I am reminded of something that a friend once said at a zoning meeting about 25 years ago. In life (particularly true in politics), you can count your real friends on one hand but your enemies accumulate! ……….. this is the first opportunity in years for voters to vote for someone else for Sheriff.

AVOC

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July 4, 2012

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Oconee Sheriff’s Race Tighter than Many Expected

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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There are indications that Sheriff Scott Berry now realizes that he is involved in a tough race for re-election.   It seems he and some supporters wanted to write off his opposition as “too young”.

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Candidate Trey Downs is as old as or is older than Sheriff Berry was when he first entered office in January 1993.   Downs’ police experience also compares very favorably with that of Scott Berry who had been an investigator in the office of the District Attorney.   If memory serves me correctly, Berry had only lived in the county a year or two when he was elected sheriff.

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Scott Berry

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Incumbent Sheriff Scott Berry has been in office 20 years which is a long-time in a growing and upper middle class county like Oconee County.    In smaller, more rural counties, a longtime Sheriff is a “Big Power Player’ or “Kingfish”.    Some are inclined to that posture in Oconee County but in a county of affluent, educated persons, it is not as big of a deal.

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Sheriff Berry has served a term as President of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association and is rightfully proud of that honor.   I am not sure that local citizens are very impressed with such titles.  It does get some press but does not carry the day locally.   As Sheriff, Berry has made friends and enemies.  

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Citizens talk about several incidents that have impacted communities in the county during his terms - one involves the arrest and handling of an elderly and health challenged businessman in south Oconee.   That may help explain the abundance of Downs’ signs in the south end.  

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Some Upper end residents were not happy with the Sheriff’s high profile comments and prosecution of the man involved in a shooting in Bogart involving a father of some teenage girls.   The man’s grandfather was an institution in Bogart in years gone by and relatives and neighbors are still respected.   The man may have done wrong but some, including this writer, did not feel it was murder.  In a radio interview at the time, Neal Boortz asked Sheriff Berry if there was not an overcharge in the case.  

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There have been other incidents related to me involving deaths when the Sheriff was thought to be insensitive to family members.    There have been incidents of family resentment over extra publicity involving some arrests of persons of some notoriety.  

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I am reminded of something that a friend once said at a Zoning Meeting about 25 years ago.   In life (particularly true in politics), you can count your real friends on one hand but your enemies accumulate.    Also, this is the first opportunity in years for voters to vote for someone else for Sheriff.

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Trey Downs is as old as Scott Berry was when Berry was first elected.

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Trey Downs’ parents have operated Downs Pre-School on Mars Hill Rd since 1984.   I understand there are 3300 plus ‘alumni’ of Downs Pre-School.   Downs’ mother, Holly Downs, previously worked in the office of the District Attorney.  All that leads to a lot of contacts in Oconee County.

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Trey’s father, Buddy Downs, is the son of Harvey and Lizzie Dickens Downs.   He has a plethora of cousins and connections in Oconee County.    Like 100’s of cousins, he is a descendant of Tom Dickens, a large farmer and landowner of the thirties and forties in Oconee.    The Tom Dickens Homeplace was the DeKalb or UGA Farm on Snow’s Mill Road.   ‘Mr. Tom’ had much land and many children.   Each of them inherited a farm.   A paternal Uncle of Trey’s, Spec Downs, ran a general store in downtown Watkinsville for decades and was well liked and respected.  Other Downs relatives were well respected.

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Trey Downs himself has more roots here than Sheriff Berry.  Downs grew up in the county and graduated from Oconee County High School in the nineties.   He is a member of the large Oconee County High Schools Alumni Association.   His father, Buddy, was a 1962 OCHS graduate and was part of the class hosting the annual alumni banquet on June 30 of this year.    Class members in Oconee County have always had strong bonds.   The Downs candidacy was very much noticed at the recent banquet attended by 450 people.

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Sheriff Berry has enjoyed a friendly media while in office.  Some citizens have complained about that.  His challenger has taken issue with the Sheriff’s claim that he took a salary cut.   Links below give detail on the facts in that matter and they are not quite as portrayed in earlier media reports and the minutes of the Board of Commissioners.   Listen to the video, read the minutes and letter from the County Clerk.

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Some observers say it will be a close race.   Some say Scott will pull it out.   Others say he is arrogant and will go down to defeat.   Regardless of the outcome of the election, the experience of a strong campaign challenge can bring more humility to a person.   That would not be a bad outcome for the county or for Scott Berry.

Oconee Patch   -July 3, 2012- By Stephanie Grossand Perry Parks

   http://oconee.patch.com/articles/sheriff-berry-takes-his-voluntary-pay-cut-after-fiscal-year-ends

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Sheriff Berry Takes His Voluntary Pay Cut, After Fiscal Year Ends

   Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry dropped off a check the day after his political opponent inquired about it.

   Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry says he made good this week on his pledge to voluntarily return 5 percent of his 2011-2012 salary to the county, which he made as the county discussed budget troubles in 2011. Berry said he dropped off a check on Tuesday, July 3………….

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Sheriff Berry on 5% Salary Reduction

http://youtu.be/bFnHMyrjzIs

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Oconee County Records on Sheriff’s Salary -7.2.12

Berry.Salary.Records.BOC.7.2.12.pdfx

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Minutes

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Oconee County Board of Commissioners Called Meeting –Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 7.00 PM in the Rotunda of the Oconee County Courthouse….

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FY2012 Budget:Finance Director Jeff Benko reported, as requested by the Board of Commissioners, various Department Directors, Elected Officials and Constitutional Officers have submitted their proposed FY2011 base reductions.He explained the proposed reductions…….

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Sheriff Scott Berry stated he is prepared to reduce his budget request by $ 300,000, but cautioned such cuts are not sustainable and will eventually impact the provision of services by his department.  He noted he is withdrawing from the county’s health insurance program and is taking a voluntary 5% reduction in his salary.