The Oconee County Board of Commissioners last Tuesday awarded $92,298 in bids for grounds maintenance at Oconee Veterans Park and Heritage Park despite a challenge.
The Board at its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday will also consider a pair of hardship variance requests.
Here's the draft agenda of Tuesday's 7 p.m. meeting of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners: 1. Approval of Agenda. 2. Statements and Remarks from Commissioners. 3. Statements and Remarks from Citizens. 4. Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the March 5, March 18, March 19, March 20, and March 26, 2013 meetings have been distributed. 5. Business Involving Guests, Groups, or Multiple Visitors: None. 6. County-wide Matters: 1) Discuss plan for identification of parcels for business/industrial use. 7. Approval of Resolutions, Ordinances, Policies, Etc.: None. 8. Hearings and Actions on Zoning Matters, Special Use Permits, Street Light Tax Districts, Etc.: 1) Consider Hardship Variance No. 6292 by Jonathan R. and Laurel B. Murrow…
Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis on Tuesday proposed to remove former commissioner Chuck Horton from two key county boards.
Storytime, a canning workshop, a meeting of the Board of Commissioners and a free trumpet recital are a few of the things to know about in and around Oconee today.
Weather: More showers and thunderstorms are headed our way. The Weather Channel predicts a high of 80 degrees with an overnight low of 71. Top things to know:
The site is within a mile of where the new Caterpillar plant will be located.
The Industrial Development Authority of Oconee County, with the support of the Board of Commissioners, has exercised the option to purchase about 29 acres of land in Bogart that will become part of the Gateway Business Park and be marketed for development. The land is nestled between the 51-acre Gateway Park East and 57-acre Gateway Park West located on SR 316 at McNutt Creek Road. It is owned by William and Marcia Ulm. "Months ago we were approached by someone representing Mr. Ulm wondering if we'd be interested in the property," Chairman Rick Waller said in an interview Tuesday of last week. At first the Authority was "lukewarm" to the idea -- "it was long before the Caterpillar deal," he said-- but the Authority put down earnest money …
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The current chairman of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners plans to make an announcement next month.
Melvin Davis, who has served as chairman of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners for 12 years, has yet to make an announcement about whether he plans to seek a fourth term. "I love what I do," he told Patch last week. "I know it doesn't always make everyone happy." Davis is the current president of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. If Davis seeks re-election, he will have opposition. Post 4 Commissioner Chuck Horton plans to run for chairman. As commissioners, both Horton and Davis worked with other local and state officials to close the major economic development deal that is bringing a Caterpillar plant and thousands of jobs to the Oconee-Athens area. Sarah Bell, who lost to Davis in 2008 by about 100 votes, has also…
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Here are some of the numbers associated with the planned development in northeast Georgia.
The news was confirmed Friday morning that Caterpillar Inc., named by CNN Money one of the 10 Best Stocks for 2012, is to build a new facility in Oconee and Athens-Clarke counties that will serve as the company's global source for small track-type tractors. The company plans to break ground next month and production is expected to begin in 2013. Here's a highlight of some of the numbers associated with the project, according to news releases:
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9:56 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
This is the event the northwestern part of Oconee County has been predicting for several decades. A transformative event. Lots of work about to hit. more ›
It's the largest manufacturing investment in Georgia since Kia built its Columbus plant in 2006, Gov. Nathan Deal said at the Georgia State Capitol on Friday.
Georgia was in hot competition with other states to woo Caterpillar into building its new factory in the Athens-Oconee area. But in the end, the "seamless package" of job training to be provide through Georgia's Quick Start program, proximity to the port of Savannah, and links with the counties and Athens Technical College gave Georgia the edge, Caterpillar Building Construction Projects Vice President Mary Bell said Friday. Bell and other representatives of the heavy machinery manufacturer stood at the Capitol alongside local officials from Athens and Oconee counties as Gov. Deal announced the major economic development win for the state. It's the largest manufacturing investment in Georgia since Kia built its Columbus plant in 2006, he …
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2:54 pm on Saturday, February 18, 2012
I saw a sequence on Fox News about Caterpillar bringing jobs back to the USA. A remark about education and skilled workers struck a nerve. Here are some of my observations: I came from Germany in 1965. The company I worked for was looking for table saw operators. I suggested that we train some fellows. Their answer: well, as soon as they are trained they will leave. I explained to them that where… more ›
Next week officials will decide whether to ban smoking and chewing tobacco outdoors at parks around Oconee County.
Oconee County Commissioners are considering a proposed policy to eliminate the use of tobacco products at all county parks, mirroring a similar ban set years ago by the local Board of Education. Officials discussed the policy at an agenda-setting meeting Tuesday, and will decide next week whether to approve the proposal. Oconee County currently restricts tobacco use to designated zones in parks, but their presence has made it difficult and akward for park staff to enforce outside the zones, according to Chris Butts, a member of the citizens advisory committee on recreational affairs. “If we go with tobacco-free parks it puts us more in line with what the local Board of Education's doing on their policy … and I think it really creates the …
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Former Oconee County commissioner William "Bubber" Wilkes hopes to serve on the Board again in 2012.
William "Bubber" Wilkes, a former Oconee County commissioner who held his position for 20 years, has announced he will run for his old Post 4 seat in 2012, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. Commissioner Chuck Horton beat Wilkes for the seat in 2004. Last November, Horton declared his intention to run for chairman in 2012, a position currently held by Melvin Davis. That decision prompted Wilkes to pursue the seat again, according to the newspaper article. Wilkes told the newspaper that he has kept up with local politics while working a security job at Athens Regional Medical Center and part-time at Lord and Stephens Funeral Home.
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Stephanie Gross
8:36 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The ribbon cutting has been canceled due to the weather. Zoe Gattie of the Chamber of Commerce says it will be rescheduled. more ›