Candidate Choices

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.

Morning Run Through

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

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.

Retreat!

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.

This and That

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?
  

Musings from the Dome

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 Austin 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.

Micromanagers at the Gold Dome

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.

Oconee Education Stimulus

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.

New Oconee Economic Development Web Site

After hearing that Barrow County has unified and rebranded its economic development arm, the Barrow Area Economic Development Authority, I was pleased to see that Oconee has upgraded its own business development and economic development website. Be sure to check out www.businessinoconee.com when you have a chance. This is a strong upgrade over the previous local economic development site. Kudos to local director of economic development Rusty Haygood for getting it done (Rusty also mentioned that there are more upgrades to come to the site)!

What a Weekend

What a weekend! Watkinsville was on display, and what a show.

First of all, many thanks to my brother Kevin and his band of volunteers from Oconee State Bank, who pulled off the 35th annual Scarecrow 5K without a hitch. This race has always had special meaning to me, as I ran my first road race at the Scarecrow 19 or 20 years ago this year.

I'll never forget Shawn Lomanaco and me finding the entry form in the Fall Festival brochure that went home with us from Oconee County Intermediate School (now Colham Ferry Elementary). After trying to think through how far 3.1 miles was (approximately to the Golden Pantry and back was our thought process) we decided we'd try to run. Once our parents were convinced (none of us had ever heard of a "road race" so we had to do some homework in those pre-internet days), we began our pre-race training, which consisted of a solitary 3 mile run around Northwest Woods two nights before the Saturday morning affair. Shawn showed off his superior talent, finishing in around 20 minutes to win our age group. I, unfortunately, finished in 21:47 and threw up at the finish. Faster times were to come, as the core group that ran this race and a few others started the first cross country teams at Oconee County High School in 1990.

Unfortunately, slower times were to come and they did yesterday. But I did enjoy a great run with old high school teammate and great friend Jonathan Murrow. And I also was able to run along with Phoebe as she completed her first ever one mile fun run in 12:47. Not bad!

After that, the family went to the Fall Festival downtown. You couldn't have asked for better weather. I think every kid in Oconee County was there. As always, I saw lots of old and new friends from Oconee and Athens. It was a picture perfect day, and the vendors and attendees all seemed happy despite the fact that we were competing with UGA's Homecoming game. Check out some pictures on Dan Matthews' blog here.

Later that evening, I volunteered with the clean up crew. I am always so thankful and surprised every year by how many people volunteer their time and energy to assist with the Festival -- this spirit is one of the things that makes Oconee County so great. In what seemed like no time, Rocket Field and the surrounding areas were picked clean of trash and debris, vendors were gone, and as quickly as it had arrived, the magic of the Festival was gone. Rocket Field is a bit worse for wear due to rain on Friday, but otherwise, everything looked great. If you have a chance and the inclination, be sure to thank Charles Grimes, Mike Lewis and others at the Chamber of Commerce for their annual labor of love.

After clean up, I picked up dinner for our family. I was struck by the energy that was still apparent in town. UGA fans were eating downtown and basking the afterglow a homecoming win. Teens dressed in their homecoming finery were eating at Mirko Pasta. A special event was being held at the Overlook, and the other restaurants looked full. In short a beautiful evening and all in all, quite a Saturday in Watkinsville.

The Tax Man Cometh

This week's Oconee Enterprise has a front page story on the tax assessor's office and the 640 protests it received that defies belief. Check out this quote and the excerpt that follows:

"People thought that with the economy on a downslide, their taxes would go down. Only house values have held, so taxes have remained much the same or edged up," Skinner explained. These days it is possible to buy a house in Oconee, which many could not afford before, because developers are reducing the prices on new houses considerably and homeowners, eager to sell their property, are reducing prices." In other words, Oconee County houses are holding their value.

What? The story just said that in the market, prices are being lowered, and this is obvious to anyone who is looking at new homes in Oconee. The only one who sees the value holding is the government.

A quick look at the handy Q-public site shows that the houses that are selling are indeed doing so for more than they were a few years ago. This makes sense. Only someone who is desperate is going to sell their home for less than they paid for it.

But overall, sales are down (according to the Enterprise, which cites this as one of the slowest years for real estate sales in a long time) and that is the key. There is nothing that I can find in the assessor's office methodology that measures how many people either 1) choose not to sell because they don't think they can get the value out of their homes 2) have to leave their house on the market for a long time to get the value out of it or 3) put their homes on the market and never sell it because they can't get the asking price.

Here's my example. Earlier this year, a rental property I own in Watkinsville was reassessed aggressively for the second year in a row. The first year it was understandable -- I had made significant improvements to the property, particularly inside. The housing and rental market were strong.

The second year, I had done little to the house and there was noticeable softening in the local market. I sent a letter of protest referencing the busy street it was on, an abandoned home next door, and the lack of comparable product. The tax assessor's office promptly sent someone out to look at the property and guess what -- they "discovered" a patio that had been there since the home was built more than 30 years ago, and they actually increased my assessment. Unbelievable -- I was punished for protesting!

When I talked to the assessor, he asked if I thought I could sell it for the assessed value. The year before, sure. Now, with tight credit, conservative banks, etc? I told him I doubted it.

Look, as a city councilman I understand the pressure on local governments in a very real way. The state is basically abandoning local governments at almost every level, whether it is education, infrastructure, etc. The latest target is transportation, where the GDOT board has decided that rather than lay off any of its bureaucracy, it would rather abandon the Local Area Road Paving (LARP) program, which is critical for local goverments. Thank goodness legislators are declaring that idea DOA.

In short, the pressure on the board of education, county, and city to maintain a certain level of service is tremendous. But the assessments in Oconee, in my opinion, are out of control.

The most plausible reasoning I have seen for holding the line on assessments was in the Dallas Morning News last spring. Their point is that the impact of declining property values runs about one year behind because assessors pull previous years comps to establish values. These lower prices are then reflected on the next year's assessments.

But I don't think we'll see lower prices in Oconee. I think we may have a market that stays quiet until prices come back. And this should be taken into account in assessments. It isn't about what sells, it's about what isn't selling.

Local leaders -- or state legislators if need be -- need to consider a change in methodology to account for a lack of buyers in the market, or expect an even larger taxpayer revolt -- next year, 640 protests may be a drop in the bucket.

Brooks Beast

David Brooks is one of my favorite columnists, along with Tom Friedman. Many thanks to reader Leanne who pointed me back to David -- I have had a busy two weeks and have not had time to read his columns lately. I did so tonight, and was struck by the wisdom in each of them.

In his column today, he calls out and explains in clear detail the necessity of a bailout plan, and more importantly, the necessity for true leadership in Washington. He correctly analyzes that most house Republicans somehow think they will benefit if this thing doesn't pass, and says that they "have once again confused talk radio with reality." Amen.

One of his earlier pieces takes a close look at McCain pre-campaign. While the odds against Sen. McCain seem to increase everyday (especially in the wake of his failed gamble on the bailout package), this column reminds me why I liked him in the first place.

The other earlier piece is a forward looking piece that describes the financial markets and challenges America faces down the road as we work to get out from under the piles of debt we have sold as we have run up deficits. Since I am in the middle of Homestead right now, much of it rings true. Lets hope we aren't too strapped financially in the wake of bailouts for whoever wins this next election to step up to the plate.

The fact is, it is 2008 and America has yet to really get ready for this century. Our economy, our educational system, our infrastructure (transportation especially), and our energy situation desperately need a tune up, and perhaps an overhaul.

I have often said that perhaps hard times will force America to make these necessary changes -- however, as hard times loom this doesn't seem very appealing. Do we still have the strength, the wisdom, the steel in our spine to make hard choices and compete? To be the best? Because this century we are truly competing -- with the whole world.

Or will we choose to be soft, to depend on a benevolent government and to be content with mediocrity in our institutions, our governments, our businesses, our childrens' education?

I don't think most Americans are content to settle. I know most people in Oconee County aren't content to settle, and will work hard in their own way to support their community and their nation. But I do believe most Americans want a leader who will challenge them to do more than spend money to support the economy, who doesn't shy away from asking them to sacrifice, who will inspire them to greater heights, and inspire pride in our nation once again.

Perspectives on Rockets, Golf, Pottery and Politics

A few takes on current affairs and events local and national:

• Good story from Blake Giles in this week's Oconee Enterprise on the local economic impact of golf. His point about how golf helps raise funds for charity is certainly a good one -- while there can be too many golf charity events, the overall impact of the sport in the region is pretty amazing.
  
• Another neat golf tidbit -- UGA alum Brendon Todd, who led the Athens Regional Foundation Classic until a last round collapse, won last week's Nationwide Tour event and will likely be on the PGA tour next year. He has had a very successful first year on the Nationwide Tour. Brendon got his shot when the Athens Regional Foundation gave him a sponsor's exemption into their event, where he performed well and was able to secure entry into more Nationwide Tour events. Congrats to Brendon and kudos to the Athens Regional Foundation for helping this young man's dream come true. (Full disclosure -- my company does the PR for the ARFC).
  
• On a totally separate matter, the McCain campaign is getting dangerously close to overplaying its hand by limiting Sarah Palin's interaction with the media. I'm glad she's talking with Katie Couric next week. Her interview with Charles Gibson was not sterling -- it was solid in most places but not being able to articulate the Bush doctrine is pretty bad and her unqualified response inviting Ukraine and Georgia into NATO makes me nervous. Palin doesn't need to be something she isn't in these interviews (swing voters don't expect her to be an expert on foreign policy) -- she needs to be herself and be somewhat accessible to balanced reporters. And no, Sean Hannity doesn't count. Neither will Bill O'Reilly.
  
• Back to the local scene, I've gotta say last weekend's Friends of the Oconee County Library Book Sale was awesome. You could get a bag of used books for $3. They had rare books and first editions for incredibly low prices. Definitely something to put on your calendar for future years. Even Sunday afternoon, there were still huge crowds looking for books. Whoever says the printed book is in danger is dead wrong. Newspapers.... perhaps a different story.
  
• Also Sunday, I visited Perspectives. As always, the art was wonderful. Unlike past years, the prices weren't. WHOA! For some reason, it seemed like everything was 30-50% higher than in years past. I walked into Rocket Hall expecting Watkinsville art prices (maybe a slight premium) and felt like I had traveled to Atlanta. I was also suprised that top local potters like Jerry Chappelle and Rebecca Wood (R. Wood) apparently were not participating.
• Still, visiting Rocket Hall (known by us kids of the 80s as the Booster Club Gym) always evokes special memories -- I can still smell the popcorn, feel the stickiness of Skittles and Sprite spilled on the floor, and feel the cold temps in the gym as we stripped down to shorts for games and practice. Angry parents, tired refs, manual scorekeeping, no 3 point shot, creaky floors, and bad basketball made for some great times. I can also remember getting run out by the Watkinsville PD after "sneaking" in the gym during Christmas break (thanks for those keys, Donnie B.!). Good times.
  

Land of the SPLOST

At our last city council meeting, we discussed the potential impact of SPLOST revenues on the city. Unlike many other communities, in past SPLOST issues, Oconee County's municipalities have not received any of these sales tax revenues. That is all set to change if the next SPLOST passes, where Oconee's municipalities will get a share of the revenue based on their percentage of the overall county population.

The city of Watkinsville would be slated to receive more than $3 million over the life of the penny tax -- a solid infusion that would make a world of difference to our community. Projects being considered -- but not finalized -- include additional sewer lines in the Watkinsville industrial park, greenspace acquisition, significant improvements in our existing parks, new sidewalks, necessary road repavings, police vehicles, and other capital equipment costs.

In a city with a budget as small as ours, these funds could make a huge difference. For our other (and even smaller) cities in Oconee, it could be even more transformative. The City of Watkinsville will be holding a public hearing to discuss options for use of SPLOST funds in more detail and to hear from citizens what they want. Stay tuned for those dates and more information!

Links and Thoughts

A few interesting tidbits from this week so far.

--The Athens Banner Herald's editorial suggesting the state end local assistance grants was an interesting read. This editorial from the Georgia Public Policy Foundation provides more detail. My suggestion is that these grants be available only to counties and municipalities of a certain size. Cities like Bishop, High Shoals, Bogart, and many others have budgets of less than $200,000 per year and occassionally have needs that would break their budget. Lets reserve these grants for the sewer line that might secure local industry for a town, grants and loans for historic preservation, in Georgia's smallest municiplaities, etc. While a piece of this $6 million per year pie is a drop in the bucket for many of the state's larger municipalities, for countless smaller cities these are a huge benefit. And they are a miniscule amount of the state budget. The bottom line: Tighten up the guidelines, and send the grants to our smallest cities. And lets be honest, there are a whole lot of state agencies that can use some belt tightening, despite the moans and groans that come with budget cuts.

--When you read the Oconee Enterprise this week, pay careful attention to a story in which the tax assessor's office floats the idea of raising the minimum acreage standards for conservation use taxing purposes. In my opinion, this is another attempt by the tax assessor's office to backdoor a tax increase as they have been doing through overly aggressive assessments for several years now (Here's who it typically works -- Commission: we lowered your tax rates! Tax Assessor: Congratulations, your home has increased 10% in value in the middle of a real estate recession! So your taxes go up anyway). Then juxtapose this article with Kate McDaniel's editorial about preserving Oconee's rural landscape. The fact is, the two things Kate cites (NBAF and the Georgia Transmission Corp's power lines) will have much less impact on the rural character of Oconee than this proposed tax policy change. NBAF is in Athens and while it will indeed impact a stretch of Milledge that leads to Oconee, the idea that it will change land use in Oconee is flawed. The power lines are being run to support regional needs, not local needs, including the commercial corridor along 316 and Atlanta Highway (full disclosure: GTC is a client of my company's). However, few things impact land use like tax policy. Increasing the tax burden on rural land, which requires little if any services, does nothing but incent the owners of that land (even if just a 10 acre "gentleman" farm) to do something different with it -- sell it, put a business on it, develop it, etc. Why shouldn't rural land in a conservation use have lower tax rates, regardless of parcel size? The bottom line: If Oconee wants to keep our rural areas, we need to make sure the fundamental economics work in a rural landowner's favor, and that local government is not sending one message on a land use map and saying something entirely different with the implementation of its tax policies.

Oconee Election Analysis and Growth

Lee Becker has completed what has to be the most detailed local election analysis in state history. He maps correlations and voting patterns between candidates and teases out some interesting facts. The big take away supports my contention all along: that this election was about growth, not alcohol. Most voters -- especially those in South Oconee -- seem to want to slow down the growth train in a major way.

I have been thinking a lot about growth lately, since I have been driving to Atlanta a bit more than usual (driving through Atlanta and Gwinnett always makes me think about growth, good and bad). A conclusion I am reaching is that there is something about a consistent, sustainable rate of growth that leads to more healthy communities (defined primiarly by sustainable and stable neighborhoods, long term value, and non-deteriorating commercial nodes). Perhaps in Oconee we need to see out our historic growth numbers -- 4, 5, 6% or whatever -- and seek to match that, both in terms of population growth and lots platted.

Almost every area that I pass through that has had abnormally rapid growth also sees a rapid decline years later. Even within similar geographic areas, this occurs. A great example is Gwinnett, which had the growth wave march outward 20+ years ago. Cars clog roads and students clog schools. Governments are then forced to permit high-density apartments and questionable commercial to "balance the tax base." It seems that after one generation of families (or 20+ years), deterioration of those neighborhoods begins. Similar trends can be seen in areas in South and West DeKalb, eastern Rockdale and Douglas County.

Fundamental principles in neighborhoods that seem to stand the test of time are high quality residential building standards, quality landscaping, established infrastructure (rather than building infrastructure after traffic was already bad), and neighborhood schools. You can also see these principles at work in Athens, Gainesville, Rome and other cities. Thoughts?

Links and Thoughts

A few links and thoughts for the day:

• Regular readers know I am passionate about energy independence. This issue hits the U.S. globally (national defense, economic competitiveness) and locally (economic impact, lifestyle changes, etc.) This editorial from the Washington Post nails it, calling for the need to conserve but to drill as well. A key point the story makes that is easily missed: "The strongest argument against drilling is that it could distract the country from a pursuit of alternative sources of energy....No, the United States cannot drill its way to energy independence. But with the roaring economies of China and India gobbling up oil in the two countries' latter-day industrial revolutions, the United States can no longer afford to turn its back on finding all the sources of fuel necessary to maintain its economy and its standard of living." Even conservative Rep. Jack Kingston blogged about this editorial today, although he left out the ANWR part of the equation.
• I also applaud Senators Chambliss and Isakson for being a part of the gang of 10 who are practical Republicans willing to compromise to get something accomplished on the energy front. To the Hannitys and Limbaughs and Boortzes who would rather watch blather about inflating tires, driving a hybrid that gets 18 MPG and in general use inaction on energy as an club to win the election rather than get something accomplished, shame on you. This approach is a sad commentary on how desperate Republicans are to beat Obama. Interesting coverage and commentary here and here. Transcript of Chambliss v. Boortz here.
• It came out earlier this week that Mississippi is in the lead in the NBAF race because of some political shenanigans. Most people think this is bad news for Athens' chances (or good news in general, depending on your perspective). But did it not occur to anyone that this information was likely leaked for a reason, perhaps by another competitor in order to hurt Mississippi? My suspects would be Kansas and Texas, in that order, who have little community opposition and the strongest mix of political and technical strength among candidates. If the NBAF decision stretches past the election, the news of a Bush appointee meddling with the process will likely kill Mississippi's chances.
• Go Jim Wooten. Or should I say go John Witte Jr. Thoughtful editorial and an amazing look at one of the most devastating trends in our society today -- that of one-parent households. An excerpt: "Without question, when 38 percent of children are born to single women and to men who are most likely walk-aways, serious changes in the law, in the media, in the conversations on campuses, and in the middle class and in churches, are required. Adults deserve every protection of the law —- until the moment they conceive. Then the law's obligation shifts to the interests of the child ...."
• Newsweek and Time have both run big pieces lately on the end of the South or what is happening in the South. As always seems to happen, they fall to quickly into generalizations and Newsweek chooses to lead with the old "Southern angst over the civil war" approach. Lets face it, there are a few who still think about the "War of Northern Aggression." Well, maybe a few is too strong. Much too strong. The fact is, the vast majority of the South has moved on. Way on. Sure, we still have our issues down here. But what sets the South apart these days isn't race or an old legacy. It's pace. It's tradition, whether black or white. It's a certain energy and state of mind. It sure isn't a bunch of worrying over the lost cause that's got the South thinking a little bit harder about his presidential election than ones previous -- it's issues like energy independence (which hit our auto-driven, air conditioning society particularly hard), the contrast of growth and poverty, educational opportunities, and much more.
• Speaking of the South, it took some serious guts for Rich Rusk to pen this piece on Moore's Ford. His group has done a lot to try to bring closure to this tragedy, and deserves credit. But he's right -- the re-enactments have transformed into a spectacle and are no longer necessary. But I have a feeling they will keep occuring as long as 1) the media keeps covering them and 2) no arrests are made in the case.

Early Morning Real Estate Tips

Since my most recent run in with achilles tendonitis has pretty much ended my long-time tradition of long Saturday or Sunday morning runs, I have often taken to getting up early and going for a walk with whichever one of the kids wakes up first on the weekend. Lately, it has been little Aaron, who is always a good partner for a walk around town, whether awake or asleep.











While walking Saturday, I was struck by the number of improvements and additions that have been made to the residential neighborhoods of Watkinsville. Despite the fact that we review and approve these projects as a city council, sometimes it is tough to see the forest for the trees. So Sunday morning I decided to take some photos and illustrate the trend and discuss it a bit here. All told, when one steps back, the total investment in existing neighborhoods in Watkinsville is well into the millions of dollars and is the equivalent of several stand alone neighborhoods.

There have been essentially two varieties of residential reinvestment in Watkinsville -- renovations and infill development. Renovations are just that -- someone moves into a home and makes it over, increasing property values and updating what is often an historic home. Infill development is when someone buys a lot (or several lots) and builds either a new home or several homes on that lot, depending on what the zoning allows. If you're interested in a smart real estate play in a down market, read on and take a look at the demand for context sensitive homes along many of Watkinsville's most highly regarded streets.

The Big Picture

There are two things about Watkinsville that have made renovations and infill a different animal than in other areas. For one thing, we have numerous large, vacant lots that appear ready for homes. Sunday morning I walked past at least six lots that could accomodate one (and in some cases two) traditional homes. The one pictured below is on South Main Street, across from the Golden Pantry.

Watkinsville also has a very eclectic style. Unlike Madison, we don't have all historic homes. Unlike Five Points in Athens, it's not all bungalows. In fact, I have always found the architectural variety of Watkinsville one of its most endearing traits. If you're going to build in Watkinsville, we aren't going to require an antebellum home, although we do have standards, especially along our historic and scenic corridors that we identified in the Your Watkinsville visioning process several years ago. But a benefit to infill development is the fact that homes are built over time and help give a neighborhood an established feel, rather than the uniformity that often occurs when all the homes are built in a 1-2 year period.

Much has been made in recent years of the improvements to Watkinsville's older commercial buildings and downtown district (including Ashford Manor and the Chappelle Gallery, which still feature residential uses but also have commercial uses), and rightly so. However, just as significantly (and less noticeable), has been the revitalization that has occured in some of Watkinsville's established neighborhoods over the past four years. Lets look at a few specific areas that have seen the most investment and then we'll see where this trend might go next.

Simonton Bridge/Whitehall Corridor: Several of the historic homes on Simonton Bridge Road have been improved in recent years, and in the past two years the home at the corner of 2nd and Simonton Bridge has been renovated spectacularly (see red home pictured). A new Southern Living home is also under construction between 2nd and 3rd street (pictured). Several other large lots remain on this road that would make wonderful home sites. At the edge of the city, five Southern Living style homes are going in on a parcel that use to house some overgrown brush and a trailer. Numerous other owners along Simonton Bridge take wonderful care of modest but historic homes with enormous character. Not surprisingly, Simonton Bridge, along with South Main and Jackson, were recognized as the favorite three streets of city residents during our visioning process.











2nd Street: This short stretch of road between Simonton Bridge and Barnett Shoals has seen the addition of one spectacular new home (stone house pictured) on a former wooded lot and a great renovation of a small bungalow. These efforts have really changed the character of the street. Along with the eclectic Chapel on the corner and cousin Mack's charming brick cottage, 2nd street is now second to none in terms of charm in Watkinsville. If the Memorial Baptist Church parsonage is ever restored, this will be an amazing little road.











3rd Street: Several wonderful renovations have taken place along 3rd Street, including the restoration of very different styles of homes. Just off 3rd Street sits Pecan Bluff, the only multi-family infill in Watkinsville. When complete, Pecan Bluff will be a standout development. Also pictured here are a board and batten cottage that has seen significant improvements and a brick craftsman cottage flanked by two magnificent Deodora Cedars that has been restored in recent years.











Harden Hill: Harden Hill is one of the oldest roads in the area, being the former stagecoach route between Watkinsville and Madison. Today, it has a wide variety of homes. One is currently being renovated and others have been added through the years. There is currently at least one historic home on Harden Hill that would be a great candidate for renovation.











Jackson Street: The grand dame of Watkinsville, with its low traffic count, beautiful trees and stunning homes. Recent years have seen a beautiful cottage added on what were once two vacant lots (pictured) and renovations to many of the homes on this wonderful street that is a short walk from downtown. A few homes remain on Jackson that could be improved, but many have been improved and sold in recent years, or have been sold and await new owners (and improvements).











S. Main Street: Most of the old homes on South Main remain, and lets hope that never changes. Developers have acquired lots (one tore down an existing home without a permit and still hopes to "upzone" the property), and several other homes were essentially "demolished by neglect" before the city passed an ordinance banning this practice in historic neighborhoods. There has been one neat home squeezed onto South Main -- lets hope there are a few more homes added in coming years on vacant lots on this historic corridor, and that property owners continue to care for the existing homes with the respect they deserve.

What's Next?

So, more importantly, where are the next areas where this trend may continue? The common threads of all these areas appear to be mature landscaping and tree canopy, empty lots, some historic housing stock, proximity to downtown, and a variety of housing styles. These are all themes that the Watkinsville City Council has noticed and is seeking to encourage with infrastructure investments like street trees, sidewalks, and historic preservation.

Streets that might move in this direction in the future include New High Shoals Road within the city limits (one home pictured below), Spring Circle, Barnett Shoals, Lee Street, and perhaps even Water Street (historic cottage pictured), depending on what happens with potential commercial in that area. Another critical factor would be the potential addition of sidewalks along South Main St. and New High Shoals and along Simonton Bridge to provide better pedestrian access to downtown areas.

Another town with some unique housing stock and the potential to see a similar impact is North High Shoals, especially with the new school coming next year and the scenic Apalachee River a short walk from downtown.











All that said, I shoudn't gloss over the challenges of infill redevelopment. Long-time neighbors are often skeptical of new homes at best, and many developers attempt to reach to far and over densify lots that they paid too much for. However, I'm convinced that healthy infill development is an important part of the future of Watkinsville, as long as it can be accomplished while preserving our historic homes and the character of our city. What do you think?

Conservation Center Likely Earns a Reprieve

Some good news in this morning's paper -- it looks as if the J. Phil Campbell Natural Resource Conservation Center will make it another year. While the paper attributes the reprieve to a congressional rejection of the President's plan to close the Watkinsville "experiment station" and other similar facilities, Voice of Moderation's D.C. sources say that nearly everything is "on hold" until November and that without an appropriations bill passing, everything was set to remain status quo, anyway. Bottom line: not a lot happens in D.C. while everyone waits to see who the next president is.

However, long-term it doesn't look like the Experiment Station is going to be with us as the undersecretary of agriculture essentially told our Senators that the station's "work is done." Hopefully this is not the case, but if it is, station administrators will hopefully shift the focus so they are making the wisest use of our tax dollars.

If this can't be done, the time is now for Oconee's leaders and perhaps officials at UGA or with the state department of agriculture to begin collaboratively planning "BRAC-style" for the future of this facility and its 1,100+ acres of greenspace in the heart of Oconee. The Campbell Center and its research heritage should remain an asset for Oconee County as we seek to preserve our agricultural roots and manage our future growth.

Robin Hood to the Rescue

My childhood years in Oconee County were spent in Northwest Woods, then the largest subdivision in Oconee County. We lived at 1510 Robin Hood Road, and I spent my middle school years riding bikes in the neighborhood, mowing people's lawns with my buddy Cody for spending money, exploring the woods behind the neighborhood, playing tennis, and swimming at the Northwest Woods Pool. Other past times included being Jay Allen's victim in faux professional wrestling matches on the trampoline, posing as a skateboarder, arguing with my brother and cousins, and playing hoops with a big group of friends at our house, at the Claghorns, or on Danny Dyer's cul-de-sac down the road.

It was a long walk, but if I had the energy and time, I would often stroll home from the old OCHS rather than wait on Mr. Huff and bus no. 22. I might also walk up to Dreamboat Annie's (to get the new Bon Jovi tape!), Oconee Sporting Goods, or the "old" Golden Pantry via Mars Hill Road on a summer morning. The roads were calm enough that my friend Danny and I could pedal our bikes to "the four way stop" to get a drink or get adventurous and ride out to High Shoals via the "speed bump" hill on New High Shoals Road and watch older kids at Paradise Falls. A trip to the "cool pool" at Killarney West was not out of range either if your friends from Lake Wildwood, Hillcrest or Killarney could sneak you past the Bishops, who guarded access pretty tightly.

In my teenage and college years, I spent most of my time pounding the neighborhood pavement, sweating on nearby country roads, or covering miles on the red clay tractor road that bisected the Dooley's fading farmlands behind the neighborhood as my brother and I prepared for upcoming cross country and track seasons. My high school girlfriend also lived in NWW and my job was just up the road at Bell's, when it was the only grocery store in Oconee.

The voting precinct for Northwest Woods was always Briarwood Baptist. Now NWW is part of the civic center precinct (the Civic Center was not around back in the day). In my wrap up on the elections last night, I mentioned how surprised I was that this district went so strongly for Sarah Bell given the fact that it had always been solidly pro-business, pro-development and the fact that Chairman Davis also lived there for many years. I also referenced the fact that voters in that district were beneficiaries of some recent and highly-touted county initiatives like the new park and the Mars Hill widening.

However, a more astute observer who happens to still live in the old neighborhood made me rethink my assumptions and consider my own impressions of that area today. Perhaps nowhere in our county is a transition from quiet, moderate growth to rapid, suburban style development more obvious than the area around Northwest Woods. In fact, this area and the adjacent area along Hog Mountain Road are the posterchild for what frustrates many about Oconee's current growth pattern. Look at the map and consider (NWW is the cluster of homes in the middle):

• The trails I used to run on and enjoy as a teen are now Parkside, just west of the neighborhood. But the problem is, there is just a road that connects 53 to Mars Hill. There are no homes, no shopping, no nothing. The woods and trees are gone, with nothing to replace it; for many in Northwest Woods, their views and peace and quiet are gone; while this neighborhood has enormous potential if it is built, I'm sure it is frustrating to see the woods disappear behind your home and then watch the land lay fallow.
• Several years ago, amid a controversial rezoning effort on the Southeast side of Northwest Woods, Bob Cain decided to spread chicken manure on land that was not rezoned from its agricultural use to teach the local residents a lesson. This incredible classy act soured many in Northwest Woods on the development community. This land, now rezoned, features paved roads, pipes emerging from the ground, but no homes, trees, or landscaping.
  
• When traveling to Butler's Crossroads (on the right edge of the map), residents in the "new side" of the neighborhood now get to enjoy stunning views of neon lights at a nail salon in the Colony Square shopping center along Highway 53, a beautiful new AutoZone with requisite bright orange paint, and several other vacant retail tracts. Those on the "old side" of NWW likely take Mars Hill to Butler's Crossroads. They now enjoy views of the half empty Manders Crossing shopping center at its intersection with Cliff Dawson Road (which is also now home to several vacant subdivisions), an undeveloped storage and retail parcel "developed" by one of our own planning commission members, and a variety of other vacant commercial lots.
• The easily accessible country roads I used to ride my bike on are now filled with subdivisions, some successful, and some less so (see Coldwater Creek, Parkside and others).
  
• The drive to "Herman C." -- once an easy bike ride or quick drive, now features no fewer than three large vacant "field hoods" of empty lots. Even worse, when these neighborhoods fill up, the county has promised to four-lane Hog Mountain Road to Herman C. Michael Park -- just what local residents want.
  

I would guess my former neighbors are not thrilled about these changes. All told, within a one mile radius of Northwest Woods, I would guess at least 1,000 lots have been rezoned and approved (mostly unbuilt), strip shopping centers have proliferated, and they have seen few if any benefits. I doubt anyone in Northwest Woods had any idea that Hog Mountain Road was being eyed as a growth corridor -- it just happened overnight.

It's a shame, because the corridor between Butler's Crossroads and Herman C. Michael Park should have been a showcase for Oconee County. It features one of the state's top high schools with a wonderful architectural design, several architecturally significant churches, pastoral land owned by UGA, and our county civic center. Instead, with poor planning, we have turned that stretch of road into our own little slice of Snellville. The scary thing is that it may be worse when it is built out.

The Mars Hill corridor is currently a crowded -- but stable -- two lane road right now. When it is four-laned, Northwest Woods will be surrounded by traffic, by more commercial development, and more change. Perhaps all of our BOC members new and old would benefit from a stroll around my old neighborhood. A talk with the residents of Sherwood Drive, Robin Hood Road, Kings Court, and Colliers Creek Road might make for some interesting conversation, and offer a pretty good picture of what many residents in Oconee think about our community right now.

Bottom line: if we're going to grow the "north end" of the county, lets say where that is and what it is going to be. Landscaping requirements should be enforced. Growth corridors announced and planned. Homes and buildings should face the street. Medians should be grassed and treed. Commercial architecture should be consistent. Careful planning and some of these steps can enhance property values of existing neighborhoods and make sure Oconee's great old neighborhoods stay that way.

So, current and former NWW residents .... what do you recall about our neighborhood? What were your fondest memories? And what do you think about what is happening around it now?