Voice of Moderation

Here and There

2010-06-23T00:20:00.005-04:00

A study released yesterday by the Knight Commission has stirred interest among the editorial writers at the mighty AJC (even though they no longer distribute their paper to Athens). Jmac at Beyond the Trestle does a great job of dismantling the criticism. My point: even if the UGA Athletic Association and high end college sports disappeared tomorrow at UGA, would it do anything to improve the situation at UGA in terms of academics, revenues, budget challenges, etc.? Absolutely not -- in fact, it might make them worse.
Both Oconee County Public Schools were named to the Newsweek honor roll. Great news for our school system.
The bear is still around.

Candidate Choices

2010-06-22T22:34:00.007-04:00

With early voting becoming increasingly popular, it makes less and less sense to delay endorsements until just before the week of the election. So, Voice of Moderation will make its picks in the Oconee County Board of Education, Oconee County Board of Commission, House of Representatives, and Governor's race in the next few days.

Readers should know that I will disclose any existing or past relationships I have with any candidates at the end of each piece that I write. This is a relatively small town, and having grown up here, being in politics and growing a business I have had the opportunity to interact with many of the candidates on a personal, political, and/or professional level. I don't believe these interactions have clouded my judgment, but I feel like they should all be disclosed so readers can take them into account.

As you make your choices, I would encourage you to visit the candidate websites (I will link the ones I can find in the stories -- candidates, send me a note with your website and I will add or include it).

There are numerous BBQs and events coming up where you can meet the candidates (including one this Thursday for Mack Guest at his office in Watkinsville, one on Friday at Veteran's Park for Tammy Gilland, and one next week at Harris Shoals Park for Hank Huckaby), or feel free to call or e-mail them with your questions. This is the time to interact with candidates and get your questions answered. Look for the first post tomorrow.

Movement on 316?

2010-06-14T22:55:00.006-04:00

If you drive 316, you understand the irony in this entry's headline.

However, after years of inactivity on improving Highway 316 -- the four lane, at-grade access road connecting Athens to I-85 in Gwinnett County -- some momentum may be building.

Today, the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority -- a four county partnership between Gwinnett, Barrow, Oconee and Athens-Clarke -- announced it had received a $50,000 planning grant to help plan the future of the road (members of the GBJDA board are pictured at left on a tour of a site in Alabama). Their press release follows.

The creation of a nearly 900 person strong Facebook group seeking to turn the road into a limited access highway in the wake of another tragic death on the road is also refocusing public pressure on politicians to improve the road.

And they are hearing it. Hank Huckaby, arguably the front runner for House Seat 113, has mentioned improving 316 in several campaign appearances. His predecessor, Rep. Bob Smith, fought efforts to turn the road into a toll road, but did support creating a tax allocation district along the road to help fund improvements (the idea never took off).

It is great to see movement on this issue. A limited access University Parkway is critical to our region -- the current at-grade crossings are unsafe and encourage retail and residential development, not the high quality commercial and industrial buildings our region needs. In my opinion, a limited toll option should not be off the table if we want to get this done, but this may be a political non-starter. Time will tell.

The reality is that Gwinnett has the resources and political horsepower to upgrade all of its intersections over time. The other counties on the corridor have much less in the way of resources and influence with the GDOT and in Washington (despite the fact that Athens can claim three natives currently serving in Congress!). For now, our options are limited, but by working together over time the road can be improved.

Politics aside, this is a great show of regional cooperation, which will be a must to get this road improved. My old friend E.H. Culpepper is no doubt smiling down on the GBJDA!

-------------------------------

FOUR COUNTY JOINT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
AWARDED FEDERAL GRANT TO STUDY 316 CORRIDOR

(Lawrenceville, Ga., June 11, 2010) – The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority (GBJDA) a $50,000 short-term planning matching grant to conduct an economic development study that will assist in the creation and implementation of a vision, strategic plan, and short term and long term goals for the development of the 316 Corridor.

“The short-term planning grant from EDA will allow us to conduct an economic development study of the 316 Corridor to determine what resources we currently have available and how best to utilize them to create high-paying jobs for Gwinnett, Barrow, Oconee, and Athens-Clarke counties. The 55 mile Corridor is important to not only the northeast Innovation Crescent technology area, but to the state. We have the potential to develop as a significant logistics corridor linking a network that can provide world class support of life sciences and technology based research, information, and manufacturing,” said Charles Bannister, Chairman of the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority and the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.” “The study is critical in creating a plan and process for setting development priorities and policy initiatives.”

As stated in the grant request prepared by Will Hearn of Site Dynamics, the objective of the study will be to record the best information on the 316 region and in particular the four counties that make up the Authority in order to understand the economic environment, compare the economic characteristics to other similar markets, and to develop a work plan that engages all parties resulting in technology-based economic development strategies.

A Request for Proposal will be distributed to potential study firms in late June. Study completion is targeted for fall 2010.

The twelve-member Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority includes the four counties of Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Gwinnett, and Oconee. The purpose of the Authority is to develop and promote trade, commerce, industry and employment opportunities for the 316 Corridor.

Description of photo attachment:
June 3, 2010 colleagues of the GBJDA participated in a familiarization visit to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology located in the Cumming Technology Park in Huntsville, AL.
# # #

Watch Your Picnic Baskets -- Yogi is on the Loose!

2010-06-11T09:28:00.005-04:00

Just heard from Watkinsville Police Chief Lee O'Dillon that we have a black bear visiting Watkinsville. It was spotted two days ago crossing 441 into Harris Shoals Park and has was seen again in the area last night. According to Chief O'Dillon, the DNR is advising us to leave the bear alone and to let it wander out of the area, but please be aware as you walk, run, cycle or drive that we may have a friend in the neighborhood until he moves on. After the Mountain Lion that was spotted last February and the recent rash of Alligator Snapping Turtle sightings, we are getting to be a regular Wild Kingdom. Some safety tips can be found here.

Update: The Oconee Enterprise has posted a story.

Innovation and Israel

2010-06-09T11:01:00.005-04:00

Am posting two recent outstanding national columns everyone should read.

The first is directly relevant to our region. Readers of this blog will not be surprised that it is from Tom Friedman. The basic idea is that new jobs come not from the government or big companies, but from new and mid-sized companies focused on innovation. An excerpt:

That said, I think part of the business community’s complaint about Obama has merit. Although there are many “innovation” initiatives ongoing in this administration, they are not well coordinated or a top priority or championed by knowledgeable leadership. This administration is heavily staffed by academics, lawyers and political types. There is no senior person who has run a large company or built and sold globally a new innovative product. And that partly explains why this administration has been mostly interested in pushing taxes, social spending and regulation — not pushing trade expansion, competitiveness and new company formation. Innovation and competitiveness don’t seem to float Obama’s boat. He could use a buoyant growth strategy.

Retiring State Rep. Bob Smith is one of the great champions of innovation in our region, and organizations at UGA like the bio-business center are also hubs of innovation. The Georgia Research Alliance (a client of my company) is also a key to Georgia's innovation strategy. Check out the full column here.

The second is not directly relevant to our region, but certainly is to the world. I'm guessing that many of you, like me, follow Middle Eastern policy issues peripherally if at all. I found this to be a succinct if one sided overview of the compromises Israel has made in the name of peace in the past decade, and where it has gotten them, and helps one understand why they are trying to keep this blockade in place, and why their enemies keep looking for reasons to incite violence to end it.

City Council Preview

2010-06-09T09:32:00.005-04:00

The June meeting of the Watkinsville City Council is tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall. We are expecting a busy evening. With the political forum at 8 p.m. at Veteran's Park, it is likely that we will have several candidates stop by to visit (candidates always seem to appear in an election year).

Other activities planned will be a few business licenses, a building permit for a new 40 x 100 foot warehouse from the Bishop family, some changes to our beer and wine pouring ordinance, and the adoption of an ethics ordinance championed by councilman Toby Smith. John Devine and Nina Butler from the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission will also be on hand to talk with us about some greenspace planning they are assisting us with.

This will also be the final opportunity for citizens to weigh in on the FY11 budget -- we have had very little input so far and would always welcome more. Ideas we are considering in addition to our standard items include new breathing apparatus for the fire department, additional library funding (full disclosure: my wife is a library board member), employee raises, a speed hump on 2nd street, and continued funding for our urban forest board and tee planting.

Elections

2010-06-08T14:23:00.004-04:00

Election season is heating up. There is a lot going on in Oconee in particular. Look for more posting soon, but also plan to attend Wednesday night's forum at the Oconee County Veteran's Park at 8 p.m. hosted by Russ Page and Lee Becker.

How Healthcare Reform Works in the Free Market

2010-05-10T16:20:00.004-04:00

Okay, so when it rains, it pours. After not blogging for two months, I'm blogging twice in a day. A colleague of mine sent me this link last week with the subject line "Unreal." I would say it is not unreal at all, but very likely. If you wonder where the free market and the new health care proposal will intersect, be sure to check it out.

Summary: when Democratic Senators requested data from some of America's largest companies about their insurance cost increases as a result of the new health care bill, documents showed that all of them had considered dropping their employee sponsored benefit programs. Why? Because it would be cheaper to simply pay government penalties for dropping employees than actually paying for their health insurance.

Of course, the natural Democratic response will be to raise the penalties to attempt to make these companies maintain employee benefits, but anyone who has any experience paying for the rising costs of employee benefits certainly will understand the siren song of "free government health care."

Arson in Watkinsville?

2010-05-10T14:28:00.003-04:00

It stinks to return to blogging with bad news.

But the news about the attempted arson of officer William Horton's home in Watkinsville is too maddening to ignore. While apparently damage to the home itself was minimal (although his truck was totaled), this action is reprehensible.

There are lots of links and some conjecture out there, but I just want to say that Officer Horton is one of our finest Watkinsville Police Officers, and we are glad to have him. Lots of links here, here, here, and here.

As for whoever did this, let's hope the long arm of Chief O'Dillon and the Watkinsville PD grab a hold of them real soon. There is a $10,000 reward for any information leading to arrests in the case.

Patriot Park

2010-03-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

As you drive through Watkinsville, you might notice a small triangle of land in front of Jittery Joe's that used to be an eyesore has been transformed over the past few years into a small greenspace called "Patriot Park" that also has a memorial to Oconee County's revolutionary war soldiers. This has been done thanks to the good works of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who are a very active civic group that is doing some great things in the area.

The formal dedication for the park will be this Sunday at 2 p.m., and all community members are invited to attend. Details are in the press release below. Many more details are in the press release below.
---------------------------------------------------
Contact: Emily Givens, emily14@bellsouth.net

The Reverend John Andrew Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will formally dedicate PATRIOT PARK, a memorial greenspace honoring the heroic efforts of Revolutionary War patriots buried in Oconee County, on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 2 p.m. The ceremony, with a reception following, will take place on the park grounds, located at 27 Greensboro Highway in Watkinsville, Georgia. The greenspace occupies the small plat of land that intersects South Main Street and the Greensboro Highway. Patriot Park is directly in front of Watkinsville’s Jittery Joes coffeehouse.

Brigadier General Maria L. Britt will be the keynote speaker and recipient of the NSDAR Women in History award. She is the first female Commanding Officer of the Georgia Army National Guard in the Guards’ 273 year history. Brigadier General Maria L. Britt is a native of Gloversville, New York and was commissioned from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York a Second Lieutenant in May 1983. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in General Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C. BG Britt is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA., and has a second Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.

On hand to present the award will be the Georgia State Society DAR Regent Mrs. W. Franklin Chastain. Other state and local dignitaries will also be in attendance and additional NSDAR awards will be presented, including a Community Service Award.

The Elijah Clark Militia and the award-winning Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard will be in attendance in colonial dress.

Ample parking will be available behind the Golden Pantry and across the street.

Patriot Park is filled with native and historical plants of Georgia. From the memorial granite monument that will be unveiled at the foremost point, to the roster of Patriot names gracing the entrance, the landscaping gradually increases in height from dwarf yaupon hollies, ornamental grasses, through white flowering dogwoods and to the back most point, the October Glory Maples. Knockout Roses, though not natives, are included to complement Watkinsville’s streetscape roses. Virginia Sweetspire and fragrant August Beauty Gardenia offer the beauty of spring and summer blooms of white.

Work on the Patriot Park garden began in the fall of 2008. A nearly $15,000 project, from the initial design plans to the plants and labor, the park has been financed by generous donations from individuals and local Watkinsville businesses

Patriot Park has received significant support from the community. The Rev. John Andrew Chapter, NSDAR, would like to extend special thanks to: Jim Flanagan, Allen Ward of Jittery Joes, Steve Brown, Cole Brown, Peter Givens, Jim Bennewitz, Bill Douglas, Chris Swann of Lotus Landscapes, Outdoor Specialty, Hancock Construction, Athens Area Master Gardeners, City of Watkinsville, Industrial Mechanical Inc., Southeastern Growers, Bridge Creek Nursery, Nasworthy Landscaping, The Stone Store, Boyd Granite Company, Inc, and Graphic Communications Corporation for their assistance.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C in a building encompassing an entire city-block, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) was founded in 1890 and is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children. Any woman 18 years or older-regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background-who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership.

The Watkinsville chapter was founded on June 25, 2007 and is the youngest in the Georgia State Society NSDAR. The chapter meets monthly August through May, at the Oconee Library. To find out more about the DAR and genealogical research contact local Regent Dana Anderson at danadar@bellsouth.net or visit http.revjohnandrew.georgiastatedar.org.

- # -

Reverend John Andrew Chapter

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

http.revjohnandrew.georgiastatedar.org

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Revolutionary Patriots buried in Oconee County, Georgia

Rev. John Andrew, (24 Sept 1758-10 Mar 1830), Mt. Zion Cemetery off U. S. Highway 441 S

John Barnett, (7 June 1762-10 Mar 1814), Buried in family cemetery off Barnett Shoals Rd.

William Scott Branch, (1765-1839), Branch Cemetery off U. S. Highway 441. 1 mile south of Bishop, GA

Stephen Crow, (28 Feb 1750-8 Aug 1830), Mars Hills Baptist Church Cemetery

William Daniell, (d. 5 Sept 1840), Mars Hills Baptist Church Cemetery

David Elder, (7 Jan. 1760-4 Aug. 1853), Elder Cemetery off Elder Mill Rd.

Anderson Fambrough, (10 Jan 1759-8 Nov 1815), Fambrough Cemetery off U. S. Hwy 15 S near Green County line

James Greer, (15 Jan 1742-ante 5 Sept 1825), Buried on the Greer family land off GA Hwy 53

Ben Hagood lived in Oconee County but was buried in Hancock County, GA. There is a memorial stone in the cemetery at Mars Hill Baptist Church

Moses Hopkins, (1760-6 Jan 1810), Mars Hills Baptist Church Cemetery

John Nunnally, (12 Feb 1758-10 June 1825), Nunnally Cemetery on Bishop Rd.

James Sloan, (1744-1808)

John Stroud, (1732-1805), Mars Hills Baptist Church Cemetery

Philip Tigner, (12 Feb 1758-10 June 1825). Buried in family cemetery on Beechnut Lane, near Elder Covered Bridge.

William Willoughby, (24 Sept 1759-ante 2 Nov 1829), Presumed to be buried at Antioch Christian Church, Antioch Church Rd.

About Brigadier General, Maria Britt; Commanding General, Georgia Army National Guard:

Brigadier General Maria L. Britt is a native of Gloversville, New York and was commissioned from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York a Second Lieutenant in May 1983. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in General Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C. BG Britt is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA., and has a second Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.

Her military education includes the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Jungle Warfare School, the Command and General Staff College, the Post Graduate Intelligence Program for Reserves, the Military Intelligence Officer Transition Course, the Military Intelligence Advanced Course for Reserves, the Military Intelligence Battalion Pre-Command Course, the Recruiting and Retention Management Course, the Joint Task Force Commander's Course and the Defense Support to Civil Authorities Course.

Brigadier General Britt’s assignments have included Platoon Leader, 411th MP Company, 720th MP Battalion; Executive Officer, Law Enforcement Activity, 89th Military Police Brigade; Field Operations Officer, 3rd Region Criminal Investigation Division; Company Commander, Military Police Company (FORSCOM Honor Guard) Ft McPherson, GA; Deputy Provost Marshall, Ft McPherson, GA; Security and Intelligence Officer, Headquarters STARC; Program and Support Specialist, HQ STARC; S-1 (Adjutant), 48th Infantry Brigade (M); Deputy Chief of Staff for Organizational Improvement; HQ STARC and Training Officer, HQ STARC; Commander of the 221st Military Intelligence Battalion (Tactical Exploitation), Fort Gillem; Commander of the Recruiting and Retention Force and Director of Personnel for the Georgia Army National Guard; the COS of the Georgia Army National Guard. BG Maria Britt is currently assigned as the Commanding General, Georgia Army National Guard.

Among Brigadier General Britt’s awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters and the National Defense Service Medal.

She is married to Brigadier General Timothy B. Britt. They have three daughters.

Doctor's Orders

2010-03-04T15:10:00.004-05:00

The Athens Banner-Herald pulled some of these in its article this morning, but I wanted to post Doc Eldridge's full comments from yesterday's Terry College Economic Outlook Luncheon at the Classic Center. Doc's role as a lifelong Athenian, former mayor and current Chamber head give him a full perspective on the impact of the potential cuts at UGA. The highlights are his, not mine.

Let's hope our legislators listen to "their Doctor" in this case.

----------------------------
>First off, what I am about to say is not at the request of UGA, the Board of Regents, or anyone affiliated with any of the University system.

What I am about to say is not a formal position of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, although I would assume and hope that our board would fully support it.

What I want to say comes from me… Doc. As a lifelong resident of this community, a business person and a former elected official, I, like you, have come to understand and appreciate just how vital the economic health of the University of Georgia is to our community, our region, our state , and yes well beyond. When UGA sneezes … we get a cold.

We are in fact joined at the hip with UGA, and both UGA and our community have worked hard over the years at strengthening our "town and gown" relationships.

Well folks, our friends on the other side of the Arch need our support now, like they have never needed it before.

The budget cuts that have taken place over the last 2 years and that have recently been proposed will have a disastrous effect on UGA, our state, and our community for decades to come. The problems will manifest themselves in countless ways.

We are talking about slashing the budget of not just bricks and sticks, we are talking about jobs, entire programs, people and their families. We are talking about the biggest and best investment our state has to offer for the creation of good decent paying jobs and economic opportunity. I hope you don't think I am exaggerating. This is serious stuff.

Let me be clear. I have the utmost respect for our local delegation to the legislature and I urge you to show them the same. I know the personal sacrifices that they make to their business and to their family in order to serve us. There is no one in this room or beyond that hates what is happening any worse than they do. They are fighting on our behalf every day.

I am not asking you to flood them with emails, phone calls, and faxes telling them what to do. I am asking you to offer your support for finding the means necessary to restore funding to the University system. There are options. I am asking you to share with them your ideas, and to show your appreciation for the tough position that they are in. I would hate to think where we might be right now without the leadership and hard work of Senators Cowsert and Hudgins, and Representatives Heard, Smith, and McKillip.

This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about the future. Our future. The future of UGA and its' academic standing, about jobs, about our community and our state.

I am saying this to you today as you are the true civic, and business leaders, leaders of our community. We need you to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and help get our train back on track. This can be one of the defining times for our community and its future. This is a time for more than griping and gnashing our teeth This, I guess, is indeed a call to action.

Thank each of you for all that you have done and continue to do for our community …. and Go Dogs.

A lot going on

2010-03-04T07:20:00.006-05:00

There is an enormous amount of news swirling about in the political world. A few thoughts:

Higher Education Budget Cuts

The number one thing on everyone's mind locally is the potential $300 million cuts to higher education ordered by the state legislature in 48 hours, which was requested on top of huge cuts already done by most of the state's public colleges and universities. Details here, here, here, here and a million other places. I for one support some revenue raising -- the $1 per pack tax on cigarettes, bringing back a 1/2 or 1 percent sales tax on groceries, and a market-driven tuition raise -- to offset the slash and burn mentality that is going to do untold harm to higher education and healthcare in this state. Would you rather pay $1 on a $100 grocery bill or potentially have your child miss out on higher education due to required reductions in enrollment across the state by massive budget cuts? Easy choice for me, and I think for most Georgians, especially if we could dedicate the revenue to higher education rather than sending it to the black hole of the general fund.

I find it laughable that the very state legislators who asked the Board of Regents to come up with $300 million in potential cuts in just a few days then come back and accuse UGA and others of playing political games with the process. Really?
So Gubernatorial candidate Austin Scott implies that 4-H is more important than the basic functions of the University. 4-H is a wonderful program that should be preserved (I had a lot of friends in school who benefited -- and even met future spouses -- through the program). But preserving the core function of higher education at an institution of higher education is more important than service and outreach. The real question is whether 4-H should be housed and funded independently of higher education, or perhaps in the department of agriculture.
Rep Scott states that "agriculture is Georgia’s major economic driver and vital to the success of our economy." Newsflash: could there be any institution more committed to the health of agriculture in the state (and even the nation) than the University of Georgia? UGA research is probably the reason that Georgia still is an agricultural leader. Better and larger poultry, healthy large animials, more bountiful crops, and new types of profitable turfgrass, alternative crops and ornamental plants have come from research at UGA that could be dramatically impacted by proposed budget cuts. The beneficiaries of this research are not the professors in the labs, but landowners and farmers across the state.
Rep. Scott also decides to play with the numbers a bit in his comments on Peach Pundit here. Okay, so the Regents' budget has gone up, from $5.2 billion to $5.4 billion while other budgets have gone down. Want to know why? Because our institutions of higher education have done what businesses do when a key revenue source (state funds) is consistently shrinking -- they have aggressively pursued revenue from other sources, namely private fund raising and federal grants. This year, UGA will receive about the same amount of state funds it did in 2002. And if the funding cuts proposed by the Governor and the additional $60 million cuts requested by the legislature took effect, UGA would get the same funding in fiscal year 2011 as it received from the state 13 years ago (1997), with thousands more students to educate, new facilities to maintain and inflation to deal with.
I really like some of the things Rep. Scott says on his website, and have high hopes for him. But his approach to this higher education debate could be a credibility killer. I have no doubt there are inefficiencies in higher education, as there are in any large organization. But after years of state budget cuts, most of those have been wrung out of the system. There may be a few more, but not $300 million more, and the damage we are doing to higher education -- the one area of education that is working well in our state -- is staggering.
Full disclosure: my company, Jackson Spalding, does limited project work a few units of the University of Georgia and also works with the Georgia Research Alliance, which helps fund research jobs and infrastructure at the state's six research institutions.

Some Good News

Athens has two exciting new sports events on the horizon this fall: a new sprint triathlon called the Tri to Beat Cancer, which will benefit the Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia, and a new half marathon, which will benefit Ath Fest. Athens has a long history in participatory sports that has waned somewhat in recent years -- it is good to see large scale, high profile events returning.
As you drive down Hog Mountain Road, check out the new trees going in at Veterans Park. Talk about a change! They were provided by Select Trees, a local nursery, and will leave quite a legacy at the Park. Kudos to the BOC for this investment. BTW, to connect the dots with the above points, Select Trees is one of those agricultural organizations that has been successful largely because of UGA-driven agricultural research.
There is still discussion of a park around Elder Mill and Elder Mill covered bridge. This would be a wise use of county funds if it could be pulled off. Lee Becker and the Oconee Enterprise have also covered the topic extensively. Oconee County doesn't have as much tangible history as a lot of other communities -- what we do have needs to be preserved when it is available, especially if we have excess SPLOST funds that could be so utilized. If we don't have SPLOST funds, then this obviously isn't the kind of economy where you can allocate annual budget resources to such a large effort.

Let me know what you think.

Great News

2010-02-16T14:37:00.005-05:00

The move by the Athens-Clarke Economic Development Foundation to hire Matt Forshee is a great decision. Matt is young, energetic, and understands both Athens and Oconee. He has established relationships around the state and locally, and his background in land planning will also give him insights into the broader goals of each county.

I first got to know Matt as a member of the planning commission in Oconee County. He was planning director in Oconee County during the boom years of the early- and mid-2000s. He has always been action oriented, and was not afraid to take an unpopular stand, even under pressure from developers.

As Oconee's economic development director for a short time, he moved quickly on marketing and other initiatives, but before he could really get his feet wet he was recruited away by Fayette County to run the Fayette County Development Authority, where he has had tremendous success. Fayette County is the home of Peachtree City and has also recruited a lot of technology businesses and clean industry, which are similar to the type of companies Athens-Clarke is seeking.

Matt has had nothing but success in Fayette County, and his move also allowed him to deepen relationships with key recruiters and industries in Georgia. We are fortunate that he is coming back to help Athens and the region improve its recruiting efforts.

Best of luck to Matt Forshee!

Oxendine Parody

2010-02-15T16:20:00.003-05:00

While this video was done by Democrats (so it includes necessary cheap shots against our other candidates), I think it does capture the horror that many Republicans feel as a possible John Oxendine primary win seems more likely.

Awesome Video

2010-01-21T11:39:00.001-05:00

Elder Mill Park?

2010-01-21T07:50:00.003-05:00

Creating a South Oconee Park around the Elder Mill Covered Bridge is a great idea, and one I think most people in Oconee would wholeheartedly support, especially if land beyond Mr. Cuming's home was available. If the opportunity is still there to leverage $1.2 million in state funds with a minimal county investment, it is a no brainer. Detailed stories on the bridge and potential land nearby for sale here and here.

New Committee in House

2010-01-20T10:45:00.002-05:00

The Athens Banner-Herald and Beyond the Trestle reported last week that Rep. Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) had lost his vice chairmanship of appropriations, where he oversaw the budget for higher education.

While I'm sure this was a tough blow for Rep. Smith, my friends at the ABH and BTT missed the fact that he landed a nice gig that is probably even closer to his heart -- as vice chairman of a new committee focused on small business development and job creation.

Anyone who has heard Rep. Smith talk in recent years knows that his passion for entrepreneurship, job creation, and small business is unsurpassed. And given the role of small businesses in Northeast Georgia, this committee could also benefit our region greatly.

A press release follows. I've sent an e-mail to Rep. Smith asking if he has any thoughts on the new committee -- will post it if I hear back.

Speaker David Ralston

PRESS RELEASE

House Speaker David Ralston Announces the Formation of the Special Committee

on Small Business Development and Job Creation

ATLANTA- On Friday January 15th, House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) announced the formation of the Special Committee on Small Business Development and Job Creation— a new standing committee in the Georgia House of Representatives.

“We are going to make small businesses in Georgia a priority,” said Speaker David Ralston. “Small business growth will lead the way back to a strong and vibrant economy in this state by creating jobs. I have asked this committee to take a leadership role by examining proposals which will promote small business and job creation.”

Speaker Ralston appointed Representative John Lunsford (R-McDonough) as chairman of the committee, Representative Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) as vice-chairman, and Representative Billy Horne (R-Newnan) as secretary.

“Our members are encouraged that Speaker Ralston and the House of Representatives are planning to focus on small business this year,” said David Raynor, Georgia state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, the state's leading small business association. “Small business is the engine that drives Georgia's economy. When you pass legislation that helps small businesses grow and create jobs, you help everyone.”

Other members of the committee include Representative Amy Carter (D-Valdosta), Representative Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Representative Tom Graves (R-Ranger), Representative Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming), Representative Sean Jerguson (R-Woodstock), Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville), Representative Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), Representative Howard Mosby (D-Atlanta), Representative Allen Peake (R-Macon), Representative Alan Powell (D-Hartwell), and Representative Barbara Sims (R-Augusta).

###

Watkinsville Happenings and More

2010-01-20T09:19:00.007-05:00

Watkinsville has been in the news a lot lately. In case you missed it:

--We're getting a neat new antiques store on Main Street.
--New Mayor Joe Walter is getting his feet wet -- literally.
--Good story on the retirement of Watkinsville Council member Mike Link from the ACC Fire Department. Mike is our longest tenured city council member, and always remembers details that the rest of us don't in meetings, especially on new construction and development projects.

Many thanks to the Athens Banner-Herald's Joe Van Hoose for his great recent coverage of all things Oconee. He, along with the Oconee Enterprise and Oconee Leader, do a nice job of keeping up with the goings on.

In non-Watkinsville political news, a few items of note:

--I think David Brooks has the Obama administration about right in this piece. I like Obama, I just think he has overreached in terms of policy, and think most moderates would agree. And the election of Scott Brown would seem to validate Brooks' position.
--Terry Dickson is convinced Hwy 15 -- the route most Oconee citizens use to get to the coast -- is a dangerous road. I don't really agree. I find it a much more pastoral route than the others to head south. I think the problem is actually probably tired and sleepy drivers on the narrow road, or the fact that people drive way too fast for the conditions of the road.
--Good editorial a few days back from the AJC.
--The AJC points out that the Massachussets election may also be good news for Sen. Johnny Isakson. Hadn't thought about all the implications, but I think Jim is right -- the Democrats will have a really tough time fielding a decent candidate.
--John Oxendine is an absolute train wreck.
--Is anyone locally paying any attention to the Governor's new transportation proposal? Athens-Clarke and Oconee would be grouped with Barrow, Jackson, Jasper, Elbert, Oglethorpe, Madison, Morgan, Greene, Walton and Newton counties in a 2012 vote for a 1 cent sales tax for transportation. Are there enough votes in Walton, Oconee, Athens-Clarke and Barrow to get needed transportation improvements? I'm not sure this is a natural region for transportation unity. The needs in Barrow, Jackson, Athens-Clarke, Oconee, and Walton are very different than the needs in our more rural counties. That said, those five counties also have most of the sales tax dollars as well. CORRECTION: Jim Thompson at the ABH discussed the proposal here.
--The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has its first female chair. Good for them.
--A good perspective on how economic development is changing and how American communities are being impacted.

Eggs (and Bacon and Sausage) & Issues

2010-01-12T10:42:00.004-05:00

Attended the Georgia Chamber's Eggs & Issues session this a.m. with folks from the Athens Chamber. I will try to post a comprehensive recap later, all I have time for now are some quick impressions:

David Ralston, the new speaker of the house, looks to be a calming influence. He and the Governor and Lt. Governor seem to have a good rapport. It was refreshing to hear someone practical and modest speak (I will never forget Glenn Richardson's "I've been poisoned" remarks from two years ago), who was also optimistic about solving our transporation and water woes.
Both Ralston and Gov. Perdue said they are hopeful we will have a tri-state water compact by the end of the session that will allow Atlanta access to Lake Lanier.
Governor Perdue hinted at transportation funding ideas, but gave nothing away. His most interesting idea was a plan to allow teachers to be compensated based on student achievement and classroom observation (with a higher ultimate salary ceiling) rather than years taught or graduate degrees. Teachers will get to choose whether they want to take this approach to compensation under his proposal. Interesting idea.
The governor also announced he will propose a bill that will allow Georgians to purchase insurance plans from other states. More competition = good idea, especially if the feds are going to mandate coverage.
All the speakers had harsh words for the federal health care bill as you would expect. I don't blame them. While Democratic commentators are going to say there will be no new costs to states, there always are with new government programs.
The Governor did not mention his proposed "bed tax" for Georgia's hospitals, but that will come up too. I wish he had stood up and talked (like Gov. Huckabee did the night before) about a plan for how Georgians and their employers can work to improve personal health, rather than ignoring plans to take money from our health care institutions.
As a side note, if improving Georgia's health is a top item on the agenda next year, perhaps we need to have a healthier breakfast menu at the event next year..... noticed that several legislators hardly touched their meals, including one who said that it would be easy to gain 40 lbs during the legislative session. That's not healthy.

Tiger Tampering

2010-01-11T11:06:00.000-05:00

Someone has way too much time on their hands.....

Friday News

2010-01-08T07:40:00.005-05:00

Good snowy morning. Some Friday thoughts:

--Good move by Oconee Schools to delay the start of school. My daughter is usually the last one on her bus at 7:00 a.m. So delaying the start allows parents and kids to actually see where they are going rather than trying to get to school (or the bus stop) in dark, icy conditions.
--This is the sort of thing that makes you really proud of the youth in our community.
--While Oconee County continues to sit on its hands rather than engaging in a regional partnership on the economic development, our neighbors continue to land prospects. Today's Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that a Japanese manufacturer will bring 40 jobs and a $27 million facility to Gainesville and Hall County. Folks, there are jobs and prospects out there. We just need to create the right environment and go after them in a systematic, unified fashion.
--New Speaker of the House David Ralston is impressing me so far. According to today's Insider Advantage (subscription required), he is going abandon Glenn Richardson's "hawks", allow media back on the floor of the house, and make some other positive changes. Let's hope he can keep up this approach through the session.
--Bob Barr doesn't always make sense, but this time he did.
--If you live in Watkinsville, check out all of our new trees, courtesy of Select Sustainable Tree Trust. We have planted six large new oaks along Hwy 15 South of the city, five new oaks in Stone Shoals park, and several others in Harris Shoals Park. Over the past five years, we have planted more than 200 sizeable trees in the city, largely spearheaded by my colleague on the council, Samantha Purcell.
--An update on the Athens Mayoral race from Jmac over at Beyond the Trestle. Be sure you are reading BTT, as Jmac is breaking all sorts of news there, including the decision by mayoral candidate Doug Lowry to abandon the race and move to Canada. Love conquers all. Good decision and good luck Doug.
--Also be sure to check out his Q&A with Jim Higdon.

Stay warm and safe today!

Water Woes

2010-01-05T12:56:00.003-05:00

As we get ready for the legislative session, we'll recap a few issues that came up last year as relevant news and ideas get floated out. Despite all of our rain, water supply is a key issue for Georgia and our region. The Governor's Water Task Force issued its recommendations in December, and there aren't a lot of quick fixes for the problem. A mix of conservation and new supply is going to be necessary, but building reservoirs isn't a quick proposition, and finding funds for new ones isn't easy either.

One of the ideas that gets the most controversy is the potential to use some water from the Tennessee River. Some consider it politically explosive, a generally poor idea, implausible, or environmentally irresponsible. A lot of these people happen to live in Tennessee.

However, I'm willing to bet that most people who comment on the issue have no idea how much water flows through the Tennessee River on a daily basis, and how much of it actually comes from Georgia's mountains. The excess water from our recent rain (45 billion gallons) flowing past Chattanooga each day is equal to how much water Atlanta uses from Lake Lanier in six months. More fun facts in this story.

A New Year of Posting

2010-01-05T07:30:00.005-05:00

I thought about making my New Year's resolution to post more often. However, that may not be realistic. But I will do my best, especially as we lead up to what is the most interesting 3-4 months of the year, as legislators head back to Atlanta to stir up all sorts of trouble.

Some quick hits for the day:

Despite hard right and hard left shots, the appointment of Brian Kemp as Secretary of State is a very good thing for Georgia and this region. Brian is a strong leader and was a very good Senator. Brian worked hard and cared deeply about the communities in his district, and will make a fine statewide official. The arguments that the appointment is politically motivated may have some truth, but what governor -- Democrat or Republican -- is not politically motivated? Was Brian honestly supposed to turn down the appointment? And since Brian was already a candidate (never mind the best candidate in my mind), he was an appropriate choice. My guess is that the political calculus was pretty easy for Brian: come November the power of incumbency easily trumps the grumbles of 100 hard core Republicans and a few Democrats who won't support any Republican for the office anyway.
If you are interested in Georgia's transportation challenges, read this editorial and take time to review the report. I worked briefly with State Transportation Planning Director Todd Long when he oversaw GDOT's Gainesville office, and he is one of the most honest and competent transportation officials I have been involved with. His bottom line is that we have to dedicate more dollars to transportation or we will fall behind, and the report makes a very compelling case. Let's hope the legislature pays attention.
Speaking of falling behind, check out this story on Georgia's new economy strategy. I don't know where these states get their resources (higher tax rates? different priorities?), but they are not just outspending us on transportation, but on economic development as well. The stem cell issue is one that could disproportionately impact Athens. We will be following it closely as we move into the session.
Looks like we are getting a nifty new antiques store in Watkinsville. They are locating just south of the courthouse in the row of shops. The owner, Joann Stewart, is a nice lady -- I have purchased Daylilys from her farm on Simonton Bridge Road (all you amateur gardeners out there should check it out).

Fran Millar for Speaker

2009-12-11T09:33:00.002-05:00

My kind of Republican. Check out this link. Fran Millar tackles transportation, water, leadership and ethics, and manages to think outside the box while he does it.

Unintended Consequences

2009-11-30T15:52:00.003-05:00

Want to get a better feel for what Georgia is going to be facing from a budgetary standpoint if the Democrats' Health Care Reform Bill passes? Be sure to read this Washington Times commentary from Lt. Governor Casey Cagle to understand what the bill could mean to Georgia and other states who already struggle to get the dollars they are promised for health care out of Washington (our local hospitals often then have to struggle to get the funds from the state).

While the President may claim that your federal taxes will not go up if the bill passes, you can bet your state ones will. A $2.4 billion unfunded mandate on top of an already stressed-to-the-breaking-point state budget will be a back breaker.

Clearing off the Desk

2009-11-18T23:25:00.008-05:00

Highlights of what has crossed my desk this week.....

Like Tom Friedman, I too am a clean energy hawk. Read his column today and you'll wonder why our national chambers of commerce are so opposed to plans to make America less dependent on foreign oil. As I told the good folks at Beyond The Trestle, if Republicans could come up with any sort of responsible, environmental platform without it getting co-opted by big business, they would be able to grab a huge new demographic.
Atlanta has captured another high-profile telecom company -- the North American HQ of consolidating Sony Ericsson. Sony is known for its high profile sports sponsorships (see photo) and slick technology (see other photo). Word on the street is that even state officials were surprised by the announcement, which explains why no chambers of commerce or politicians had press conferences scheduled, quotes ready, or any data on the number of jobs coming to Atlanta or where they would be located. If the company moves to Gwinnett, it could be a positive for our region. With the opening of the Kia Plant in West Point and the moves of NCR and Sony Ericsson in the second half of 2009, this has turned out to be a solid year for Georgia's Department of Economic Development. It also highlights our own area's continued lack of focus and success in larger economic development efforts. Not that we would have a chance at a Sony Ericsson, but the point is that there are opportunities in recessions. Our opportunity is to fix our economic development infrastructure. I hope our leaders seize that opportunity.
Mayor Jeff Thomas has resigned in High Shoals. I only met Jeff a few times at political forums, and he seemed like a nice guy. But 18 years is a long time to serve anywhere. I hope this changing community can find some unity and move forward. With SPLOST funds come some opportunity to move forward on key initiatives. The best chronicle of all things High Shoals can be found at Councilman Steve Holzman's blog.
Peggy Noonan, as always, offers wisdom. I hope the President listens.
Those of you who want some free communications advice should be sure to read this column from Myra Blackmon. Some wisdom there.
State Rep. Doug McKillip and Spencer Frye deserve a lot of credit for pushing this idea to the forefront. It is something I first discussed with a group during Annette Nelson's failed campaign for Athens-Clarke Commission years ago, but no one really ever wrapped their arms around it. Finding a way to stop the erosion of aging apartments in Athens makes a lot of sense, and ReNew Athens seems to be a sound approach, especially with the expertise of Frye and Habitat for Humanity at the table.
I'm sorry, but the Barrow County Facebook teacher controversy is overwrought and unnecessary. They need to apologize, rehire the teacher, and allow this thing to disappear. See here and here for updates and interesting comments -- one likely theory is that the initial complaint e-mail was sent by a teacher, not a parent, and delivered from an anonymous e-mail address. Companies and organizations need to be sure their HR and marketing leaders understand social media before they start legislating it.
The new mayor of Hartwell got arrested for DUI. Not the best way to start.
One of the most demagogued pieces of health care reform has become end-of-life counseling. It's one of the few parts I like. Having tough conversations before you are on the operating table just makes sense. A massive amount of our overall health care costs are spent in the last 2-3 years of life. If this isn't what you want, you should have the opportunity to talk with your doctor and make that decision. A democrat tells the story rather effectively here.
Lee Becker provides an update on the courthouse situation and the new QuikTrip planned for the University Parkway/Oconee Connector intersection.
A couple of great books I have had the pleasure of reading lately if anyone is looking for some good non-fiction: Born to Run, The Wild Trees, and The Wise Men.

Quite the Hoo Hah

2009-11-17T08:50:00.005-05:00

Oconee County has its share of unique events, but we can always use a few more. I was fortunate to be a participant in one on Saturday that hopefully will become an annual tradition: the Bishop Backyard Hoo-Hah Half Marathon hosted by Amy and Bob Parrish.

I think the Hoo Hah is actually a first of sorts for Oconee. While we have had a few trail half marathons, to my knowledge we haven’t had a half marathon road race in Oconee. Fortunately for Oconee, Amy decided that instead of traveling to Atlanta for one the more well known half marathons (including the up coming Thanksgiving Day half), she and some family and friends would host their own.

Participants met at Amy’s house on New High Shoals road, quickly registered and traveled (via the trailer pictured) to the race start at the intersection of New High Shoals and Union Church Road. The route was scenic and flat – traversing country roads through Bishop, along Colham Ferry Road and back to Amy’s house. The energy of the 20+ participants was fantastic, as was the support crew, which provided water and encouragement all along the course.

The energy level was appropriate, since the definition Amy gave us for Hoo Hah was “an uproarious commotion.” While it’s hard to be uproarious in the middle of a 13 mile run, we all did our best. Finishers were greeted by enthusiastic young cheerleaders and seasoned volunteers, and everyone got to break the finish line tape. First prize was a pack of country ham, grits, and a coffee mug. First male finisher was Michael Williams of WOW Boot Camp fame; top female was Julie Osborne followed by former UGA all-american runner Erin Jones Repac.

An added bonus: the early start allowed everyone to enjoy beautiful weather and get back home without losing the entire day, as often happens for traditional long road races. Here’s to another Hoo Hah next year!!!!

>Results

Michael Williams 1:32:25

Brian Brodrick 1:32:26

Julie Osborne 1:51:20

Erin Repac 1:57:25

Tia Chandler 1:58:42

Jack Murray 2:00:42

Teena Wilhelm 2:05:06

David Ducan 2:08:14

Wade Shields 2:08:15

Melissa Pearson 2:09:33

Teresa Guthrie 2:12:11

Elizabeth Patrick 2:12:11

Tammy Gilland 2:12:11

Mary Carroll Murray 2:22:58

Holly Fowler 2:22:58

Deborah Dietzler 2:42:22

Amy Parrish DQ - I knowingly and purposefully cut off 0.30 miles of the race ....oops!

All Over the Place

2009-11-12T13:06:00.004-05:00

Several interesting things have crossed the desk today and yesterday I thought I would take a moment to share:

--Unemployment: Lotta publicity and talk going on about high rates of unemployment. Check out this interactive chart that the New York Times has put together. The secret to having a job -- a college education. Not a huge surprise, but this really throws it into relief, as does research by one of my company's clients, the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education. Of course, the chart doesn't account for "underemployment," which is a common problem in Athens, where your barista might have more degrees (but less ambition) than you.

--City Biz: Had a great city council meeting last night. One of the highlights was approving a new single family home on a vacant lot on South Main Street. An historic home on that lot was demolished several years ago without council approval, and the lot, while pretty, had sat vacant since. It was exciting to see a new family make a big investment on one of downtown Watkinsville's most historic corridors. We also approved several new business licenses for small businesses, approved one alcohol license, and tabled another. A work day is also planned by the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Watkinsville Cemetery. The DAR is also planning to begin the application process to get the cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places.

--Bulldawg Illustrated has produced a great video about Oconee County resident Brook Whitmire, the voice of the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium.

--Oconee County has a proud tradition in distance running. One of the bedrocks of that tradition, Coach Gwen Peck, will attend her last cross country team banquet tonight at OCHS. Coach Peck has coached two state championship teams and done a wonderful job at Oconee through the years, nurturing runners great, good and average alike and teaching them lessons of character and compassion. One of her best athletes is featured in this week's Oconee Enterprise. A coach's legacy is often measured by much more than what happens on the field, and Coach Peck's will continue for many years to come with the successful student athletes she inspired, cajoled, and convinced to shine for Oconee.

--This weekend looks to be beautiful. If you're into landscaping (like I am), fall is the time for planting, especially for trees and shrubs. Water has been plentiful, and the soil is soft. Great plants are to be had at any number of our locally owned retail nurseries. Check them out -- some of my favorites are Land Arts (Monroe), Goodness Grows (Lexington), Outdoor Specialty (Watkinsville), Thyme after Thyme (Winterville), Thomas Orchard (Watkinsville), and Cofer's (Athens)!

--The Athens Symphony will perform its Winter Concert this Sunday at 4 p.m. The Symphony is one of the region's gems. Tickets are free and still available at the Classic Center. Information here and here. Full disclosure: my company does pro-bono work promoting the Symphony.

--Big congrats to Dr. Debra Harden and Mrs. Jean Bell for being inducted into the Oconee County school system hall of fame. I didn't know Mrs. Bell as an educator, but Dr. Harden was certainly a transformative presence for our schools in the early to late 1990s, and really helped establish Oconee's reputation for educational excellence.

Reinventing Atlanta Highway

2009-11-09T13:32:00.005-05:00

Friend Johnathan McGinty published a thoughtful piece on the challenges along Atlanta Highway and possible solutions in Sunday's Athens Banner Herald. Many people do not realize that the Atlanta Highway corridor (from Big Lots to past Georgia Square Mall) probably has more jobs and retail square feet than the rest of Athens combined. It is a big economic engine tax wise and for out of town shopping given its proximity to Jackson, Barrow and Oconee counties as well.

Two of the ideas he focuses on are Community Improvement Districts and Tax Allocation Districts. While the tools have different uses (and can be used in tandem at times, although not always), each essentially allows political and private sector leaders to find new revenue streams to jump start infrastructure and planning improvements in designated districts. CIDs rely on a voluntary levy on current property owners; TADs allow for bonds to be issued to install infrastructure that will allow a blighted or under-developed area to be redeveloped. Those bonds are then repaid with the increased tax revenues as the designated area's property tax base increases.

My company works with several CIDs and has helped TAD supported projects in Atlanta, so I am a big supporter these ideas in general. For whatever reasons, local economic development leadership has not seen fit to remove this tool from the economic development toolbox in the Classic City.

Johnathan does a good job of articulating the potential positives: leveraging private funds to get significant public dollars, new streetscapes, public safety improvements, rising property values, potential transit, infrastructure investment, coordinated planning, etc.

Two take aways from the article:

1) One of the commenters says that "those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." He or she is exactly right. In Oconee, we have the opportunity to learn from Atlanta Highway (and countless other examples in Georgia) and not repeat those mistakes. We can and should require higher-quality buildings, require long lasting trees, develop a different type of street grid that accomodates uses besides big boxes, etc. in our retail zones. Otherwise, as our retail infrastructure expands, the older properties will decay much sooner than we realize.

2) As you can tell by the comments in the article, the most visceral Athens and anti-Athens folks want nothing to change. This is the danger of listening to these types of feedback channels. The fact is, Athens -- rightly or wrongly -- created the mess that is Atlanta Highway. The question is 1) why is that area consistenly ignored by the leadership in Athens (too big a problem to tackle? no voters in the commercial districts?) and 2) what can be done to improve it. A CID would activate the private sector to work on solutions, as opposed to relying on government.

CIDs have been proven as good approaches (assuming you define improving run down retail and commercial areas as good). However, Athens is a different animal. For one thing, I'm not sure that Athens political classes will be comfortable allowing self taxing and relinquishing direct control of the wide ranging improvements a CID can make.

I'm also not sure there is the same type of private sector leadership on the Atlanta Highway corridor that drives and motivates the most successful CIDs in Atlanta, which are found in Buckhead, the Cumberland District, Midtown Alliance, North Fulton, and the Perimeter area.

However, these hurdles are easily overcome if local and regional leadership decides to make "fixing" Atlanta Highway a priority, and embracing an area that is of vital importance to the future of the region.

A First for Oconee?

2009-11-04T12:05:00.004-05:00

There are landmark moments for communities. Times when you know you have made it from the backwoods to the big time. From the outhouse to the big house. It appears as if one of those is tomorrow.

Yes, the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile will be in greater Watkinsville at the Athens Area Humane Society tomorrow. The Humane Society recently moved to Oconee from Athens-Clarke to reduce costs and in the wake of a split with the ACC government over their desire to become a no-kill shelter. Details are below; you can also keep up with the Wienermobile at its blog and via twitter at @wienermobile.

>Please join us THIS Thursday, November 5th from 10 AM - 4 PM, and the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. There will be prizes, giveaways, adoptions, games, AAHS merchandise for sale, and of course, HOT DOGS!!!

Show your support, visit the animals, and tour the Wienermobile at the AAHS Center at 1781 Mars Hill Road in Watkinsville. All donations will go directly to the animals at AAHS.

Here and There

2009-11-03T10:02:00.004-05:00

A few things that are coming up today:

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will once again discuss regional economic development tonight at 6 p.m. at the Oconee County courthouse in advance of their regular meeting. Most business leaders, chambers of commerce, business writers, and state economic development officials are in favor of the regional approach, and wonder why we haven't done it already. But there are several Oconee County commissioners and some long time residents with fears of Athens who can't get comfortable with the concept, and it could cost us jobs in the future. (Full disclosure: I was a part of the group that visited regions around the state to see how they structure their economic development plans and assisted with the drafting of the regional economic development plan, so you know where my loyalties lie). Coverage found here, here, here, here and here. Wendell Dawson counsels caution here. Many in Oconee want "more time" to study the proposal, which has been discussed for 18 months and been on the table for more than nine months now. This desire for more talking is a a good segue to our next point....
.... which is a great blog post from Blake on the parking deck in Athens. It is indeed a tradition, not just in Athens, to have citizens weigh in at the last minute on a community changing project after ignoring it for years. People, please weigh in early on things.
Election day in High Shoals. Check out Small Town Politics for the scoop.
Holly Ward is taking on Keith Heard for the district 114 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. I have met with Holly and really like her. She has some strong ideas and sending someone to the Gold Dome with experience in education would be good for Athens. However, I'm not sure firing a shot across the bow of Georgia Power is the wisest way to kick off a campaign, even for a Democrat in Athens.
Interesting top 10 list on Georgia's transportation future from Benita Dodd at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. I agree with much of the piece (especially the need to consider technology, variable tolling and freight), except the author's knee jerk opposition to transit. While I agree that the proposed Lovejoy line will be a disastrous waste of funds, the Brain Train concept -- with destinations at both ends and a spine along growing, populated areas -- will succeed for all the opposite reasons and makes a lot of sense.

A Change in Routine

2009-11-01T21:59:00.008-05:00

Most Sunday mornings at casa Brodrick involve a consistent, if sometimes hectic, routine: up for an early morning bike ride (weather allowing), then get the kids ready for church, off to Sunday School and service at Athens First Methodist, and then home (or pick something up) for lunch.

Today was a little different. For those who don't know, I have been focusing on exercising and diet for the past few months in an effort to shed a few pounds. So far, so good. Early last week, I decided I wanted to see how things were progressing and I thought the 3rd annual Toys for Tots half marathon on trails at Heritage Park in Farmington might be a good barometer, and a good way to stretch out my long run by a few more miles. Susan graciously agreed to let me mess with our routine and give it a try, so at 10 a.m. this morning I lined up with about 80 other runners for a 13.1 mile run through the woods.

Heritage Park is one of Oconee County's best kept secrets, and that is a shame. I think a lot of people think of it as the place where the giant Easter Egg hunt is rather than a park for year-round use. Perhaps that is the nature of a park that largely involves passive uses, but I wish more people would get out to the woods of Heritage. Heritage features more than eight miles of heavily wooded, undulating terrain criss-crossed by single track trails suitable for running, hiking, or mountain biking. The trails border creeks, touch the Apalachee River, and pass by old homesites. Today, the park was stunning -- creeks were bubbling, leaves floated from trees like red and yellow confetti, and the temperatures were perfect.

As I ran along those trails today, I wondered again why more Republicans don't embrace the ethos of Teddy Roosevelt and become more aggressive about establishing parks -- particularly passive areas -- in their platforms and when elected to office. I can't tell you how many Republicans I know who are pretty doggone green -- they just disagree with pretty much everything else about the Democratic platform. Personally, I find Republican pandering to corporations on environmental issues the thing that frustrates me the most about my own party.

On a local level, three of Melvin Davis' lasting legacies in Oconee County will be the improvements to Heritage Park that have occurred during his tenure, the growth and professionalism of Oconee Parks and Recreation Department, and the establishment of Veterans Park along Hog Mountain Road. In Watkinsville, we're planning $250,000 worth of improvements to Harris Shoals Park. Currently, Watkinsville and Oconee County are jointy funding, along with the Department of Community Affairs, a greenway and trail planning study that could provide a road map for future trail development in our communties. Wouldn't it be great to connect our parks and green spaces with a network of pedestrian and bike pathways?

Anyway, back to the present. It was a beautiful day for running, and athletes from across Georgia were in Oconee County to try out our trails. Among them were 10-15 Marines, and other troops were stationed along the course offering encouragement, handing out water, and providing direction. It felt a little weird to watch men who put their lives on the line for our country giving back by volunteering at a small road race, but their service today and their commitment to the Toys for Tots program is a great example of the good our troops do here at home.

I managed to run the distance -- the longest I have run by 25 minutes -- but as I write, my legs feel like they have been beaten by a baseball bat. Repeatedly. Calves and Quads. Hammys and hips. Achilles and illiotibial. I'll be limping tomorrow.

But whether you want to ride, hike, walk or run, fall is the perfect time to get out and try out these great trails in Oconee County. Heritage is located on 441 South about 10 minutes from Watkinsville -- give it a try!

Wheels are Turning

2009-10-29T08:32:00.005-04:00

Growing up in Northwest Woods, I didn't really think about whether Oconee County was a safe place to ride a bike or not. Our bikes took us to the NWW pool, or to the tennis courts at Herman C. Michael, or up to Butler's Crossroads (then known as the "Four Way Stop" to most of us) for a drink. On some summer mornings, I just got up, got on my bike, and took off, gradually extending the radius from home as I got older (and as my mom worried less about my riding).

My teenage journeys on my 12 speed Raleigh (sans helmet, of course) with tennis racket grip on the handlebars eventually took me to exotic locales like downtown Watkinsville, or down Union Church Road to Bishop, or down the "big hill" one of my high school teammates nicknamed the "speed bump" on New High Shoals Road, past Paradise Falls in New High Shoals, and all the way to Bostwick. Pit stops at the Golden Pantry for Mountain Dew (this passed for a sports drink when I was a teen) were a must.

Now, 20 years later, I still enjoy riding the country roads of Oconee County. The traffic count has increased significantly, I don't stop for Mountain Dew, and I do wear a helmet, but it is just as much fun as ever.

So you can imagine how pleased I was to see the Oconee County Cycling Organization kick off last night with an hour long meeting at Jittery Joe's in Watkinsville. The organization's tentative mission is to encourage more cycling in Oconee and create an environment for safer cycling for those who prefer self powered, two wheeled forms of transportation for recreation or commuting.

About 20 citizens attended the meeting, as well as Brent Buice from BikeAthens, who provided background on their organization, tips for organizing, and advice on how to get off the ground. The attendees were a strong cross section of Oconee citizens, including residents of unincorporated Oconee, Farmington, Bogart, and Watkinsville. Most were recreational riders and commuters, with several who were relatively new to cycling. As an added bonus, no one wore spandex to the meeting!

Discussions centered around safety in general, fostering greater awareness of cyclists on key roads, potential changes on Simonton Bridge Road, future land use and its impact on cycling, and giving back to the community through education programs at schools, helmet donation programs, etc. The consensus among attendees was to keep the focus of the group on cycling rather than that of BikeAthens, which has evolved into an advocacy group on broader transportation issues.

At the end of the meeting, an interim board of seven was elected, with retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Richard McSpadden as chair. The board will spend the next 180 days developing by-laws, doing strategic planning, and establishing the organization as a 501(c)3 so it can be up and officially active by late spring.

I have high hopes that this group can be a positive and effective advocacy group for cycling issues in the community -- so far, it is a great example of citizen led participation and advocacy. If you'd like to get involved or want more information, click on the FaceBook page linked above or comment and I will get you more information or added to the listserv. As always, let me know your thoughts!

Morning Run Through

2009-10-28T09:16:00.003-04:00

A few items of interest this morning:

Lee Becker has posted a good wrap up of last night's commission meeting. One item of critical news is that the regional economic development effort will be discussed from 6-7 p.m. at the commission's Nov. 3 meeting. Let's hope that John Daniell and Jim Luke can find a way to keep this moving and get an important initiative back on track (full disclosure: I was a member of the committee that put together the regional economic development recommendations, and am a big supporter of a regional approach).
Hard to believe it has been 10 years since OCHS won its only state football title. While it was a magical year, it has unfairly changed the expectation levels for a program that has been mostly mediocre for the better part of its history. Maybe Tony Taylor and Tyson Browning can suit up again and help us take on Apalachee.
Reminder that the Oconee County Cycling advocacy group is having its kick off meeting tonight at the Jittery Joe's in Watkinsville at 8:30.

Don Norris

2009-10-27T08:19:00.003-04:00

Oconee County lost one of its leading lights when Don Norris passed away earlier this week. The Athens Banner-Herald and Oconee Enterprise both have nice stories up, and Dan posted something as well.

Don was the dean of the Oconee County Commission when I joined the Watkinsville City Council in 2003. His long tenure allowed him to recall details and subtleties of past government agreements and zoning decisions. He was wise in the ways of government and people, and was as committed to our community as any local leader (both stories above chronicle his involvement in detail).

I didn't know him that well personally, but the thing I admired most about Don as a politician was his unswerving honesty. Whether it was going to be a popular position or not, he let you know where he stood. He didn't change his story or shade his opinions to accommodate those who might believe differently. Most importantly, he always had the community's best interests at heart. Don, we'll miss your smile, your attitude, and your service. Rest in peace.

Here and There

2009-10-26T09:07:00.004-04:00

News and notes from Kansas to Georgia:

Overland Park, Kansas was my home for two days last week. I was there for the SSTI conference (hotel and conference center pictured), and learned a good deal about technology based economic development (TBED, for short) that can be applied to Athens-Clarke and Oconee. Hope to share some of those learnings, as well as my impressions of Overland Park and any other "lessons learned" that might apply to our region later this week.
A new Oconee county cycling advocacy group is kicking off its activities with a meeting at 8:30 on Wednesday night at Jittery Joe's in Watkinsville. If you are passionate about cycling and live in Oconee, please try to join us. Details on the Facebook page.
Lee Becker has a good analysis of the pickle Oconee County finds itself in on Hard Labor Creek reservoir on his blog. I have said all along that financing reservoirs based on future revenues is a folly with growth slowing and pressure to reduce water. We must find a new way to finance reservoirs, and it looks like necessity is finally forcing our government to do so.
Tom Friedman has a great column that everyone who is passionate about education needs to read. His contention: that the U.S. needs to educate for innovation and creativity, as those are the skills tomorrow's workforce needs. An education and just "doing the job" won't be enough.

Rail Line

2009-10-21T23:44:00.004-04:00

Check out Dan Matthews "Cab Ride" through Watkinsville on the train -- not sure if he indeed caught a ride back from Colham Ferry to Morgan Manor via rail, but this is a neat video.

Our rail line has long term potential to be a great asset for our community. As rail/trail combo that would allow cyclists and joggers to travel from South Oconee to Athens, as a resource for our industrial area, as a potential commuter rail line (20-30 years from now) to Athens, etc.

For now, my kids enjoy watching when the train happens to come by. My wife Susan remembers the train running daily past the house when she visited her grandmother, and waving to it from the front porch. The only down side to having a quiet rail line are the old train cars that are stored on the tracks between Watkinsville and Bishop. Although some feature graffiti, they aren't exactly works of art.

Today the tracks are under a long term lease with Hartwell Railroad, which serves Southwire and the University of Georgia. However, if you could wave a magic wand, what would you do with the rail line?

Back to the Blog

2009-10-21T09:38:00.002-04:00

Have had a lot going on lately (including a new addition to our family), but hope to get back to blogging with some regularity. A lot has happened since our last posts, including a series of brush fires over the potential widening of Simonton Bridge Road (largely a bad idea), a silly scramble over a dirt parking lot in Athens, some local folks floating a ban on bicyclists (seriously bad idea), and some big news and successes for Watkinsville, despite the down economy.

On the Watkinsville front, we are getting ready to move forward on a number of SPLOST investments, including more than $250,000 of improvements at Harris Shoals Park. The big tickets items include stream bank restoration with native plants, new bathrooms, and a new young children's playground. Toby Smith has joined the council to fill the unexpired term of Joe Walter, who will become mayor in January with the retirement of Jim Luken. Four new businesses applied for licenses in the city this month, and First Friday was a big success once again, thanks to the energy of the Mayor and our merchants.

Super Mario

2009-08-27T22:13:00.002-04:00

There are a lot of serious things going on locally and nationally. Ted Kennedy has passed away. Water wars between Georgia and its neighbors. The potential widening of Simonton Bridge road. The start of college football season. And I haven't found time to post about any of it.

But I ran across this video on Facebook, and had to share. For all of you who remember your first Nintendo and Super Mario Bros., you've got to watch it.

I still remember my introduction to Super Mario Brothers at the Claghorn's House in Northwest Woods. It was circa 1987, and we were still rocking the Intellivision at 1510 Robin Hood Road in Northwest Woods (yes, my parents went outside the box when it came to gaming). Shortly after Christmas, I got a call from my friend Joseph Claghorn about his new system, and went over to see what all the fuss was about. Atari 5200 this was not. It was a whole new world. I think I spent weeks finding excuses to visit Joseph's house and play Nintendo. While I left gaming behind years ago, but this performance brought back a whole lot of memories for me.

Amazing

2009-08-20T17:52:00.002-04:00

I was in Atlanta when Michael Johnson broke the world record in the 200 in 1996, running 19.32. Usain is on a whole different level.

I hope he runs the 4 x 400 at some point as well as the 100, 200 and 4 x 100. I will now wear my Kingston Track Club shirt with pride -- it certainly earned a lot of second looks during our vacation in Jamaica last year (the Jamaicans didn't realize there is also a Kingston, Georgia!), when the country was abuzz in advance of the Olympics.

Caviar Please?

2009-08-19T13:37:00.006-04:00

Pretty neat story out of UGA this week about caviar farming. So far, coverage has landed in the AJC and in The Wall Street Journal (scroll down once you click the link), mostly with a tailgate hook.

While a clever hook, I would imagine most of the uses won't be at high end tailgates. But that doesn't really matter. What is important is that this is another example of how the research enterprise at UGA produces a tremendous amount of ideas with economic and environmental value (full disclosure -- my company has done some project work for the UGA Research Foundation, which is part of this research enterprise, so I have more than a passing familiarity with what they do).

The sturgeon effort is a great example of a project that helps preserve a population of rare native species and provides a commercial product. Other products you may have heard about include a number of leading commercial trees pioneered by Tree Introductions of Oconee County and other types of shrubs and flowers, various types of turfgrass, Watkinsville's Electrostatic Spraying Systems, and many other commercial enterprises. Other UGA research enterprises focus on biotech, cancer research, and diverse areas of research in keeping with the University's broad focus.

For Oconee County and Northeast Georgia, these are also the types of companies and enterprises that have strong potential to spur innovation and create jobs in industries we haven't even thought about. As the Federal government ups its spending on higher education and research, we need to be sure our leaders understand its importance for our present and future economic well being, and fight for every last dollar that can come to UGA.

Usain

2009-08-17T13:47:00.004-04:00

I often call televised track and field "God's gift to Tivo." However, I did catch myself watching the full telecasts this weekend of the World Championships on NBC (and Versus, which Charter in its infinite wisdom will not offer to me with out a cable box).

There has been some incredible action in Berlin (including some Athens connections in defending shot put champion Reese Hoffa [4th] and former resident Adam Nelson [5th]). But most importantly, I just had to share the video of this incredible run by Usain Bolt. He shaved the 100 meter world record by a full tenth of a second to 9.58 seconds. That would be like breaking the mile world record by 4-5 seconds. Pretty much unheard of.

First Friday

2009-08-12T22:45:00.002-04:00

Have been tardy about posting a video I made at First Friday in Downtown Watkinsville last week. We had a great turn out for the event thanks to some great ideas and support from local businesses, including Barberitos, Oconee State Bank, Emma Laura, Merle Norman, Ashford Manor, C. Allee, The Natural Baby, and others. Of course, the city provided a "jumpy" and other fun stuff. If you haven't tried First Friday before, give it a shot!

City Council Update

2009-08-12T22:02:00.006-04:00

First of all, we had an extremely busy night at Watkinsville City Council tonight. Thanks as always to those who attended the meeting. A quick recap for those of you who couldn't make it:

The Atchley family, who reside in the historic green home on South Main Street, won the Beautiful Yard of the Month award. It is well deserved -- they have been landscaping and growing a beautiful garden in their driveway. This is one of the oldest homes in Watkinsville, originally built in the late 1700s or early 1800s, I think.
Two-term councilman John Walsh tonight announced his official resignation as he has moved out of the city. The council appointed Christian Lake resident and former Realtor(R) Henry Norman to take his place. John served the city ably, and we look forward to putting Henry to work as well. Henry's background in public safety and real estate should bring a lot of strong and complimentary skills to the council. I have known Henry since going through Leadership Oconee in 2004 and can testify that he is a very strong leader and great thinker. He will fill the term through Dec. 31, although if elected in November to the post (he has declared his candidacy), he will continue on as a council member for a 2 year term. We are all excited to have a resident of Christian Lake -- our largest subdivision in the city -- on the council.
We had a lengthy discussion of SPLOST priorities. Samantha Purcell and I provided recommendations on significant upgrades and improvements for Harris Shoals Park (including improvements of existing facilities, a new young children's playground, recycling bins, new restrooms, stream bank remediation, etc.) as well as funding allocated for Rocket Field and our newest park (along Barnett Shoals Road) at a later date. We will likely finalize these items at our next meeting and work through a delivery schedule.
As I expected, the council unanimously opposed the four-laning of Simonton Bridge Road from the Oconee County line to 3rd street. There was discussion of what improvements may or may not be necessary (Kate McDaniel had suggestions as well), but the council was in agreement that the proposed MACORTS long range plan would not be good for the city. See yesterday's entry for more background on this and for details on how to offer your opinion on Simonton Bridge and other proposed future road improvements.
We also kept the millage rate the same (city taxes will fall due to slightly lower property valuations), and adopted ordinances to deal with franchise fee issues and flood damage prevention.

As always, would welcome any input on these or any other issues!

The Joy of Transportation Planning

2009-08-11T23:51:00.005-04:00

Sometimes, things sneak up on you. Transportation planning has a way of doing that. However, if you're interested in the future of transportation in Oconee County, you should take time to review the MACORTS long range plan and offer comments.

I visited what appeared to be a sparsely attended public hearing tonight (three of eight attendees when I left at 6:10 were from the Watkinsville City Council) and came away underwhelmed. According to County Public Works Director Emil Beshara, MACORTS scaled back its plans to just what could be funded, resulting in lots of roads formerly slated to be widened (noticeably, 441 from Bishop to the county line and Hog Mountain Road to 78) off the list. A few notes from the meeting:

According to the plan, Simonton Bridge is slated to be widened to four lanes from the River to 3rd Street in Watkinsville. It is likely that City Council will formally register its opposition to this approach tomorrow night at our monthly meeting and offer our own suggestions. Personally, I think widening Simonton Bridge beyond additional bike lanes and perhaps a center turn lane is a terrible idea and could jeopardize what is one of just a few scenic entries into Oconee County, and ruin one of the last good cycling routes in and out of Oconee County from Athens. And if Clarke County does not make commensurate improvements on their side of the river, the move makes even less sense. When I mentioned this to Emil, he stated that his (the county's) intention was to just widen and add turn lanes to Simonton Bridge (not four lanes!) and that this was not being done "for economic development purposes." Obviously, something was lost in communication to GDOT and MACORTS, as the plans clearly suggest four laning and adding turn lanes to the road.
Union Church Road is slated to be four lanes from 53 to New High Shoals, despite none of the other roads around listed as being four-laned. This does not seem to make sense.
Hog Mountain Road is slated for four lanes between 441 and Mars Hill. Speaking of Mars Hill, that project -- which will widen the road from University Parkway through Butler's Crossroads to Watkinsville -- is still on the list and likely to move ahead in the next few years.
Plans are on the list for a 441 - 15 connector that would relieve truck traffic from downtown Watkinsville, an absolute positive. The only other potential new roads planned are near the extreme north end of the county near the commercial corridors along Daniell's Bridge, Jimmie Daniel, and Epps Bridge, which will no doubt be necessary as commercial grows in these areas.
Emil did say that while 441 and other projects were not on the maps, they were in an "appendix" and could be revived at any time. I found this curious.
Interestingly, Athens-Clarke is the only community that submitted any non-road items in the plan (commuter rail is mentioned towards the end of the plan where it was moved to the unfunded portion of the plan). While the friendly lady at the session told me it was inefficient to pursue federal funds for non-road projects, I find it odd that no sidewalks, pedestrian transportation, or bike paths are even being considered as part of the MACORTS plan in Madison or Oconee counties.

At any rate, if you have any interest in future transportation, take a look at the MACORTS site linked above and register your comments on specifics or the plans in general. While most of the Oconee projects are listed for long-range items, you never know when other factors will speed them up, so it may pay to register your opinions early and often.

This and That

2009-07-24T07:17:00.006-04:00

A lot happening in the news locally and regionally. Some quick takes.

The memorial service and reception in honor of E.H. Culpepper yesterday were tremendous. Judge Stephens, Matt Sligh, and others offered wonderful tributes to a wonderful man, and of course, ribs were served afterwards at the Classic Center. All that was missing was a baggie of "extras" to take home.
The Select Sustainable Tree Trust is in the news again, this time in the AJC for its contribution to UGA. President Adams toured North Campus with the guys from the tree trust on Wednesday as they begin to plan for fall tree installations (pictured).
For all you eagerly awaiting the results of the Watkinsville City Council Strategy Session, it was a day well spent. We made progress on planning and prioritizing SPLOST, received an update on a number of other items, and will be moving forward on preserving our historic homes in Watkinsville and further evaluation -- and hopefully implementation -- of curbside recycling. It was a great opportunity to have dialogue in a more informal setting about the issues and opportunities ahead for Watkinsville.
Athens is planning to require all new commercial and residential rehab construction to be up to LEED standards. Costs are described as a "few percentage points," but those add up quickly in these times. I hope they have done their homework on this and have a meaningful dialogue with local developers and contractors. LEED can be great but pricey, depending on the standards required. In Watkinsville we evaluated this requirement as part of our land use planning overhaul, and opted against it until costs came down.
Water take 1: Don't be fooled -- a judge's recent ruling against Georgia in its effort to secure water from Lake Lanier for Metro Atlanta could have fallout for our region. If Metro Atlanta's faucet is indeed shut off, the largest beneficiaries of future growth and its attendant challenges could be Georgia counties close to Atlanta outside of the Lanier Watershed. That includes Jackson, Barrow, Oconee, Athens-Clarke, and Morgan. Dan Chapman and Leon Stafford do a good job summarizing all the challenges (and a few opportunities) on the water issue in today's AJC. Either way, this is a time for leaders to take stock and perhaps think outside the box as we plan for the future.
Water take 2: Speaking of those water negotiations, Georgia's continuing fight seems futile. And even worse, the napalm-oriented approach of several of our federal congressmen may come back to bite us, according to Georgia's two political Toms -- Crawford at Capitol Impact and Baxter at InsiderAdvantage. Registration is required at both links, but Voice of Moderation is not holding out much hope on this effort, which has kept entire teams of lawyers in business for decades now. My preference -- cut the best deal we can now and begin to plan smarter ways to grow, conserve, and store more water. My fear is that we will be under the gun come 2012. One telling excerpt: "Even at the congressional level, Georgia could be hampered by the hostility generated by several of its Republican House members – notably Tom Price, Paul Broun, Lynn Westmoreland and Phil Gingrey – who have engaged in verbal battles with the Democratic majority’s leadership. “They [the Democrats] hate them,” said a House aide familiar with the Georgia delegation. “They won’t do things for Georgia just because of those guys.”
Watkinsville's own Tifosi Optics gets some love in a paper out west. If you don't have Tifosis and need sunglasses, be sure to try them out!
Speaking of local businesses, we had a great lunch at Girasoles on Wednesday. All of you in Watkinsville, don't forget Chef Jose and his staff. Apparently, he has also opened a new outpost in Bostwick as well!

Meet, Tweet & Greet

2009-07-22T16:23:00.003-04:00

Interested in learning more about social media for professional use? Be sure to check out www.athensga.com and learn more about the Athens Chamber's innovative mid-year event, called "Meet, Tweet & Greet." The Chamber is putting a lot of energy into the event, which will involve tutorials on social media and internet marketing for businesses, a silent auction, great food and drinks, and a salute to Suzanne Yoculan. You can find more details in the videos below.

Retreat!

2009-07-21T16:44:00.002-04:00

Apologies for the late notice, but the Watkinsville City Council is having its first planning retreat in many years (if ever) tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ashford Manor. The public is of course invited. Items on the agenda include discussion of SPLOST funds (focused on roads, sidewalks, greenspace, infrastructure, and public safety investments), the County Courthouse situation, annexation, and many other "big picture" topics it is difficult to discuss at regular meetings. Citizen input is encouraged -- feel free to comment or e-mail with items if you cannot make it.

A Sad Day

2009-07-20T22:18:00.004-04:00

This region lost a true leader when E.H. Culpepper passed away this morning. After a long battle with cancer, in which his body may have flagged but his spirit never did, E.H. has finally gone on to a better place in the sky.

When Susan and I first returned to Athens and I was starting the local office of Jackson Spalding, E.H. was one of the first people I met. He helped introduce me to lots of local folks, educated me about regional politics, invited me to events in Athens and Atlanta, and gave me informal lessons on transportation, regionalism, and dreaming big. For nearly eight years, he was a tireless advocate for me personally and our company. I can't count the times he would stop by the office to give me an idea he was working on. I would write it up, flesh it out, and help him put together a meeting to carry it forward to the next step.

His ideas were often far ahead of what Georgia's politicians -- and at times citizens -- were willing to conceive, and that was part of his charm.

Commuter rail in Georgia? Why not! 441 as a leading tourism corridor? Absolutely -- in fact it already is. A rail anchored triangle between Gainesville, Athens, and Gwinnett? Makes sense. 316 as a Biotech corridor? It will happen, not a doubt. On campus commuter rail at UGA? UGA will buy that line eventually. A significant airport in Barrow County? Who could be opposed to that?

I wound up helping him with a tough campaign for State House a few years ago. He fought the good fight, but lost to a smart young politician in Doug McKillip. E.H. knew it would be tough to beat a Democrat in liberal minded Athens (he ran as an independent -- I just don't think there was a party for a train loving, government supporting, pro-business type like E.H.), but he walked miles speaking to voters and gathered petitions to just to make the ballot.

Perhaps his greatest strength in the time I knew him was his ability to bring people together. The wide ranging conversations might cover everything from nanotechnology to bicycling to recycling, and were often lubricated by heaping plates of E.H. and Eye's world famous BBQ. Those who joined those conversations benefited from what were easily the best ribs anywhere in Georgia, period. And even better, you often got to take home zip lock bags of the extras. At one point, I had ribs for lunch every day one week when E.H. stocked the office refrigerator with leftovers.

So tonight, it is my sincere hope that E.H. is looking down on us all with a smile on his face. Perhaps we can count on a little divine intervention to help us with some of the challenges E.H. foresaw years ago that our state and region have still not addressed when it comes to economic development, rail, and road transportation.

Either way, there will never be another Elijah H. Culpepper, but we can rest well knowing he has imparted these leadership lessons over BBQ to hundreds of Georgians: ignore county lines, reach out to others, build coalitions, and most importantly, don't be afraid to conceive of a big idea and then work tirelessly to make it happen.

Update for Parents

2009-06-25T11:25:00.003-04:00

There is a man around Athens/Oconee acting odd and staring at young children on various playgrounds in town; he drives a distinctive red and white truck. I have received an e-mail about him from a friend and Johnathan details him here; I also heard from Chief O'Dillon that the Oconee Sheriff's Department spotted him outside a day care center on Daniell's Bridge Road earlier this week and asked him to leave. The Watkinsville Police are on the lookout for this individual as well, particularly around ESP, Harris Shoals Park, and Rocket Field.

While he hasn't broken any laws, this sort of behavior isn't exactly normal. So if you visit local playgrounds, parks, etc. keep your eyes open and report him to the local authorities, who are monitoring him closely. Description of the individual is below:

He is a white male with no hair (shaven) and has a neatly trimmed reddish auburn
mustache and beard. He is driving a smaller red pickup truck with black and white checkered trim on his tailgate and has tons of bumper stickers in the cab window (it almost looks like a toy truck - like a lego truck). The tag is Virginia XVH 8157.

Hugging Trees

2009-06-18T15:42:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the absence of blogging lately. Thought I would come back with a bang -- after being struck by all the "green" during a recent drive down Peachtree Street in Atlanta, I came home inspired.

As it turns out, there was a local connection between the trees I noticed on Peachtree and Oconee County, and I was lucky enough to get an op-ed on the topic in the AJC today. Even though the state's flagship paper doesn't deliver in these parts anymore, the story highlights one of Oconee County's top exports -- trees!

Look here for the story and click here and here for more on sustainable trees and an Oconee County company that is looking to educate the world about healthy trees.

Tree planting is an area where Oconee can learn from Atlanta. Sometimes we take our rural ambiance for granted, but in my opinion, Oconee and its municipalities could get much more aggressive about planting and requiring long-lived, sustainable trees throughout the community.

Watkinsville Forum on Beer and Wine Sales This Thursday

2009-04-21T14:00:00.004-04:00

If you are interested in commenting on a proposed ordinance that will allow beer and wine to be sold in Watkinsville's retail establishments, there is a public comment session with council members Joe Walter and Samantha Purcell on Thursday evening at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

As has been detailed elsewhere (here, here, and in a story only available to subscribers of the Oconee Enteprise), the city is considering loosening its beer and wine ordinance to allow limited package sales in convenience stores and perhaps future retail establishments. If you can't make the 5 p.m. meeting, visit Watkinsville's website and e-mail your opinion to the Mayor and council. Councilwoman Samantha Purcell and Councilman Joe Walter are members of the subcommittee working on this ordinance; other councilmembers will not be there due to open meetings laws.

History Made in Oconee County

2009-04-17T16:04:00.003-04:00

Oconee County is now a part of golf history.

At today's second round of the Athens Regional Foundation Classic, UGA alum Brendon Todd aced the 17th hole at Jennings Mill -- for the second day in a row. As far as we know, this is a first in professional golf. WNEG's Mark Edmonston captured today's hole-in-one on video.

The video is embedded below and national coverage is coming in droves (blogs, AP, ESPN, Bloomberg, PGA Tour). Keep an eye out for the video of local track Jennings Mill on local and national sports broadcasts and be sure to check out the tournament this weekend!

Caveat: My company, Jackson Spalding, proudly helps promote the ARFC!

Transportation Stimulus Funds Bypass Clarke, Oconee

2009-04-09T15:50:00.005-04:00

Out of $512 million allotted for Georgia roads, bridges and transit dollars, Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties got exactly zero Federal stimulus dollars in phase one allocations. Details here and here on who got the bacon, and who didn't. Gwinnett County alone scored 13% of the total allocation and more than twice as much funding as our entire congressional district (approximately $70 million to $30 million). Granted, Gwinnett has enormous transportation issues, many of its own making. But the short story for our area: no cash, no transit, no roads, no jobs, nothing changes. Hopefully we will do better in round 2 of the sweepstakes.

Getting Ready for Augusta National

2009-03-30T12:32:00.002-04:00

This is off topic, but awesome. Anyone else ready for Georgia's annual moment in the golf spotlight? The Masters is just a week or two away.....

Earth Hour

2009-03-27T13:00:00.002-04:00

Earth Hour is this Saturday night. What is Earth Hour, you ask? It is a global effort to get everyone to turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30-9:30 this Saturday night. Pretty neat idea.

Check it out, and maybe we can "turn out the lights" in Watkinsville for just a little while this weekend. I will try to remember and do my part. Check out the video below and consider doing yours. Maybe next year we can orchestrate a more organized effort to make this happen in our local cities.

Oconee Has State's Lowest Unemployment Rate

2009-03-25T22:41:00.004-04:00

The Georgia Department of Labor has released statistics showing that Oconee County has the state's lowest unemployment rate at 6.0%. The AJC also has an unemployment map and accompanying story out that is worth examining. Overall, Oconee and neighboring Athens-Clarke fare well, as they are among a handful of neighbor counties around the state with average unemployment below 8%. This is a glimmer of good news for our area and region.

As bad as the recession seems locally, the data shows that it is much worse elsewhere, particularly in Northwest Georgia, where carpet manufacturers are shutting down mills. Traditionally rural areas of the state where employment has always lagged are also severely impacted. Case in point are Dalton and Whitfield county, which recently had the dubious honor of having the nation's second highest unemployment rate. As you can imagine, they are not happy about it. Full statistics an d more charts beyond what I have pulled are here; thanks to the DOL for making them so easy to find and understand.

This and That

2009-03-19T08:15:00.008-04:00

Stem Cells: Former Perdue spokeswoman and native Athenian Heather Hedrick Teilhet speaks for thousands of Georgia families in her editorial in the AJC today regarding SB 169. I truly believe this stem cell bill -- even if it goes no further -- is unnecessary and has angered many conservative and pro-business Republicans. Just by getting this far, the bill has hurt our local and statewide economic development efforts amidst a recession. What a waste of time and energy.
OC Party: Congrats to Watkinsville's Jay Hanley for being elected chair of the Oconee County Republican Party.
Enough Already: Over at Tondee's Tavern, Oconee resident Johnathan McGinty articulates what I have been thinking for months -- enough already with the pessimism, state climatologists! While it hasn't been a banner year for rain, here in Northeast Georgia, the resevoirs and rivers are full. I'm not saying we're out of the woods, but our state officials need to understand that if all you do is talk continuously about how bad things are, people will quit listening (especially when we just got 3 inches of rain).
Slippery Slope: Was surprised to see the Watkinsville alcohol issue get such prominent play in today's Oconee Enterprise (the story is not available online); ABH covers it here. If you read the OE article, it says I am opposed to retail beer and wine sales for philosophical reasons. I don't have a problem with alcohol, but here's my philosophy: there should be a good reason besides "everyone else is doing it" to change our ordinance. The situation in Watkinsville hasn't changed since we approved pouring licenses for beer and wine in restaurants, when we decided not to do retail sales. That was clearly a good decision as it helped our restaurants and enhanced our economic development prospects -- we had a good rationale for that decision. However, I don't think we should change our ordinance to "possibly" get a wine and cheese store or to save people a little gas when they want to buy beer. Frankly, the most likely immediate outcome is more gas stations, who will be the prime beneficiaries under the current ordinance. I have also suggested that if our goal is to get a gourmet food store, let's pass an ordinance for just that (I have provided a template for consideration), rather than one that accomodates all retail outlets. That said, a quick vote count indicates that the ordinance will pass with some amendments, and it is about as tightly constructed as one gets. I just don't see the need for it. And if we follow the line of the reasoning that "90% of the rest of the county has it, so why shouldn't we" on other issues, Watkinsville would be a very different place, wouldn't it?
Transportation: Odds for meaningful transportation reform continue to dwindle as the House, Senate and Governor continue to play a parlor game with an issue that is critical to the future of Georgia. If you think this has bad consequences for Athens and Oconee, imagine the hand wringing in Atlanta, Savannah, and elsewhere.
Republican Plans: Matt Towery has a nice piece on how the Republican party can become relevant again at Insider advantage. Unfortunately for us but probably fortunately for Towery's company, a subscription is required. An excerpt: "I recognize that this appears to be a simplistic set of proposals. They are, and for a reason. Simple bold concepts work. When people want change, and inevitably they do, they don't want halfway, watered-down reform. They vote for bold proposals and real change implemented as swiftly as possible." His ideas: bring back term limits. Get rid of the IRS. Eliminate federal agencies. And restore America as a manufacturing powerhouse. Towery is much better when he focuses on these types of issues rather than sniping over problems at the Georgia Dome, etc.
Medicaid: Our local hospitals have gone to war at the legislature over medicaid reimbursement cuts recommended by the Governor, with a full scale e-mail and fax campaign that is rarely seen from Athens outside of environmental issues. The House has figured out a way to keep the money in by accurately applying the new FMAP match that is part of the stimulus funds. The Governor and senate budget writers aren't buying the change. Hundreds of local jobs would be lost in Athens if the Governor's version of the bill passes. Lots of detail here.
Georgia Gets Railroaded: Shoutout in Flagpole for Voice of Moderation here. Thanks Ben. More detail on NC's intercity commuter rail program plans here. I'm green with envy.
Those must be some good lobbyists: Speaking of SB 169, the author of the original bill plans to run for state insurance commissioner because lobbyists asked him to. Not the way to start a campaign, according to the ABH.
It's a question of Priority: Charles Krauthammer gets to the heart of many Americans' growing unease with President Obama's plans and budget growth. They recognize energy independence is a problem. Healthcare is a problem. But are they the problems we should be dealing with right now? Did they cause our economic issues? Can we solve these in the middle of a recession? The least competent aspect of the new administration appears to be the Secretary of the Treasury. Not good. But can Republicans figure out an alternative besides the "wishing for failure" one being suggested by our esteemed talk radio hosts? Parts of the Obama platform have broad appeal -- energy independence, conservation, education investments, etc. -- others, much less so.

SPLOST Turnout

2009-03-17T08:44:00.004-04:00

As of 7:50 this morning, only 3 people had voted at the Watkinsville East Precinct. The contrast to the jammed polls of November could not have been more stark.

While my son did enjoy the empty building and took the opportunity to show off his nascent football skills to the poll workers, it doesn't say much for voters in Oconee County to have such a small turnout. SPLOST will raise as much as $3 million for sewers, sidewalks, greenspace, playgrounds and public safety investments in the City of Watkinsville (and $37 million for the rest of the county).

Information (and some opinoions) can be found here, here, here, here, and here. The Chamber of Commerce has also weighed in in favor of SPLOST. As I have said before, it is a no-brainer.

Neat Story

2009-03-16T15:43:00.001-04:00

I missed this neat story about President Lincoln -- check it out when you have time.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

State Ownership of Transit

2009-03-16T00:01:00.004-04:00

Our own State Rep. Bob Smith is proposing that the state have some control Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Watkinsville native Scott Trubey reports here for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Dan Matthews thinks it's a terrible idea, but doesn't say why.

I think it is interesting, at least. While the day-to-day operations of Hartsfield are generally well run, its approach to capital projects is often disastrous.

Example 1: the planned International Terminal, which is sorely needed as passengers arriving in Atlanta from foreign destinations not only have to deplane but have to collect and re-check all luggage (even if you are not changing flights!), which is a tremendous inconveinience. This project has doubled in cost since its conception. Recently Delta requested $400 million in budget cuts to the project (as an added bonus, the project is now three years behind schedule).
A new people mover to transport passengers to the rental car areas dubbed "CONRAC" has seen its budget spike by at least $30 million since inception as well.
See also the infamous "new runway" built several years ago where the contractor who provided the dirt was convicted of corruption (he was allegedly "required" to raise $100,000 for then Mayor Bill Campbell's campaign as a condition for getting the bid).
Until recent years, it was also always understood there was a certain level of corruption just below the surface at the airport, especially during the Maynard Jackson and Bill Campbell eras. Respected former Airport Manager Angela Gittens said essentially that as she left.

So the idea that there should be some level of state input on the future of this statewide asset makes sense to me, although state management of any profitable, successful asset gives me pause. I do believe that Ben DeCosta is a good manager (the airport has good retail choices, is clean, efficient, etc.), but it is obvious there is something that constantly gums up the works on big projects at Hartsfield, and I'd love to know what that is.

However, the real transportation asset that should be taken over by the state is MARTA. If there is one asset that needs new management, new capital, and new ideas, that is it. Limiting both our rail and air transportation assets -- which are of critical importance to the state's future economic health -- to the revenues and skill sets available in Atlanta and/or DeKalb counties, doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Stem Cell

2009-03-15T22:57:00.003-04:00

This week, there will be more debate on stem cell legislation in the Georgia House after a weaker -- but still dangerous to the bioscience industry -- bill passed the Georgia Senate late on Thursday.

Jim Galloway of the AJC continues to offer real insights from the Gold Dome, and his story on the issue shows that Georgia Right to Life really cares very little for a key industry in this state. Check out the excerpt below:

The Senate measure has injected uncertainty into the mind of any biotech executive operating in Georgia, Becker said. Keep up the fight year after year, and eventually businesses that rely on embryonic research will realize they’re not welcome.

Becker cited a similar strategy executed in Missouri. Many efforts at embryonic stem cell research in that state have shifted to nearby Kansas and Illinois.

There is no doubt this is a complex issue. After watching the debate around the Senate Bill on Thursday, I realized that the danger isn't necessarily that we are having a dialogue on the issue in Georgia. It is the non-scientific, non-informed nature of that debate that may be truly damaging to our efforts.

Whether you agree with President Bush's decision to ban the use of federal funds for stem cells in 2001 or not, at least he made a serious speech about it and explained his rationale. Watching Georgia's conservative senate delegation attempting to defend their own legislation as something benign -- and at times, as something totally different than it was -- was downright embarrassing, particularly when they claimed the bill would not harm the in vitro industry in Georgia. Fortunately, much of the offending language in that area was removed from the stripped down bill that passed the Senate, and its fate is uncertain in the House.

The stakes are particularly high for our region, which is seeking to position itself as a bioscience hub. One of our own senators introduced the legislation that is now in play -- what does this say for our area? Even if we never have a large stem cell research company in this area, the overall message that this legislation sends to the industry and to researchers is absolutely not a positive, and those who would rather not see bioscience industries in Georgia understand that. And so do other states, which are already using our "drought," transportation woes and other issues against us. They'd love to have one more issue to add to their list.

This makes me wish I had HBO

2009-03-13T12:11:00.001-04:00

This and That

2009-03-10T08:49:00.005-04:00

A lot going on, and not a lot of time to blog. Some quick hits:

Georgia's move to restrict stem cell research and in vitro fertilization is bad news for parents struggling to have children and for scientific research.
Surprise, Surprise. North Carolina, which has its act together on rail and transportation, stands to get $8 billion (yes, with a "B") for inter-city, high speed rail. That would be enough to fund the brain train as well as commuter rail to Lovejoy and Cobb County, the last time I checked. Georgia legislative leaders please take note about the power of actually having transportation plans in place and a dedicated funding source.
UGA professor Larry Nackerud stirred up a hornets' nest with his comments on ICE raids in the Athens paper yesterday. It boggles my mind that in this economy (with unemployment approaching 10%) that there are still people out there who want us to go out of our way to accomodate those who enter our country illegally rather than using the valid, legal processes.
In "Confessions of a Tax Man," blogger Grift Drift has a great post on why a move to "change the rules" for legislators with tax troubles doesn't make a lot of sense. That said, I do believe there certainly should be no special exceptions for elected officials.
Georgia desperately needs a solution for trauma care, and super speeder fines are one of the easier solutions. No brainer. The only real question is why there isn't a trauma care center closer to Athens than Grady Hospital in Atlanta. We probably can't afford one.
Jim Thompson and the guys nail it here. It is about time our legislators toned down the rhetoric and started really working to address our budget challenges. It only took 25+ days of work to get there.
David Brooks, my other favorite columnist, is at it again, offering up way too much practicality for most Republicans to handle. Guys, despite what Rush says, being "Dr. No" is not going to win us the next election. Nor will waiting on the President to fail.
In case you missed it yesterday, some Georgia legislators want to move the state back to the gold standard. If tax dollars were used to draft this bill the legislators should be reported to Casey Cagle.
Any predictions on how the largely conservative Bulldog nation would react to having the brother in law of the president as our next hoops coach?

Sign of the Apocalypse, II

2009-03-09T15:10:00.003-04:00

Okay, Georgia Legislators attempting to bring back the gold standard? Unbelievable. Biz Chron subscribers can learn more here. What is wrong with these guys (1, 2)? Do they have nothing better to focus their energy on?

Today's Sign of the Apocalypse

2009-03-09T14:54:00.002-04:00

Is the apocalypse near? Favorite columnist/author Tom Friedman kicks off his column with a quote from The Onion.

But despite the reference, this column from Mr. Friedman will certainly get you thinking. While I'm not sure I buy everything in it as we generate a lot of intellectual capital in the U.S., and still do some true production here (I'm not sure the author totally buys what he's selling in this column either) . However, there is something about our consumer driven culture that disturbs a lot of us at an instinctive level, and he and his sources do a good job of articulating that.

Musings from the Dome

2009-03-05T08:40:00.013-05:00

Some goings on at the Dome that have local relevance:

Heard from a source at the Dome yesterday who assured me that the House Leadership and others are working aggressively to break the logjam on transportation. It gives me a little more hope than I had on Tuesday that something may happen. My friend said that he has never seen the spirit of cooperation down there the way it is right now, and that's great. But cooperation alone ain't gonna cut it -- someone is going to have to seriously budge to make something happen in the waning days of the session, as the Governor is using his SRTA/GRTA act as a litmus test for passing the funding bills. My big wish is that the Governor hadn't thrown the "new governance" stink bomb into the mix this year, as transportation reform was complicated enough with competing funding bills. My opinion: we should tackle funding this year (recognizing it will be voted on in 2010 and a lot of voter education will be necessary for either TSPLOST or a statewide sales tax) and reform governance next year. My preference is still the statewide bill, which will help quickly implement some of the major improvements (rail, freight, ports, highways, transit) that we need, but I could live with any reasonable compromise that provides dedicated funding, and I think most Georgians could too. Opponents are attempting to use references to underground tunnels and the northern arc in the statewide bill to gin up opposition, but it is important to note that these are proposed as public-private ventures, not paid for with the sales tax funds. Note also this op-ed on transportation from the Rome News Tribune, always one of the state's more thoughtful publications.
One has to wonder if the Governor has an axe to grind against hospitals after yesterday's announcement and his earlier attempt to increase taxes on their revenues. Is there some sort of massive largess in our system that I am missing? This whole discussion hearkens back to my earlier point about cutting the state budget -- in my opinion, cutting around the edges just makes everything weaker. Look, we all know this is a TOUGH budget year. However, as I said in January, I wish we could cut off entire portions of the government instead and retain funding for transportation, healthcare, and education -- the things Georgians and local governments can't fund themselves. David Shafer, I might be coming around to your way of thinking on the budget process.
I am pleased that Austi n Scott is talking sense to his Republican colleagues in the House. Why do they keep trying to tell local governments how to do business? How would Georgia Republicans respond if the Feds told them how much they could tax, what they could spend it on, and where their employees need to live? It makes no sense, and the Brunswick News agrees (story at left -- wish I could link to their editorials) -- I just wish Jerry Keen and Chip Rogers (see comments below) would listen to them.

Twitter

2009-03-05T00:11:00.005-05:00

I have recently been experimenting with Twitter. At first, I thought it was just a huge time suck, but am finding it increasingly useful for work and politics.

Below is a "Twitter Mosaic" that shows my Twitter followers. If you're interested in social media or keeping up with what is going on at a very grassroots, instant level in your community, or about a cause or product you are interested in, Twitter might be for you. I suggest using the Tweetdeck application to keep things organized. For those who want to focus on local commentary, there is a TwitterLocal app, and for those interested in sports, there is Twackle. Unfortunately, none of these apps are integrated.

I can see a lot of uses for Twitter and politics. Twitter searches can certainly help one keep up with issues at a grassroots level, and address controversial issues before they explode. Most politicians on Twitter offer little more than perfunctory updates (so far), which makes me think their staffers are likely handling it for them. However, those who comment on the political process are some of the most active users of Twitter.

Unlike Facebook and Myspace, it seems that locally Twitter has limited penetration beyond students, media types, and technophiles. So the jury is still out on whether it is ultimately useful and lasting, or just this year's version of the beta tape or the Newton.

And of course, there is the ultimate question: do people really care what their 374 followers are up doing or how they feel about an issue, and vice versa? So far, it seems that they do.

Get your twitter mosaic here.

As the World Turns (GDOT edition)

2009-03-03T22:43:00.006-05:00

Unlike many of my Republican colleagues, I think the GDOT board was pretty smart to fire Gena Evans. Not because I am a fan of GDOT, which is awash with ineffective bureaucracy and major financial problems. But when you find out your commissioner is supporting an agency's demise with a combination of inaction and insubordination (even if she believes she is doing the right things), you've got to let her go. And what's the point of keeping her, when her loyalty lies with two men -- Lt. Gov. Cagle and Gov. Perdue -- who are trying to dismantle your organization?

Evans certainly had a reform agenda. Unfortunately, she didn't recognize that while implementng her agenda, she needed to keep projects moving. While there was palpable excitement after Evans' appointment, frustration steadily mounted as projects were constantly delayed, shelved, or cancelled. With Evans, it was all publicity, no paving. This quote from outspoken board member David Doss in the Rome News-Tribune makes it clear that inaction was Evans' undoing:

“I think it had become clear to the board that there was growing dissension about the lack of progress being made, and the majority felt it was finally time to make a change and go in a different direction,” Doss said. “It’s no secret that the board has been split for quite some time on a lot of public votes. But on this issue, it seems that some members obviously changed their minds and voted for the termination.”

So last week the GDOT board kicked the fox out of the henhouse and appointed Gerald Ross, an unassuming engineer I met when working with Oconee County on the Mars Hill expansion, interim commissioner. Safe choice. Jim Galloway has the best play by play here.

Now the real fun begins. Evans has gone public and is attacking GDOT in outlets like the AJC, Creative Loafing and WSB-TV. Only one reason to do this: Evans supports the Governor and Lt. Gov.'s transportation funding revamp and wants to paint GDOT as incompetent. Fair enough.

However, with competing transportation funding bills in the senate and house and the wholesale restructuring bill floating around the legislature, my bet is that nothing occurs on transportation this year. There is just too much information for legislators to process. One likely predictor of the future: the Georgia House has positioned itself to benefit from inaction, according to Galloway:

The governor is now persona non grata with the constitutionally required board that governs the DOT — as witnessed by last week’s firing of Commissioner Gena Evans. The Senate has joined Perdue.

If the House emerges as the protector of the DOT board, the chamber would have enormous sway over that agency — and the billions of dollars it controls — for years to come.

Should this happen, of course, chances of an agreement between the Senate and House over a sales tax for transportation would be out the window.

Inaction, ironically, will leave GDOT in the driver's seat to implement stimulus funds and more.

So what does this mean for Northeast Georgia? Best case: status quo, with a competent regional GDOT office executing basic plans and maintaining our roads. A dedicated funding source for transportation seems like a long shot. Worst and likely case: another year wasted when it comes to transportation funding and structure, which is bad news for Atlanta and all of Georgia. No dollars for the Brain Train. More chaos with state transportation funding. No 316 improvements. And continued damage to our state's reputation as a place to locate a business.

A solution would involve more pragmatism than Georgia's political leadership has shown in the past few years, so my hopes are not high. Please comment if you see any solutions I'm missing.

SPLOST in the OC

2009-03-03T20:36:00.006-05:00

The Oconee County SPLOST vote is approaching on March 17, exactly two weeks from today. Some background on SPLOST: it stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. It is pronounced suh-plah-st; only in Athens-Clarke do they use the SPEE-lost pronounciation, which struck me as weird when we moved back to Oconee in 2002. SPLOST dollars can be used for capital improvements, but not ongoing government expenses.

At any rate, the run-up to this SPLOST has been very quiet. The first SPLOST vote I can remember in Oconee was when I was a kid, and it was anything but quiet. Although I was too young to vote, I was certainly a lobbyist on behalf of the county. I cared because it was to pay for the John T. Brannen building, aka the "New Gym," at Herman C. Michael Park.

You see, Oconee didn't generate nearly as many sales tax dollars then (our big retailers were Bell's, Oconee Sporting Goods, our four Golden Pantries, and A.J.'s), so there was a big campaign to get folks to vote for the extra 1% sales tax that SPLOST entails. I made significant contributions to the cause with daily purchases of Mountain Dew ($.39 per can) and Skittles ($.33 on sale) at the old Golden Pantry at the "4-way stop." I typically rode my bike up there or walked in the summer, or walked over there from OCHS -- now Oconee Middle -- during the school year.

So anyway, the SPLOST passed, and all of us amateur basketball players reaped the benefits as we moved from the "Booster Club Gym" in downtown Watkinsville -- now dubbed "Rocket Hall" -- to a shiny new gym at Herman C. Michael Park. The person in charge of herding the teens at the "New Gym" was Dan Matthews, who was known to jump into a full court game every now and then to teach us kids a lesson. Since then, many notable county projects have been funded with SPLOST dollars, including the new Veteran's Memorial Park.

So recently the ABH, Lee Becker and Wendell Dawson have taken a hard look at upcoming the 6-year, $40 million SPLOST referendum, and you can read the blogs for their perspective on the county's priorities. Overall, SPLOST is a valuable tool that removes significant burdens from property owners, particularly if it isn't used to fund projects that require significant ongoing general fund dollars. These kinds of "legacy" projects can be tempting for governments, but should be avoided as SPLOST investments as they create a significant ongoing operating cost that cannot be funded with future SPLOST dollars. Most of the stuff on the list passes the smell test.

One thing that hasn't received a lot of focus is that this is the first SPLOST in which Oconee County's four municipalities are participating. Watkinsville will recieve 7.99% of the proceeds, or approximately $3.2 million. Most of these funds will be used for sidewalks, greenspace and roads, which will require limited ongoing maintenance funds, but are in much demand from our citizens. Potential sidewalk locations include Harden Hill Road, Simonton Bridge, and/or VFW drive. Playground improvements, new sewer lines (not sexy, but very necessary to improve our industrial park), and greenspace acquisition are also on the table.

Bogart will get $1.6 million, New High Shoals $668,000, and Bishop $220,000. For our small cities, this funding boost is truly a game changer, allowing some flexibility with tight budgets and the ability to better serve citizens.

As alluded to by Dawson and Becker, there are likely other issues at play in the background, but in my mind, a vote in favor of this SPLOST is a no-brainer. While we may all quibble over details, the good far outweighs the bad in this proposal.

Quick Hits

2009-02-27T13:16:00.004-05:00

Over at the Athens Inbox, I posted about an Athenian being considered for an ambassadorship to Germany. As one commenter said, Germany and Athens both have a lot of beer and a lot of bars -- so sending one of our own over there makes a lot of sense. Would be very good news for our region.
Maria Saporta and others are right -- Gena Abraham's ouster just makes Georgia's transportation mess that much worse. I think the odds are high that nothing of significance happens with transportation this year, and that will be terrible news for our state. One bright spot: interim GDOT commissioner Gerald Ross was heavily involved in the Mars Hill widening project in Oconee, so that project may move up the priority ladder, if such a ladder still exists at GDOT.
Love the idea of using sheep to kill privet in the OC. Can they kill bamboo too? If so, sign me up.
For all my hiking/outdoorsy friends: check out this story from the Athens Banner-Herald. Trail food in the dining hall. Great idea. UGA's food services operation is ridiculously innovative (and good).

Stimulus, Rail, and the Fallacy of "Shovel Ready"

2009-02-25T09:13:00.002-05:00

Pete McCommons makes the obvious link in his column today between the stimulus plan and commuter rail. Rhetoric aside, I actually agree with about 90% of Pete's column today -- I just wish a whole lot more of the stimulus bill was going towards true infrastructure projects -- the rails, sidewalks, parks, roads, etc. that he describes -- rather than social programs and other things that simply further a social agenda.

The true handicap of the stimulus bill in terms of infrastructure is that it only goes for "shovel ready" projects, which are limited in scope and impact. Why is this the case? First of all, you don't get something "shovel ready" unless there is a good chance it is going to happen quickly. It takes too much time and energy. So, while E.H. Culpepper and others have done enormous leg work the Brain Train rail project from Athens to Atlanta, it is by no means "shovel ready." Nor would a 316 upgrade be "shovel ready." However, give us a year and the promise of significant federal money, and I bet this region could have both projects ready.

The sad fact is, with today's regulatory environment, getting something "shovel ready" can take years. Should the burdens of our own state and federal environmental requirements preclude local communities from making the best use of federal infrastructure dollars?

Was Recent GDOT Election a Reason for Hope for Dems?

2009-02-24T13:36:00.002-05:00

Interesting analysis of the recent GDOT board race by Jim Galloway. Says Galloway:

Parham’s election is significant on two levels. First, according to Porter, it creates a 7-6 split on the 13-member DOT board, giving the upper hand to those who favor legislative control of the body over those who think the governor ought to dominate.

His main conclusion: that the election of State Rep. Bobby Parham just might be the first big win state democrats have put together in a while, and could make it much tougher to eviscerate GDOT as the state's leaders plan to do.

It is an interesting theory, and adds another layer to all the drama surrounding transportation funding and planning in Georgia this year. Like my friends at Get Georgia Moving, I'm just hoping that something gets done this year. By the way, great story on the efforts of Get Georgia Moving and its efforts to keep transportation funding front and center here.

Micromanagers at the Gold Dome

2009-02-24T08:50:00.006-05:00

Last year, it was Glenn Richardson's GREAT Plan.

This year, it is a cap on property tax increases.

And apparently, this year, we also have a bill that will tell local governments whether or not they can include residency requirements as a condition of hiring key employees.

You know, for a Republican majority, we sure have a bunch of guys in Atlanta who LOVE to spend taxpayer funded time telling local governments how to do their jobs. And it's ridiculous.

The Brunswick News rightfully calls out this waste of time and paper today (see editorial pictured). And I'm glad they found it. Our state legislators need to focus on their own problems and issues rather than trying to manage those of hundreds of local governments (I will allow that the fact that there are hundreds of local governments is part of the problem).

As I often tell my state representative and fellow local elected officials, it is a lot easier for my constituents to throw me out of office if they are dissatisfied than it is to get rid of Bob Smith or Bill Cowsert, or any other state elected official. So guys, let the voters decide -- rather than legislators in Atlanta -- how local government should be run.

Walton Co. and Social Circle Score Major Distribution Center

2009-02-23T23:16:00.003-05:00

According to Skyline Views, Walton County is the winner in the sweepstakes for a 1.5 million square foot General Mills distribution center. Good news for our neighbor to the South, as this facility is sure to bring significant temporary and permanent jobs to the area. Get the scoop here.

The project appears to be headed for East Hightower Road, an industrial area located between idyllic downtown Social Circle and Hard Labor Creek State Park, which features some of the best swimming, fishing, golfing, camping, running trails and horseback riding areas in the region.

My Valentine's Present: Georgia Beats Florida Twice on TV

2009-02-23T21:09:00.008-05:00

Be forewarned: I'm going way off topic here.

Last night I was watching Tivo and caught the end of the Tyson Invitational, a track meet that was held on Valentine's Day. Now those of you who aren't old friends might not know I used to be a big time runner and track and field junkie. I still record track meets and watch the events that interest me. In fact, I believe that Tivo is God's gift to televised track and field.

Anyway, as I fast forwarded through, I caught the familiar Red and Black of the Georgia Bulldogs. I tuned in and saw a remarkable performance. Georgia's Torrin Lawrence, fresh off a world leading 46.18 in the individual race, ran a 45.1 split to make up a 10 meter gap and crush Florida's Calvin Smith, a U.S. Olympian, on the anchor leg of the race. Georgia's vaunted sports information department may just need to give a little media training to that relay team, as they might be getting some more air time on TV if they keep running nation-leading times. Keep in mind that this was the same day the Dawgs beat the Gators at home in hoops. A double dose of victory to be savored.

Anyway, track and field doesn't get nearly enough coverage, and from time to time we have some remarkable track athletes at Georgia. Torrin looks to be the latest. Kudos to Chip Towers for writing a story for the AJC, and check out the You Tube video of his anchor leg below -- even if you don't like track, seeing UGA beat Florida at anything right now is a big positive. Especially in the most exciting race in track and field, the 4 x 400 meter relay (and no, the Gator track was not handicapped by competing in jean shorts).

P.S. And in a thinly-veiled effort to further "localize" this post and not just write about a favorite sport, I will report that former Oconee County pole vaulter Jordan Scott continues to re-write the record books at the University of Kansas, vaulting over 18 feet this season.

My Dad and Tom Friedman on GM: No Bailout

2009-02-22T17:57:00.007-05:00

It's not often that my Dad and Tom Friedman focus on the same topics, but it happened this weekend. While riding to the Oconee County Landfill to haul off some brush (it's time to prune for all you gardeners out there!), Dad and I talked about the waste of trying to bailout American automakers, who have been making worse products that the competition for the better part of 30 years.

Friedman tackled the same issue and cuts to the core in his latest column.

Reading the news that General Motors and Chrysler are now lining up for another $20 billion or so in government aid — on top of the billions they’ve already received or requested — leaves me with the sick feeling that we are subsidizing the losers and for only one reason: because they claim that their funerals would cost more than keeping them on life support. Sorry, friends, but this is not the American way. Bailing out the losers is not how we got rich as a country, and it is not how we’ll get out of this crisis.

Friedman continues on to characterize GM as a wealth destruction machine, and proposes that instead of giving another $20 billion to automakers, that we invest it in companies that might actually help prepare our nation for the future. He's absolutely right, you know. Not only would the returns would be much higher, but the cathartic process for America's automakers could move ahead, and this is a positive.

Friedman's column also made me think about our state's investments in science and technology. Some of the programs we run in Georgia are easy targets for axe wielding budget writers, particularly those programs not easily understood by legislators or with long pay-off horizons. They shouldn't be.

In conversations with State Rep. Bob Smith (R - Watkinsville), he expressed that he has plans to staunchly defend any Georgia investments in research and technology. Since he is the chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations in the House, this carries some weight. I absolutely applaud him for that.

As I told him, I think investments in higher education at all levels are critical in Georgia, and should be prioritized over most other needs in state government. We are working to fix our secondary education schools, we cannot risk damaging our higher education system through silly cuts to core programs or failing to invest in our most promising areas of research and technology.

While locally, our investments focus on agriculture, biotechnology, infectious diseases and various related disciplines, Friedman makes a strong case for investments in alternative energy, where apparently the financing has locked up along with the financial markets.

That is how taxpayer money should be used to stimulate: limited financing, for a limited time, targeted on an industry bristling with new technology start-ups that, with a little push from Uncle Sam, won’t just survive this crisis but help us thrive when it is over. We need, and the world needs, an America that is thriving not just surviving.

Wherever our dollars go, they need to go somewhere that has strong potential for moving our country forward, not keeping us tied to the hidebound, oil dependent ways of the past. Given our research expertise in Athens and statewide, Georgia can make a similar contribution by continuing to improve agricultural production and discovering new ways to fight disease and improve the lives of the world's citizens.

P.S. For all the readers who were no doubt wondering, Dad and I had a successful trip to the Oconee Landfill, where he seems to be on a first name basis with the guy who manages the scales. For a mere $5, our overstuffed family pick-up full of Crepe Myrtle and Water Oak branches was deposited and will be either buried and recycled or mulched and given away. The OC landfill is best deal in town, unless you live in the city. If you live in the city, the minimal taxes you pay to cover your trash pick up, safety, and curbside leaf and limb pick-up are the best deal in town.

This and That

2009-02-19T23:22:00.005-05:00

Some interesting tidbits from the day:

Big news for the alma mater as Berry scores a $4 million donation for new residence halls and the Cage Center, as well as endowing a new scholarship program that gets Berry back to its roots. Berry also picked up two wins over archrival Shorter on the hardwood the other night, which always brings a smile to my face.
Are we trying to do too much too fast when it comes to transportation? So far this session, we have at least three bills that will dramatically change transportation in Georgia. Will any of them pass? See this story for the Governor's plan to reorganize transportation governance. Wasn't this what GRTA was supposed to do? Lets keep our fingers crossed that something gets accomplished this session.
This is really impressive. Perhaps Clarke should consider something similar as it seeks to expand its landfill. $250,000 per year is nothing to sneeze at either.
Georgia Power has been pushing a bill in the legislature that will allow the company to stretch the charges for a planned nuclear plant over a number of years, basically, effective immediately, despite the plant won't be on line for many years. This appears to make a lot of financial sense for Georgia Power, and perhaps for their rate payers. Initial opposition came from usual suspects -- Democratic interest groups, anti-nuclear activists, environmentalists. Things seemed to be moving along smoothly, and they even fended off an unusually strong challenge from Clark Howard and announced polling results that show Georgians on their side. But now the battle is truly joined. Conservatives at Peach Pundit have decided it is not a good idea, and are making a fight of this thing. This will be an interesting test to see how strong the new media movement is and if it can impact policy, and also an interesting clash of social networks and old fashioned networking. Georgia Power is perhaps the state's best and most prominent corporate citizen, investing heavily in local communities all over the state and building a lot of goodwill. Will be interesting to see if Erick Erickson and his crew slow things down for Georgia Power.
We're about to get to work identifying historic homes and properties in Watkinsville. We are particularly focused on preventing "demolition by neglect" which has already occurred to at least two Main Street properties in the past five years. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
I just don't understand how we're thinking about cutting revenue in Georgia right now. While I'm not as vehement as JMac, one of the big problems with our state's tax policy right now is a lot of well intentioned tax breaks that add up to a lot of $$$$. This is one reason Rep. Bob Smith had a point when he called for a constitutional convention (an idea which appears to have disappeared, by the way).
Interesting post from Maria Saporta on the challenges facing Metro Atlanta. This is right on target, and the rest of the state needs to pay attention. As Atlanta goes, so goes Georgia.
I'm sorry Coach, but you can coach attitude and effort. Sometimes you have to. In fact, I would argue at many levels in many sports, it isn't the X's and O's that make coaches great, but it is the coach's ability to get the most out of his or her players. Exhibit 1. Exhibit 2. Exhibit 3.
Be sure you read this story. Sportsmanship still lives, and it's a very good thing.

Common Sensulus

2009-02-17T21:11:00.002-05:00

Thomas Oliver is a relatively new business columnist at the AJC, which ironically is cutting its business coverage back. I haven't been reading his columns regularly, but stumbled across an archive today and several make a lot of sense.

1) His comparison of our various bailouts to the constant tinkering that took place during the Great Depression in this column is very valid. While some of Roosevelt's programs were valid, after a while the big problem was the uncertainty it created in the minds of business. If you never know where the government is going to "invest" -- some would say meddle -- next, you never know what your move is. Cousins Properties CEO Tom Bell provides a real world example with his comments. After hearing Dennis Beresford speak today, it is obvious government leaders are making things up as they go along. Professor Beresford has worked at Ernst & Young, taught at UGA, and saw the inside of the mess during his directorship with Fannie Mae, and his comment "I feel more depressed about the situation in this country than I have in my entire life" was startling. It would behoove the feds to stop -- soon -- and see if things are working.

2) I have said all along -- and told several friends and acquaintances at a board meeting tonight -- that the issue is actually relatively simple in pure economic terms: for more than 10 years, American consumers, business, and government have all been spending more than we have been earning. Phil Larkins nails it and quantifies it in this other column from Oliver. The "de-leveraging" process is going to be long and painful, but is very necessary. If we get back to our old ways (and government doesn't change its ways) we will merely build our house of cards even higher on a false foundation of debt. And the fall will be that much more painful.

3) The final piece in the trifecta is a thoughtful piece on the specfics of the stimulus. And he is right, not all spending has a stimulative effect. That is my biggest issue with our package that was signed today.

After the uncertainty of the fall, December and January were almost a welcome relief with no new programs a bit of a sense of normalcy. Maybe the Federal Government can let the dust settle for a while at this point and see what -- if anything -- is working.

7 Lessons from a Weekend Trip

2009-02-16T21:47:00.011-05:00

Since I was a kid, I have spent many days, weeks, and weekends in Western North Carolina, most of them at my grandmother's house in rural Buladean, where my mother grew up and many of my relatives still live nearby. It is a wonderful, almost hidden place, where time stands still in ways good and bad. For those of you who have lived in or have relatives in similar areas, you don't need me to explain what I mean.

But suffice it to say that I have a special place in my heart for the North Carolina mountains -- there is a part of me that still feels very much like I am coming "home" whenever I see the gentle slopes of the Appalachians loom as we head into Northern Georgia and Upstate South Carolina.

Last weekend, our family had the pleasure of spending the better part of four days (Oconee schools were out Friday and Monday) in Blowing Rock, N.C. Blowing Rock (downtown shops pictured above) is quite different than Buladean and Bakersville -- although just an hour+ northeast, it is on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge in the North Carolina "high country." "High" might refer to elevation or income, but either way it was home to a lot of affluent retirees and shops, restaurants, parks, etc. While not as high-falutin', it kind of felt like Charlotte's version of Highlands, N.C., the summer-time playground of many of Atlanta's elite.

All that said, the town had a lot of redeeming qualities that are applicable to Watkinsville and other small communities. Many of these principles we have adopted, but I took away seven critical lessons from my visit to Blowing Rock, which obviously has a big head start in terms of time and tax base on Watkinsville.

1) Parks and Recreation -- Think Small: Right along Main Street, Blowing Rock had a spectacular park, with something for almost everyone. Two playscapes accommodated children ages 2-9. Two full length basketball courts, two tennis courts, a climbing wall, and restrooms were nearby. While these facilities on some level were similar to what we have at Harris Shoals, their proximity to downtown encouraged enormous pedestrian traffic and a lot of business at the shops as moms shopped and dads watched kids and ate ice cream. It was clean, open, and well designed. On a warm-ish winter afternoon, at least 100 kids were enjoying the playground this weekend. Also, within an easy walk of downtown, they had two other spectacular parks, the Annie Cannon Gardens, a pocket park, and Broyhill Park, which featured a beautiful lake and walking paths. The Cannon Gardens also served as the entry way for the Glen Burney trail, a 1.4 mile hike along a creek that led to two waterfalls (one is pictured to the left).

While we aren't blessed in Watkinsville with this type of natural beauty, with some creative thinking we could certainly do more. I have long advocated for a greenway that would link Harris Shoals to downtown or Ashford Manor to allow families to park in one area and easily move through town without cars. Having a more youth focused playground at Rocket Field might also make sense. What are some other ideas for convenient green spaces in Watkinsville? How can we use recreation to support downtown businesses?

While Oconee has made significant investments in greenspaces in recent years, very few of them can be accessed without vehicles, and little thought seems to have been given to how we can tie them together. How can we better link our parks in Watkinsville and Oconee and build more new ones that are truly neighborhood based?

2) Parks and Recreation -- Think Big: Blowing Rock is less than a mile from the remarkable Moses Cone Memorial Park. This passive recreation area features 25 miles of "carriage paths" which are ideal for horseback riding, running, walking, etc (see the photo). This morning I ran from downtown Blowing Rock to the Cone Manor and back, and while cold, it was spectacular. Why wouldn't one want to visit (or live) there? It was an amazing place that shows just how powerful an investment in passive recreation can be. While the convenient location impressed, a stronger focus on passive recreation, landscaping and beautifying Heritage Park, Harris Shoals, and other Oconee green spaces could yield similar results, especially if some of the federal land assets in our community come available some day.

Better accommodating and embracing our area's cycling-centric heritage could also pay recreational dividends. Investments in rail trails and more could help us capture more of this market.

Blowing Rock is also astride the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most scenic driving routes in America, near Grandfather Mountain, and several other parks, including skiing destinations in winter and rafting in the summer. Again, it is hard to compete with this level of natural abundance, but it is obvious their focus on recreation has paid off. For anyone who enjoys any facet of being outdoors, the town offers a set of offerings that is hard to beat, regardless of the season.

3) Cleanliness: A major of focus of Mayor Luken has been to keep downtown clean, and we have made remarkable progress. I noticed Blowing Rock was clean as could be -- not a bit of trash anywhere. Great towns take pride in their appearance, and I was pleased that Watkinsville and Blowing Rock stack up nicely.

4) Bypassing Truck Traffic: There is a 321 bypass that sends most significant traffic around downtown Blowing Rock, which has been preserved and protected through the years. This means that the traffic that does come downtown does so to be downtown, not to simply pass through. I did not see a single tractor trailer. This made it so much easier to move back and forth across the streets, especially with children. Some day, a bypass from Hwy 15 to 441 will hopefully have the same effect on Watkinsville.

5) A healthy downtown: While merchants across the U.S. are struggling -- Blowing Rock is not immune, as we dined at a 55-year-old diner that was shutting down this Sunday -- it was obvious the heart beat of the city was its downtown. It was the differentator for this small Western N.C. town in an area that has plenty of soulful views but few towns with an actual soul. And our area of Georgia is not that different. We in Watkinsville must do all we can to support, patronize and take care of our downtown businesses in the years ahead in order to preserve this vital asset for our community. I took a lot of pride that their shops were similar to ours (although on a higher level), with pottery, apparel, dining, and other options.

6) Great natural assets: While Oconee County and this region can't hope to match the WNC mountains for views, we do have our own beautiful areas, South Oconee and the lakes in particular. Perhaps the time has come to better package and market South Oconee as South Fulton and other counties have done with the Chattahoochee Hill Country and take concrete steps that will make that asset more valuable for existing land owners while providing some certainty to those who are investing their money and time in making it a home for their families.

7) Private support: It was obvious that Blowing Rock has benefited from the wealthy individuals who have relocated or "summered" there through the years. Broyhill Park (pictured) is likely named after the Broyhill Furniture family, Moses Cone Memorial Park was created by a wealthy industrialist, and other community assets in town were obviously generously supported by private donors. I'm not suggesting we have the wealth in Watkinsville to take this approach. To the contrary, it is obvious that residents of Blowing Rock love their town, just as our citizens love Watkinsville, and give back in whatever way they can. The contributions of our citizens are a remarkable asset to our city. It seems to me that when everything can be "bought and paid for" and citizens no longer give of their time or resources, something is lost.

Would welcome your comments on your favorite places to visit that might offer lessons for Watkinsville (or Oconee County) as we seek to become a great place to live and visit. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and Blowing Rock is one of the best.

The Greening of Watkinsville

2009-02-11T22:34:00.005-05:00

About four years ago I started collecting trees. Having grown up working in the yard, I never expected to enjoy landscaping. However, as I have grown older and spent more hours indoors in an office, I have come to appreciate the relaxation of digging in the dirt, and to better understand the majesty and legacy of trees, with all of their attendant community benefits.

In recent years, I have planted lots of types on our property here in Watkinsville to compliment large existing Willow Oaks, Water Oaks, Pecans, and pines. I have planted the common and native trees -- Red maples, all types of oaks, tulip poplar, magnolias (southern and Japanese), Redbud, Japanese maples, cherries, crabapples, willows, and dogwoods -- and embarked on searches for the more exotic. These include trees named katsura, blue atlas cedar, Ginkgo, cedar of Lebanon, pseudolarix, lacebark pine, longleaf pine, Ironwood, cryptomeria, parrotia, dove tree, big leaf magnolia, buckeye, pistache, yellowwood, willow, cypress, dawn redwood.... you name it, I've probably planted some variety of it if it thrives in Georgia.

As my appreciation for trees has grown, I have also enjoyed watching Watkinsville gain recognition as a city that prides itself on its trees. Our tree ordinance, spearheaded by Samantha Purcell, has been a game changer in the city. We have also worked collaboratively to improve landscaping in the city, including the installation of hundreds of large trees and improving appearances in various public areas through public funding (streetscape) and encouraging and supporting private efforts. We learned tonight at City Council that we have been designated an official Tree City for the third year in a row. We will give away hundreds of trees at city hall next week for Arbor Day, and will plant 10 bald cypresses at Harris Shoals on Saturday. Today, I often get compliments on how good downtown Watkinsville looks -- that was not the case years ago.

Two trees that I haven't tried are the American Elm and the Chestnut. The vaselike Elm, devastated years ago by Dutch Elm disease, is making a comeback, and I may give it a try soon. A Northwest Georgia nursery is actively growing and marketing disease resistant varieties.

I may be an old man before I get to plant a chestnut, but there is new hope for this tree, which was once king of the American forest. All but wiped out by the Chestnut blight, scientists have found a way to create a blight resistant tree. This story in the AJC focuses on where Chestnuts once thrived, and efforts to reintroduce this magnificent tree. My alma mater is in the thick of it, as it seems to be on more and more conservation and land use issues these days. I can't wait for the day when I get to plant a chestnut here.

At any rate, as Arbor Day approaches, give some thought to where you might be able to add a tree in your landscape. There are some remarkable retail nurseries in the area and that can help you find the perfect tree for whatever space you have.

South Milledge Makeover?

2009-02-09T12:41:00.013-05:00

Flagpole has initiated an interesting community conversation with its recent two-part series on the University's future plans for the South Milledge corridor and elsewhere. The author of the piece asks a thoughtful question: "Why, we should ask, is state government encouraging and financing local communities to preserve lands while allowing its flagship institution of higher education to opt out?"

But with all due respect, I don't think that's the right question. It's really not even a question: it's a statement that implies the university is not preserving land, and that the state is actually encouraging and financing green space acquisition in other communities in a meaningful way. Neither implication is accurate; according to the most recent data, the University owns 42,000+ acres all over the state, much of it used for forestry and agriculture. According to sources, UGA's land assets have been growing in recent years. And the state's support for greenspace acquisition is half-hearted, at best, especially in tough budget times (perhaps we can tackle that another day).

UGA's land holdings further its mission as a land grant institution; I think it is fair to say it has done its part to preserve land. UGA land holdings include extensive acreage in Oconee County, including new acreage for its national champion equestrian team and horticulture and crop experiment farms. It has significant holdings in Griffin, Tift County, Jackson County, Morgan county and elsewhere. However, the article's main thrust -- that there needs to be a conversation and plan for South Milledge, does resonate.

In part one of the Flagpole piece, the author takes a look at how other institutions manage their land uses. He even invokes my alma mater as an example of using (and marketing) its land resources differently than UGA. While I love Berry and its landholdings, and applaud the way it is (finally) using its land assets to better educate students, the author failed to mention a key point. Berry aggressively harvests timber from its 26,000 acres to generate revenue and allows extensive hunting on its campus under an agreement with DNR. I can't imagine hunting and logging going over well on UGA owned land in Athens-Clarke County.

One also has to wonder how much of this conversation has emerged because of the opposition of Athens FAQ to the location of NBAF along South Milledge. To me, it always seemed that opposition to the facility was driven as much by its potential location as it was by scientific reasons (although to be fair, FAQ did bring up plenty of those as well).

The South Milledge site was never the favored choice by UGA and others for NBAF -- they wanted a site adjacent to the Richard B. Russell center, where NBAF would be tucked away behind another large government building, hopefully out of sight and largely out of mind. But the controversy that emerged shows how emotional the community is about the pastoral acreage along South Milledge.

I understand why. For many in Watkinsville, south Oconee and parts of Clarke, this corridor offers a great transition from "Urban Athens" to the more pastoral Oconee County. For cyclists, it is the primary "escape route" from Athens to the rural roads of Oconee, Walton, and Morgan counties. It is a breath of fresh air at the end of a long day.

But is it realistic to expect this corridor to stay completely rural forever? Probably not. Already, "light recreational uses" have been added with new intramural and athletic fields, and more are planned (see picture). The agricultural operations that do exist out there can be relatively intense and I would imagine are not environmentally neutral. A sewage treatment plant along the corridor often adds its own special scent to the area on warm summer days.

In a conversation with Kevin Kirsche from the University Architect's office, he confirms that he is supportive of an inclusive planning effort for the corridor, which was not addressed in the University's 1998 master planning.

"In truth, I thought there were a lot of good points in [the Flagpole] articles," said Kirsche. He's right. There were.

A planning process that engages and educates the community is a positive and necessary step. However, as we learned on NBAF, it is likely that the loudest cries will come from those who want nothing to change.

Kirsche has obviously done some thinking in that regard. While he stresses that no large scale changes are planned in the immediate future for the corridor, he allows that over time, as the University grows, some change will occur.

"One thing we have discussed [at the University Architect's office] is that it is perhaps not realistic to think that as the University continues to grow over time that South Milledge will remain rural or agricultural. But we love the rural experience out there," said Kirsche. "We have talked about ways to maintain that character."

He went on, discussing the protection of view lines into natural areas, designating areas that should be preserved, analyzing "viewsheds", identifying nodes for development, and using linked landscape corridors. Heady stuff.

So, what does all this mean? In short, expect more discussion about the future of the corridor, especially in years ahead once UGA is further along with its ongoing efforts to densify and redevelop its core campus area, as outlined by the 1998 master plan.

Here's my idea. How about activating the rail line that links Whitehall Village with UGA and the multi-modal center as a double-tracked light rail system with a running and biking trail alongside?

This sort of usage might allow for small "village" type development to be built, or event better, the re-establishment of Whitehall Village (the old part, not the new subdivision) as a student and educational community. Whitehall Village includes the old mill homes and brick structures that sprang up around the old Factory on the banks of the Oconee River now known as the Whitehall Mill lofts; these homes and some older factories line Whitehall Road up and down the hill between the railroad tracks and Barnett Shoals Road. By using UGA's transit expertise and an old rail line, a car-free way for students to get to and from main campus would be created and an old town re-established.

Facilitating the redevelopment and preservation of Whitehall Mill Village as a cultural and historical -- but living -- resource for learning and student housing, all within the footprint of a historic community, would be an amazing service to the state and the community. And imagine if this village was linked to campus with light rail and a paved cycling and running trail that eventually continued to Watkinsville?

One other plus: the addition of a rail and transit corridor to the mix suddenly allows for this to happen without pressure to four-lane Milledge or Whitehall, which almost no one wants.

On-campus rail does not appear to be a new concept for UGA. In doing some research on an unrelated project, I found a web page with decades worth of campus planning maps. Interestingly, the one from 1967 (pictured) calls for a looping rail line running through campus in what is now the intramural fields and around North Campus and Sanford Stadium. According to Kirsche, this concept was designed in an effort to secure a federally funded monorail, which eventually went to West Virginia University.

While this sort of monorail is out of vogue today, the existing infrastructure is arguably better. The existing underutilized freight line runs within 1/4 mile of almost all campus assets. Even without Whitehall Village in play, one has to wonder if the community and UGA could partner to to put this rail line to work to remove cars and buses from our streets and offer a unique marketing and lifestyle option not found on many southern campuses, while preserving it as a cargo route for a few key customers.

As a final note, I would be in remiss if I didn't add that if South Milledge is going to be developed in any form or fashion, I think it is a positive that the University would be handling it. While one can disagree with the style and/or substance of what is built at UGA these days, no one can question the commitment to quality construction, aggressive and impactful landscaping, inclusion of green space, and thoughtful planning.

As someone who has lived in this area for the better part of 30 years, the gracious landscaping, additions of green spaces like the D.W. Brooks mall, and the re-greening of campus in the past 15 years is an impressive accomplishment, and continues a legacy of horticultural passion that helped initiate a campus arboretum years ago. According to Kirsche, 34 acres of greenspace have been added to UGA's main campus alone in the past 1o years. Those of us who remember Herty Field as a parking lot and the less than impressive entry corridors to campus from years past certainly appreciate the University's efforts to "green up" all parts of campus today.

Kirsche's final thought on South Milledge is this: "We would like to have a logical, well constructed plan for conservation of land as well as potential development in the future."

Agreed -- so what are your thoughts on the future of South Milledge? And Kudos to Flagpole for kicking off the conversation.

Calling all "Georgia Made, Georgia Grown" Artists

2009-02-03T20:35:00.005-05:00

Pretty neat web site launched by the Georgia Department of Economic Development: http://www.gamadegagrownproducts.org/. Based on their press release about the site, it seems it would be a logical place for Oconee and other area crafts people to register and an easy way to build awareness, especially if it gets much traffic.

At a glance, it looks as though OCAF is prominently featured on the site, and OCAF is listed as a sponsor, so perhaps this initiative was encouraged by our local art community, which is recognized statewide for its creative skills and creative marketing? Inquiring minds want to know, so please comment.... press release is below.

----------------------------------------------

State Launches Ground-Breaking Economic Development Platform for Creative Industry
Georgia’s creative businesses and their products available on www.GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org

ATLANTA, February 3, 2009 - The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and the Georgia Tourism Foundation announced the launch of www.GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org, a detailed creative industries database that is the first-ever statewide economic development strategy of its kind. It is the best way to search for Georgia’s arts-centric businesses: from handmade jewelry to local festivals, pick-your-own farms to performers. This growing directory will connect buyers and sellers, corporations and corporate suppliers, locals and visitors to Georgia's cultural assets and creative small businesses.

“Georgia is rich in authentic local products and unique experiences,” states Gilda Watters, Managing Director of the Tourism Foundation. “We wanted to make it easier for residents, visitors and businesses to access local artisans, producers and performers.”

Started in 2007 by the Georgia Tourism Foundation, the state’s Creative Economies Initiative is a unique effort to galvanize arts-centric businesses and promote products made and grown in the state, and GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org is one part of this important initiative. Creative businesses in Georgia give back tremendously to the community, employ more than 88,000 individuals and add millions of dollars to their local economies. By helping to focus state, regional, national and international attention on the rich cultural contributions and unique sense of place creative businesses contribute to the state, this initiative will positively impact their economic sustainability and future growth by helping to connect buyers and sellers, corporations and corporate suppliers, locals and visitors to Georgia’s creative small businesses. As a web registry with a searchable database of the state’s arts-centric industries, complete with business profiles, locations, pictures, contact information and more, it is economic development in its purest form.

Listings on the website are free, so artists, producers and retailers selling authentic Georgia Made Georgia Grown products and productions are eligible to be part of this marketing tool. It is not too late to sign up; simply visit www.GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org to register. Encourage your local artisans, entertainers, festival planners and theaters to join: not only will it make your searches easier, but it will help them gain exposure and form useful partnerships.

With the website now up and running, there has never been a better time to explore all that Georgia has to offer. Visit www.GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org today and find a unique treasure or authentic experience to enjoy. Georgia’s Visitors Information Centers, Regional Travel Associations and www.exploregeorgia.org are excellent resources and can offer assistance in planning your visit to Georgia.

The Georgia Tourism Foundation allows for the creation of new public-private partnerships that merge and strengthen Georgia's tourism marketing efforts, in order to attract more visitors and increase the industry's economic impact throughout the state. This non-profit, public-private organization brings together the leadership of the state’s premier tourism destinations to consolidate marketing efforts, pool resources and more effectively promote Georgia’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich attractions to vacationers.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.

Rootin' for Newton

2009-02-03T19:55:00.006-05:00

Tony Wilbert over at Skyline Views posts that a huge General Mills distribution center is being considered in the Covington area, about 30 minutes south of Watkinsville.

In a commercial and industrial real estate market that is largely dead, I would imagine local and state officials are falling all over themselves to land this deal. While we wouldn't want to debate with Skyline Views on whether they are truly looking at Social Circle proper, one has to wonder if the most logical location is Stanton Springs, the four-county industrial park and mixed-use effort along I-20 that has long been searching for a big fish. One local blogger even posited years ago that Stanton Springs was prime competition for our very own (well, not really ours) Orkin tract at the intersection of 78 and 316 for bioscience projects.

While the counties -- Newton, Morgan, Jasper and Walton -- began work on Stanton Springs 10 years ago, landing a 1.3 million square foot facility will be proof positive that going ahead and getting your land under contract (or secured) and "pad ready" is absolutely necessary to secure a landmark tenant, especially in this environment (likely along with a sizable marketing investment).

Our community has learned this lesson the hard way, as our inability to actually secure the Orkin tract (it is still owned by its namesake family in Atlanta) has reportedly led to uncertainty in many of our past efforts to land top industrial tenants. And uncertainty isn't good.

So, while the proposed facility certainly wouldn't compare to a corporate headquarters (General Mills HQ is pictured), you certainly wouldn't find anyone complaining in this economy.

Transportation and Education

2009-02-03T08:59:00.005-05:00

Those who follow this blog won't be surprised by this assertion: I believe greater investment in secondary and higher education and a dedicated source of transportation funding are the two most critical things that can happen for our region in the year ahead.

Recently, some interesting news has emerged on both fronts.

Last Friday, the Atlanta Regional Coalition for Higher Education (ARCHE, for short) released a fascinating statewide poll on taxpayers' perceptions of higher education funding. Among the key findings: that taxpayers will pay higher taxes to support higher education. Investments in higher education, especially in Athens and UGA, are investments in the future of the whole state. They also pay off for the entire local community, and should be protected at all costs. More details on the survey here. Full disclosure -- ARCHE is a client of my company's, but I would have blogged it anyway.

Yesterday, Rep. Vance Smith officially rolled out his transportation plan (called the 20/20 act), which calls for a 1% sales tax to fund state transportation. His plan would raise $25 - $29 billion for Georgia transportation over the next 10 years. This is almost as much money as the Obama stimulus plans to spend nationwide! Now that we know the details of Rep. Smith's plan, I have to respectfully disagree with the ABH and others who argue that a regional solution is superior at this point.

A regional approach might be best in Atlanta -- where there is a strong sales tax base, an effective regional planning body, and a vision for transportation, but out here, there is a void in that area. Just putting together a regional coalition would be a mess. Smith's bill is incredibly comprehensive. There are transit upgrades. Dedicated LARP funding and state aid for counties and cities. $400 million for regional airports. $1 billion for bridge improvements. Funding for the Brain Train and 316. 441 would be improved from Athens to I-16 for freight transportation. Additionally, it would allocate $1,000 per local resident as well to local cities with populations over 15,000, meaning Athens-Clarke would be in line for more than $80 million over the next 10 years for locally driven projects. More details here + maps. It is hard to be opposed to such a rich proposal, and seems to offer strong value for "one penny," especially when many of those pennies come from people passing through our state.

While I prefer the statewide plan at this time, I also firmly believe that something is better than nothing, and that we definitely need to move some sort of transportation reform out of the legislature this year.

Phil Gingrey

2009-01-29T22:34:00.002-05:00

I was proud of Phil Gingrey earlier this week. With his comments he implied what many conservative and moderate Republicans believe -- that Rush Limbaugh's attitude and approach are a major hindrance to building a big tent under which undecided voters can gather.

Now I am incredibly disappointed in him. He spoke his mind. Sure, he got hammered. But the sucking up to Rush Limbaugh was just unbelievable.

Listen to the audio. Amazing.

Lets face it, Rush Limbaugh has millions of devoted fans. Great. But if Rush and Sean Hannity could run the country, they would be doing it. They are gifted talkers, but should not be the leaders of the Republican party.

Full recaps here and here.

Capitol Visit

2009-01-29T21:41:00.009-05:00

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the Capitol on Tuesday with a group of local business leaders from Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. It was one of the first times the two counties have joined forces to send a group to Atlanta to do much lobbying, and it was an interesting day. Our mission was to support continuing investments in higher education, transportation, infrastructure, and demonstrate the strides we are making towards regional cooperation. Kudos to the Athens Area Chamber and the Oconee County Chamber for putting the event together.

We saw most of the top lawmakers in the state who have major policy initiatives, and hosted a lunch that had almost any local legislator or lobbyist with an Athens connection attend. A few takeaways:

The legislators are nervous. Most claim there isn't much fat to be cut from the budget, and there is squabbling over where the $2+ billion revenue shortfall will come from.
The legislature continues to want to control the revenue that goes to local governments in some form or fashion. Several referenced a fact about how fast local governments were growing and the need to rein them in. The reality is that it is much easier for voters to kick us local officials out of office than it is to unseat a state legislator. Most also claim they want to save the property tax exemption that has been hotly debated; I'd just assume they go ahead and let it go at this point. It was bad policy to begin with, and it won't be back next year, that's for sure.
One legislator even said he expected Georgia to be at 10% unemployment before the session is complete.
There is a lot of uncertainty around transportation, and everyone is still waiting to see just what Rep. Vance Smith and Gov. Perdue will propose. This will impact our area greatly -- the proposed TSPLOST legislation is much more well suited to Atlanta than an area like ours, which doesn't have an effective regional transportation governance body. Our region would likely benefit greatly from a more simple statewide sales tax, if GDOT or another agency can utilize the funds efficiently. One point that resonates with me -- GDOT should worry less about cutting staff and more about executing projects at this point.
Among those I spoke with, there seemed to be universal respect for UGA and its impact around the state, especially research funding and capital projects.
The crisis has forced everyone to work together more closely. The senate, house and governor's office seem to be pulling in the same direction on many issues and limiting the bickering that has been typical of the past few years. That said, based on some side conversations with members of our group, it is obvious that the stripes haven't changed on a few cats.
Sen. David Shafer (a candidate for Lt. Governor) and Rep. Jerry Keen (who has been rumored to aspire to higher office) offered startlingly different reviews on whether Georgians are getting more or less value from government than they were 10 years ago. Shafer claims Georgia's population has grown from 6 million to 8 million while its budget has doubled. Rep. Keen claimed that the per capita numbers have been consistent. It is obvious Sen. Shafer is going to make cutting government spending a big part of his campaign. Seems like these numbers would be easy to find.
Everyone wants to avoid a potentially nuclear war over a proposed 1.6% tax on health care system revenue. The Governor's position is that the feds have forced him to do this, but legislators aren't buying it. I can see why. Obviously, this bill will result in job cuts or be passed through to consumers or employers. And legislators understand that picking a fight with your healthcare institutions and their powerful boards is the last thing you need in an already complicated year.
We also heard from Secretary of State Karen Handel on election policy, Rep. Keith Heard, Rep. Bob Smith, Senator Bill Cowsert, and many others who gave generously of their time. Many thanks to all.

GONSO for new media?

2009-01-28T22:32:00.004-05:00

There is a new statewide online news service helmed by several ex-journalists that should interest small town Georgians. Called Georgia Online News Service -- or GONSO for short -- it is the brainchild of ex-Creative Loafing editor John Sugg, famous for his liberal bent, muckraking journalism, and distrust of political and business establishments. Despite Sugg's high-profile reputation, the content and reporting so far has been balanced and diverse, including a column from Ralph Reed and a fascinating story from Bill Osinski on the success of small-town Senoia in preserving its unique downtown and recruiting film makers.

There are still some bugs in the system -- www.georgiaonlinenews.org does not appear to work, and it doesn't come up when you search for it on google -- but several of Georgia's top journalists are now writing about statewide news on the site. Many are veterans of the AJC and other top tier publications. It is nice to have someone who focuses on interesting Georgia news on a daily basis other than the Associated Press. Check it out when you have a moment.

My day job is in the communications business, and it is fascinating to see the business of "information delivery" evolve. As the pressure on newspapers and their legacy cost structures (printing presses, delivery, etc.) increases, we will a) either see them shed those structures or b) see more layoffs, and then more independent, online "news" services will emerge. Whether or not this is good for the accuracy and reputation of reporting remains to be seen.

Oconee Education Stimulus

2009-01-28T18:44:00.006-05:00

Some numbers are out, and according to the AJC, the Oconee County school system stands to get a little over $1 million in 2009 and close to $800,000 in 2010 if the stimulus plan passes as is. Am sure our BOE members would be excited to get that boost, even if temporary. The question is, how do you spend it on things that won't require local funding in the years that follow? More details on overall education funding and rationale here.

Local education funds, support for R&D at higher education institutions, and transportation funding (although not nearly enough at just $30 billion) are among the good things to come out of the proposed stimulus package, which also includes $335 million for STD prevention and many other shiny baubles to entertain bureaucrats and fans of big government. Details on the baubles here.

The stimulus bill needs to be totally focused on things that make America more competitive in the future -- meaningful transportation projects, technology investments, education, R&D, etc. These items will help somewhat with our revenue and job creation problem, but most importantly will help prepare our country to compete with China, India and the rest of the world in the years ahead.

Editing the State Budget

2009-01-22T08:55:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of times when I'm writing that I have to fit a certain word limit. Sometimes 500 words, sometimes 1000 words. There have been many times when I start work and quickly realize I am at 1,200 words, and realize I have to cut 20 or more out of the story. I usually can't accomplish this by just cutting 20 percent from each paragraph. I have to take out entire sections or ideas that, while important, were not essential to the overall piece.

Our state legislators should take a similar approach to Georgia's budget. Lets be realistic -- with a $2 billion budget gap, you are going to weaken every piece of state government if you just slice 10% out of operations equally. Unless we are willing to increase revenue (doubtful), legislators need to prioritize, and frankly, eliminate, some elements of state government, or we risk weakening every single element to the point where none of it is effective.

Here's my plan: the state should focus on three priorities: education, transportation, and environmental and public health. In other words, things local communities cannot accomplish on their own. If it doesn't fit in those buckets, cut it out or give the money for those functions to local governments or private partners and let them execute it.

What we are seeing now -- particularly in secondary and higher education -- is an evisceration, and it is sad. While I don't support "throwing money" at education, taking money away, especially from one of the nation's best higher education systems, is a tragic mistake.

On the transportation side, the lack of activity and leadership is tragic, although some of the more recent proposals offer hope. Both of these areas are critical areas to our state's future and require state leadership and investment.

Support for public and environmental health -- especially EPD and trauma care. Adding taxes to local health care systems is ridiculous.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I have friends and clients that operate in all three of these areas. I also have a lot of clients impacted by other areas of state government. But the bottom line is this: does anyone else want to offer up some solid solutions?

Time to Refi

2009-01-14T22:58:00.005-05:00

If you have decent credit, now is a great time to refinance. 30 year rates are at less than 5%, and you can even find a 15 year loan at less than 5% if you have a good loan officer watching for you.

Am sure this is not an option for everyone, but most financial planners will agree, getting that interest rate as low as possible and keeping the term as short as possible is one of the best things you can do for your long-term financial health. There are a number of easy mortgage calculators you can use to figure out just how much you can save and how long it will take you to "break even" on any closing costs, etc. you incur from a refi.

Anyway, enough amateur financial advice -- if you're interested in a refi, be sure to call up one of our great local banks and give them an opportunity to go to work for you.

Watkinsville Council and Other Updates

2009-01-14T22:16:00.009-05:00

Good city council meeting tonight. We approved changes to our land use code that will allow recreational facilities -- everything from tennis courts to swim centers to climbing walls to places like Pump it Up -- in the Employment Center and Commercial Corridor areas. This will allow Zion Skate Park -- a privately run skateboarding and rollerblading facility -- to set up off of Morrison Street. Hopefully this will give kids and teens who want to skate a safe, supervised place to do so, and allow future recreational facilities in areas that have the infrastructure for traffic or the type of buildings that allow for indoor recreation.

We also approved several business licenses and discussed an updated solid waste ordinance for the city, which will likely be adopted next month once we work through some issues on concrete pads and screening for dumpsters at businesses (exciting, I know). Budget wise we are on track but next month we should know more based on Local Option Sales Tax Revenues. We are also going to check into voluntary recycling options for city residents as part of trash pick up (likely with a fee).

Also, if you catch a hard copy of the Oconee Enterprise this week, be sure to read the story on residential property values. It appears that the Tax Commissioner's office is beginning its annual "campaign to justify increasing property values" a few months early this year. I'm sorry, but the premise -- that if you hold on to your house long enough you can get a return -- doesn't hold water. There is a cost to holding onto your home, especially if you have to or need to move. Anyone with any sense in Oconee County knows that we are overbuilt, that the vast majority of property values are flat or down. So lets not hide from that fact. We've all benefited from pretty aggressive increases in property values over the past 5-10 years. See my previous rant on property assessments here.

It's a little bit far afield for me, but if you ever wonder what is wrong in Atlanta, here's an indicator from the AJC:

Franklin has estimated it would cost at least $20 million to hire, train and equip 200 officers. The police department currently has 1,633 sworn police officers and 79 recruits who are on track to becoming officers, said Sgt. Lisa Keyes, a police spokeswoman.

What???? That is $100,000 per officer -- is that normal? Seems unbelievable. They should already be trained. And they can share vehicles. I still own a rental unit in Atlanta, and believe me, they need more police, but this explains why they have budget problems.

Back to the local scene, there is also a front page story in the OE about the demise of Creekside as well as significant coverage in the Athens Banner Herald earlier this week. Folks, whether you call it Green Hills or Creekside, the only question about this course is how in the world it made it so long. For most of its history, it was poorly maintained and has always been 15 minutes from civilization in any direction. There are too many quality and affordable golf options in this area for it to make it. Having financing with the now defunct The Community Bank out of Loganville did not help either. Moving ahead, Creekside would make a great passive recreation area if it could be picked up cheaply by Oconee -- install some horse, running, mountain bike trails that requires minimal maintenance but mostly let it return to the wild. There are beautiful woods and great terrain out there. There is also lot of history in that area that is disappearing (see item below) so it might be neat to preserve some space out there. And if you are looking for outstanding local public golf courses, start with newly renovated UGA and Lane Creek and the Georgia Club. There are many more.

Last thing -- two fascinating stories and photos in the Athens Banner-Herald's Oconee section today about Barnett Shoals Dam (wonder if Georgia Power is renewing its lease on the Dam next year?). This was a mile or two upstream from the old wire bridge (pictured) that connected Oconee and Oglethorpe Counties that is the namesake of Wire Bridge Road. Roy Ward -- his art and his knowledge -- is a gem in our community that should be recognized more often.

Photo credit: Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Division of Archives and History, Office of Secretary of State

Transportation Logjam Breaking Up?

2009-01-14T17:34:00.003-05:00

I was able to attend yesterday's Eggs and Issues breakfast hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and came away as confused about Georgia's efforts to fix transportation as ever. A quick summary:

Governor Perdue, in his classic COO style: "I will support transportation improvements if and when we can find a plan and a way to fund it."

Lt. Governor Cagle, playing it safe: "I support regional choice in transportation."

Speaker Richardson: "I am leaving it to Vance Smith and company to come up with a plan, but I don't like the regional approach."

Now as a local official, I like the local approach. But I think one reason local officials like the T-SPLOST or more locally driven options is because there is a vacuum right now -- nothing is getting done or funded at the state level, and there is no "plan."

But what I am hearing today is exciting -- that Rep. Smith has put his proposal on the table, and it includes myriad road, transit, cargo, and rail projects that would be funded by a 10-year, one percent statewide sales tax. Folks, the early list includes things like the Brain Train, light rail to the suburbs, the Atlanta Belt Line, and much more.

This is exciting news, and if the bill is well thought out, could be a game changer for Georgia, if GDOT can implement once the funds are raised. It is exciting to see Republican leadership in Georgia understanding that transportation is about more than rails. Fingers crossed....

Is a Penny Saved a Penny Earned?

2009-01-05T23:33:00.005-05:00

If you're wondering why this recession is going to be a doozy, read this article in today's Wall Street Journal (no password required for this article) and a related sidebar on what a penny saved really costs.

It looks like American families are finally doing what they should have been for a long time: spending less and saving more. Paying down debt. Being thrifty, like our grandparents were. All of this with some help from tighter reins on credit by banks and others.

The problem: a large chunk of our economy is built on unsustainable consumerism. Remember Bush's suggestion for how we could "sacrifice" in the wake of 9/11 -- "Go shopping." Perhaps the worst move of his presidency.

But what happens if consumers (and businesses) aren't spending? It means consumer spending will not lead us out of this recession in the short term. Or hopefully it won't, because if it does, it means we will not have learned a thing from our borrowing binge. Government and consumers (and in some cases, business) have been spending more than they are earning. Never a good combination.

To move the needle away from our consumerist addiction, we need investments in real innovation and infrastructure in this country. Mass transit, high speed and strong cargo rail on the transportation side (to help alleviate business killing congestion), and research, science and math education on the education side. The sort of things that create jobs but just as importantly spur new ideas that can take our economy in new directions and solve the challenges that are facing us (social security, medicare, medicaid, etc.). Our investments must help us take advantage of the direction that the world is moving in.

How does this translate locally? In my opinion, it means retailers are going to have to work harder than ever for the consumer dollar, and that new retail won't be built any time soon, no matter what my fellow bloggers believe. The feds and local governments should think bigger than simply applying money for "ready to go" highway projects that have minimal impact and focus on infrastructure projects with true region-changing potential. Banks will be helping consumers save, invest wisely, and borrow. It means that local leaders must continue to advocate for investments in secondary and higher education, especially at UGA, Athens Tech and Gainesville College where innovation and ideas emerge. Homes will be built to live in, not for short-term monetary gain.

What do you think?

Oconee Most Prosperous County

2008-12-23T21:41:00.003-05:00

Despite all the bad news about the housing market, Oconee County apparently is faring well by many measures, as it was ranked no. 1 by the DCA in terms of the state's most prosperous counties according to an Associated Press article.

Articles like this help us remember how much we have to be thankful for in Oconee. We all get frustrated at times with the pace of progress (too fast? too slow?), the bad economy and the toll it is taking, and decisions we don't like. But when you step back it is apparent that this truly a special community.

We have a wonderful mix of talented professionals, dedicated artists, hard working public servants, skilled educators, outstanding students and other driven individuals and families whom we can thank for making Oconee County what it is today. And that is certainly something to be thankful for. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Homebuilding Depression

2008-12-10T22:46:00.006-05:00

Okay, sorry for the lax posting. There has been a lot to blog about and I have been too busy to really go after it. A few thoughts:

NBAF: Bad loss. Everyone has weighed in with their opinion (blogosphere, Athens Banner Herald, Flagpole), and overall I don't think our situation out here is as bad as everyone thinks. I will say this: those pointing at the state package are largely right, although FAQ certainly played a role. I don't put a lot of stock in the workforce and research coordination arguments. The bottom line is that in these processes, decision makers are looking for reasons to eliminate a community. Note that community opposition was probably an easy one to point out to an angry elected official who calls you about the decision.

Holiday Cheer: Last weekend was a huge one for Watkinsville. The tree lighting and Christmas parade on back to back days, with thousands of folks downtown on Saturday morning. The Christmas Parade is an annual highlight and thanks to all for coming out! The Oconee Leader has some great pictures up on its website. Major kudos to Maridee Williams and the Oconee Enterprise for all their efforts to coordinate and promote the parade, which has to be one of the best in the state.

On a related note, consider shopping locally this Christmas. In downtown Watkinsville alone, you can find unique gifts at the Chappelle Gallery and the seeming-to-be-reopening Circa Antiques. My wife and mom love gift certificates from Emma Laura, and Dory's and other spots in Watkinsville have a lot to offer. Restaurant gift certificates from Le Maison Bleu, Girasoles, Big Easy and Mirko's are also great ideas.

City Council: Tonight's meeting was interesting. We had several small business licenses before us, including one for a new dried flower, antique and art store in the buildings John Byram has renovated downtown. It will be called Stone Soup. Girasoles is changing its name, and there is also a strong potential for an indoor skate park to be added in coming months if we can work through our codes. We are also updating our solid waste management ordinance -- good stuff.

Recession: Okay, the housing market is terrible. But throwing good money after bad by building more as detailed in this AJC article is a terrible idea. Yes, the banks need to lend. But does anyone really believe that there are not enough homes on the market in most areas? Housing is a very clear "supply and demand" market. Building more for the sake of building more makes no sense. Kind of like Detroit building more cars it can't sell. It just isn't sustainable.

As for sustainable, in general, American government, business, and consumers have been spending more than we have been earning for years. It makes no sense to go on spending without a plan to start paying off the debt -- Lee Shearer covers this on his blog.