Oconee Citizens should attend the SPLOST Public Hearing on Monday, February 10, 2014, at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center on Hog Mountain Road. . … Sometimes I get the impression that a few “Key Officials” have already decided what we need and just want money to go ahead……The Clarke County Courthouse now houses all three Superior Court Judges for the Western Judicial Circuit consisting of two counties: Clarke and Oconee. The Clarke Courthouse sits on its original site and is considered an Athens-Clarke County Landmark….

AVOC

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February 10, 2014

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Lot of Politics and Too Little History-Vision in Planning Courthouse

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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The more I read about the “Proposed Oconee Courthouse” the more concern I have.  Sometimes I get the impression that a few “Key Officials” have already decided what we need and just want the money to go ahead.   That is not how it is supposed to work.   Such an important part of our history, our county and the City of Watkinsville deserves more community participation and information.

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Little mention is made of the historical background of the current Courthouse Location.The courthouse has been located on its current site since 1806 and served as the first Clarke County Courthouse.  Excerpts of HISTORY Of Oconee County & Watkinsville & Courthouse Site.pdf x

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One official has been quoted as saying, “Security can’t be guaranteed at the current location”.    That ignores the location of the Fulton County Courthouse near the State Capitol in Atlanta and even Clarke County, both where the original courthouse sites have been maintained over decades and even centuries.Another official is quoted as saying that it will take $ 25 Million to meet the Court needs for the next 20-40 years.   That sounds awfully expensive for such a short period and is not supported by history.

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Clarke County GA Courthouse on Washington St

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The Clarke County Courthouse now houses all three Superior Court Judges for the Western Judicial Circuit consisting of two counties:Clarke and Oconee.The Courthouse sits on its original site and is considered an Athens-Clarke County Landmark.   http://athensclarkecounty.com/90/Courthouse

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Fulton County Courthouse at 160 Pryor St, Atlanta

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The Fulton County Courthouse, built between 1911 and 1914, is an historiccourthousebuilding located at 160 Pryor Street SW inAtlanta, seat ofFulton County, Georgia. It was designed by noted Atlanta-based architectA. Ten Eyck Brown(1878–1940), along with the Atlanta firm of Morgan & Dillon.^[2]It is officially theLewis B. Slaton Courthouse.

On September 18, 1980, the original building was added to theNational Register of Historic Places. An annex across the street is connected via skywalk. Both are located inSouth Downtown.

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The “List of Proposed County SPLOST projects” reads like a Christmas Wish List or a Shopping List for the nouveau riche.    In the past we had lesser resources and had to concentrate on the important stuff. OCONEE COUNTY BOC.Minutes.1.13.14.SPLOST.Mtg.pdf x

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For more detail on the planning, politics and history see:

BECKER.2.9.14. SPLOST Requests Top $ 100 Million, Range from $ 55,000 to $ 25 Million.pdfx

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Several citizens have asked me about the Courthouse proposal and express surprise at such an ambitious proposal.   I have encountered no support for moving the courthouse from downtown and little for a completely new courthouse.