Commissioners Abandon Sewer Line Extension Project

Oconee County commissioners decided on Tuesday to turn down a state grant, effectively abandoning a proposed sewer line expansion project that would have provided sewer services to the Zoom Bait Company and a St. Mary's facility, both located on Jennings Mill Road.

Officials first announced they were considering the project two years ago.

The sewer extension plan would have included the construction of a $773,000 gravity-line sewer linking the St.Mary's building and the fishing business Zoom Bait Company to the county sewer. Officials had also heard a developer was interested in land that ran along McNutt Creek to behind Kohl's Department Store on Epps Bridge Parkway.

Last week county engineers

Tuesday Board Chairman Melvin Davis urged commissioners to approve the sewer line extension plan, saying Oconee County needed to make commercial land space attractive to existing and future businesses. He also pointed out that by turning down the project, officials would lose $186,711 from a Georgia Department of Community Affairs grant the county had previously received to fund a portion of the project.

“To me this is an easy decision,” Davis said. “In my opinion, business leaders, whether they are existing or looking to locate in a community, want to be in a county that provides the atmosphere for survival and growth.”

Several commissioners took issue with Davis' comments, saying they had been supportive of businesses in past decisions by approving other sewer projects and lowered impact fees. They said the county faced more pressing needs.

“I look at the big picture, and it's third in line,” Commissioner Margaret Hale said. “If it's that dire, I think the two businesses would have approached this board in a public meeting to rally for it.”

Funding the sewer project would also have required spending $400,000 in sales tax revenue that could be used for other projects, like the construction of a fire department facility, Commissioner Jim Luke said.

“That money is there to be used for a lot of different projects,” Luke said. “Frankly, when I look at the big picture, I see a little more than getting a sewer in place well before we're going to have an issue.”

Commissioner Chuck Horton made a motion to forfeit the DCA grant and deny the project at this time.  The vote was unanimous, County Clerk Gina Lindsey confirmed.

In other news, commissioners:

• Approved a 6.68 tax millage levy for unincorporated parts of Oconee County and a 7.506 tax millage levy for incorporated areas for government maintenance and operations. Rates remained unchanged from last year.
• Confirmed the Oconee County School Board's millage rate recommendation of 17.5 mils.
• Approved a variance request for the construction of an accessory garage to a single-family home on Keeneland Drive.
• Made two appointments: Phyllis Palmer, a volunteer tour guide at Eagle Tavern, and David Weeks, Board Chair for Oconee County Schools, to join the Oconee County Cultural Affairs and Tourism Committee.
• Made two appointments: Jeff Christie, Vice President for Oconee County Little League, and Deedee Gaines, a local yoga instructor, to join the Recreational Affairs Committee.

Correction:  In the original version of this article, millage rate information was incorrectly stated.  It has been changed.