Politics

You might have read in my previous posts and newsletters that under previous councils, the county budget had increased by nearly 50%, from $41 million to $61 million over the seven years from 2016 to 2023. This increase doubled the actual growth of the county and inflation. During that same time period, do you know how much prior councils increased funding for county roads? If you guessed zero, you would be correct. Roads are the number one concern of citizens, yet they received no additional funding despite a rapidly growing budget. From 2019 to 2022, only 5 miles of our county's 400 miles of paved county roads were paved. You read that right: five miles of 400 were paved during a three-year period. Last summer, our new conservative council majority increased funding for county road repairs by 47%. This was accomplished not through a tax increase, but through proper fund allocation. At the last council meeting, this increase in funding allowed us to approve a 22-mile paving contract this year, the largest county paving contract in at least the last 10 years, if not in history. Additionally, the roads department staff was operating with a 60% vacancy rate. That's right, they were left at half-staff. This was due to years of neglecting the pay scale, as the county was trying to hire workers at 15-20 year old pay rates. Good luck finding CDL drivers and heavy equipment operators for $13-$14 per hour. Our conservative council majority decided to stop kicking the can down the road, as prior councils had done, and we took decisive action. We instituted pay raises to bring those positions up to a competitive pay grade. Again, this wasn't done through a tax increase, but through proper fund allocation. As a result, the roads department is now at a 90% occupancy rate. When the vacancy rate was at 60%, the average time to repair a pothole was two weeks; now, we're down to five days. It's my goal to get us down to 48 hours. The majority of the roads in the county are state roads, and county council has no control or say over what happens with state roads. However, we do control county roads and we need to take care of what we can and do have control of. When we gained a conservative majority on the council, I said that it was our duty to show what conservative governance looks like. We can't do anything about what goes on in DC or Columbia, but we can here, and it’s our responsibility to do what’s right, right now, and right here. I understand that 22 miles doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a significant change from where we were. A ship doesn't turn on a dime, but our conservative council majority is taking decisive actions to correct issues that have been ignored for years. If you know of a particular county road that is in distress, please message me. The easiest way to tell a county road from a state road is that county roads do not have white lines on the shoulders.

The village of Avalon is hard to distinguish from nearby Martin, Georgia, today, but it was once a settlement unto itself. The two communities are less than a mile and a half apart. Richard Dempsey Yow (1844-1899) founded the community in 1880, when a post office named Avalon was opened, though most sources date the […]

Local businesses came together over the Memorial Day holiday to help raise money for injured Oconee County deputy Lucas Watts.

UPDATE: (11:17pm) – In the Georgia 511 alert regarding the road closure on Highway 17 Alternate/Falls Road, it is estimated that the road will be back open on June 3. Georgia 511 is managed by Georgia DOT, so the information is legitimate… However, I have noticed that they are not always accurate: sometimes closures are cleared earlier, sometimes they are cleared later… But that does give us an idea what they are initially expecting and their best estimate on an opening time.

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. — A global company is adding jobs after it expands South Carlina operation in an Upstate county, officials said Thursday. Clarios, a company that makes high-tech vehicle batteries, announced it is expanding operations in Oconee County. The company said it will invest about $16 million and...

In memory of Lt Cmdr John E Muldrow Class of 1937 and Sgt Henry G Muldrow Class of 1938, from Bishopville, SC.

At its meeting on Monday, May 20, the School District of Oconee County Board of Trustees conducted the annual review of Superintendent Dr. Michael Thorsland. The board approved a 3% salary increase and extended his contract through 2026. Board Chair Denise McCormick praised Dr. Thorsland’s leadership and community involvement, noting positive evaluation results. Dr. Thorsland expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue serving the district.

Walhalla sanitation customers who count on Monday pickups are requested to make adjustments in deference to the holiday. Trash normally scooped on Mondays will now be collected by the city Public Works Department on Tuesday and Wednesday. Roll carts should be out by 7 o’clock Tuesday morning. All other Walhalla routes are scheduled for no changes. All Oconee recycling centers, along with the C-and-D landfill, will do business tomorrow at regular times. But they will be closed on Monday to allow the employees to enjoy an off day. All county sanitation facilities resume normal hours on Tuesday. Oconee Library branches are open today, but they will be closed starting tomorrow through Monday. Book returns, however, remain open at all locations. Library patrons may take advantage of services on the website. All branches of Oconee Library resume normal hours Tuesday.

An Oconee judge was told today that April Townsend is making progress. However, Logan Royals, deputy general counsel for the state Department of Mental Health, says until a proper residential home can be arranged, Townsend should continue in DMH custody and care. And Judge McIntosh agreed. For treatment and safe keeping, Townsend has spent several years at the DMH after she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. For incidents in 2017, a court found her not guilty by reason of insanity on the following charges: attempted murder, arson second degree, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RESOLUTION 2024-12 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING AND DIRECTING THAT THE OCONEE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND VOTER REGISTRATION HOLD THE ELECTION REGARDING THE CREATION OF THE CORINTH-SHILOH SPECIAL PURPOSE TAX DISTRICT FOR FIRE PROTECTION ON THE SAME DAY AS THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION; AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS. Monday, May 20, 2024– I requested that Resolution 2024-12 be placed on the agenda for Tuesday’s county council meeting. The resolution, if passed by council, will request and direct the Oconee County Board of Elections and Voter Registration to hold the election for the creation of the Corinth-Shiloh Special Purpose Tax District for Fire Protection on the same day as the 2024 general election. My primary reason for this decision is to ensure maximum voter turnout and to better reflect the true will of the community. Holding the election as a stand-alone election during the summer, when many people are on vacation or otherwise preoccupied, raises the risk of a low turnout. Such a critical decision, which involves a significant tax increase for the Corinth-Shiloh community, deserves to be made with the broadest possible participation from the residents of that community. By scheduling the election on the same day as the general election in November, we can leverage the higher voter turnout typical of general elections, thus ensuring that the decision made reflects the majority view of the community. I understand that there are differing opinions on the timing of this election, and I appreciate the community's interest in resolving this matter promptly. However, I believe that aligning this vote with the general election will better serve the democratic process and uphold the integrity of the decision-making process. I encourage all residents of the Corinth-Shiloh area to stay informed and participate in the upcoming discussions and the election. Public forums and town hall meetings will be scheduled to provide more information and address any concerns from the community.

Toccoa City Hall has announced the city’s schedule for Memorial Day on this coming Monday, May 27. Toccoa City Hall will be closed in observance of Memorial Day. Garbage Route and Recycle Route scheduled to be picked up on Monday, May 27th will be picked up on Tuesday, May 28th.

In Stephens County, the unofficial results of Tuesday’s May Primary indicate the County will have a new Sheriff in town come January, 1, 2025. Of the three candidates running, Dennis Bell, Rusty Fulbright, and Harold McCrosky, Fulbright received the majority of the votes. All were Republicans and no Democrat qualified to run for Sheriff.

Governor Henry McMaster held the second annual Governor’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Ceremony in Columbia, to publicly commend exceptional law…

The Lavonia Downtown Development Authority and Main Street kick off their summer concert series this evening at the Gazebo. DDA Executive Director said tonight’s concert is the first of four summer concerts at the Gazebo and each will have music from a different era. If you plan to attend...

Rabun County Republican voters go back to the polls on June 18, 2024, to cast ballots for sheriff. In the three-candidate race on May 21st, Mark Gerrells received 44.97%, Chad Nichols received 37.83%, and Marty Talley received 17.20% of the 4,332 votes cast. Rabun County Elections Director Tammy Whitmire says without a candidate receiving over 50% there will be a runoff. “We do have a runoff for sheriff. Mark Gerrells and Chad Nichols will be facing off against each other on June 18th. We will have, as quickly as we can get open but no later than June 10-14, will be our advanced voting period. Of course, the day of the election will be June 18th and we will be sending out to those people who had already requested an absentee ballot as soon as we get those ballots we’ll be mailing those out.” Only Republican voters may cast a ballot in the runoff for sheriff, adds Whitmire. “So, if you did not vote in the Republican Primary and you voted on a Democratic ticket, you will not be eligible to vote in the runoff. But, I always want to let people know that if they did not vote at all, you can vote in the runoff. So, I do get questions about that. So, once again, if you voted a Democratic ticket for the May 21st election you will not be eligible for the June 18th runoff but if you did not vote at all you can come in and cast a ballot on June 18th.” Polls on June 18th for the runoff will be open from 7am to 7pm at the Rabun County Voting Center, located at 184 South Main Street, Suite 102 in Clayton.

Individuals with interest in the future of Oconee County sewer service took part in an approximate 90-minute meeting at Seneca where they clued in to a work in progress that addresses the future of sewer across the county and in a part of western Anderson County adjoining the Oconee line. Those individuals are considered stakeholders in where piped sewer is laid in the county, and where it is not. And, in Oconee County, according to Katherine Amidon, planner for Bolton and Menk, there are swaths of county landscape, including farm property and the national forest, where sewer is not welcomed or considered feasible. The stakeholders were not surprised to hear that an analysis by Bolton and Menk and Weston and Sampson indicates that the best sections to run new sewer are the triangular area formed by Seneca, Walhalla, and Westminster and including area along Lake Keowee. To reach such conclusions, the planners project that based on growth trends, Oconee County could expect a population increase by the year 2045 to approximately 120,502 residents. They think the county’s population by next year could exceed the 90 thousand mark, reflecting what looks like a continuous migration of new homeowners. As Amanda Brock, the county administrator, put it from her seat in yesterday’s meeting room: “We have been discovered.” An open-ended question is whether the demand for sewer will require the expansion of the county’s only treatment plant at Seneca or whether new plants be required, say, in the Martin Creek section between Seneca and Clemson or in the Beaverdam Creek area adjoining western Anderson County.

Two Clemson City Council members, Councilwomen Catherine Watt and Lillian Boatwright, have expressed their disapproval of the council’s approval of Hub Clemson, supporting a recent injunction filed against the city by Kimberly Parnell, owner of Lakeview Apartments. The injunction argues that the development, which includes 1,325 beds, 75 public...