bannister and Heidi Shroeder all came in first place for their individual projects, and will advance to the 4-H's National competition in October. Members Anna Kelley, Austin Daniel, Cole Daniel and Garrett Hibbs, were also recognized for winning the Dairy Quiz Bowl event at the state competition.

“We urge all our citizens to observe this important event and give it the attention to which it is so rightly entitled,” Commission Chairman Melvin Davis said after issuing the proclamation.

During National 4-H Week, hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation will complete a single, innovative experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day, held on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The 2011 National Science Experiment, "Wired for Wind", will introduce young people to the possibilities of using wind energy. Students may design and build model wind turbines, explain how their communities can harness wind power, and determine the best location for a wind farm in their communities by studying wind data maps and calculating wind power.

Firefighters place first in competition

Commissioners also recognized the county's competitive firefighting rescue team, who placed first in a statewide competition.

The competition included tasks that required firefighters to fill a barrel of water using an old-fashioned bucket brigade, maneuver a barrel with a stream of water to hit a cone at the end of a course, and complete a busted hose test that required participants to replace a broken hose.

Other business

In setting their agenda for the upcoming Oct. 11 meeting, commissioners discussed:

• A request to abandon Matthews Road as a county road. The road, which is 1,200-feet long, borders five parcels of land owned by the same family, who is requesting the abandonment. County Transportation Director Emil Beshara said a traffic study conducted on the road indicated about 100 vehicles travel the road on a daily basis. Officials will decide whether to approve the abandonment and conduct a public hearing before the decision.
  
• An agreement to update the county's pre-disaster mitigation plan with a $15,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county will spend another $5,000 in in-kind donations in the form of paid employee time to update the plan in conjunction with the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission.
  
• A 2010 tax digest digest error of $1,366, which will reduce the county's tax collection by $398.
  
• Replacement board members and alternates to sit on the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Management Board, following University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby's resignation. Board members discussed the possibly of filling Huckaby's seat with Commissioner Chuck Horton or an interested citizen.
  
• Refinancing a 2003 General Obligation Bond, which County Finance Director Jeff Benko said could save the local government $532,000.
  
• An agreement with Coca-Cola to approve a $35,000grant, which would be used to upgrade basketball courts at .