Putnam County Board of Commissioners

Putnam County resident Lesa Adams made an impassioned plea to the county commission for increased funding to Putnam General Hospital. (IAN TOCHER/Staff)

Putnam County resident Lesa Adams made an impassioned plea to the county commission for increased funding to Putnam General Hospital. (IAN TOCHER/Staff)

Putnam County’s $26.75 million budget creates controversy

Ian Tocher
Thursday, September 5, 2024
The Putnam County Board of Commissioners met on Aug. 30 and formally approved a more than $26.75 million Fiscal Year 2025 budget.The FY 2025 Putnam County budget allots approximately $6.24 million for general government needs, such as civic officials’ salaries, risk management, public buildings,...
District 2 Commissioner Daniel Brown supports the SPLOST 10 renewal in November when he will also be on the ballot for reelection. (IAN TOCHER/Staff)

District 2 Commissioner Daniel Brown supports the SPLOST 10 renewal in November when he will also be on the ballot for reelection. (IAN TOCHER/Staff)

SPLOST 10 talks dominate Putnam BOC meeting

Ian Tocher
Thursday, August 29, 2024
The county’s November vote on whether or not to renew the one-cent SPLOST No. 10 sales tax appears to be developing into a major flashpoint.During the regularly scheduled Putnam County Board of Commissioners meeting on Aug. 20, several citizens addressed the commission during the public comment...
Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Putnam BOC explains budget amendment

Rufus Adair
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Sometimes items on a meeting agenda seem innocuous enough – until they aren’t. It happened three times at last Friday’s meeting of the Putnam County Board of Commissioners. The first involved “2023 Budget Amendment #2.”
Steve Hersey

Steve Hersey

Hersey wins BOC seat; Smith ousts council incumbent

Rufus Adair
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Challengers made a strong showing in Eatonton’s city elections Tuesday, but except for one breakthrough, voters stuck with familiar leaders both in Eatonton and in the four-way race for the vacant District 3 seat on the county commission.
Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

BOC approves short-term rental contested permits

Rufus Adair
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Two contested short-term rental (STR) permits in the R-1R zone on Lake Oconee and rezoning requests for two sizeable developments around Harmony Crossing dominated the mid-month meeting of the Putnam County Board of Commissioners last week.
A full house faced Putnam County District 3 commissioner candidates last Thursday at Lake Oconee Lutheran Church Community Center, where former candidate Charles Trumbo (at podium) served as emcee for the event. IAN TOCHER/Staff

A full house faced Putnam County District 3 commissioner candidates last Thursday at Lake Oconee Lutheran Church Community Center, where former candidate Charles Trumbo (at podium) served as emcee for the event. IAN TOCHER/Staff

STRs dominate Putnam County candidate forum

Ian Tocher
Thursday, October 19, 2023
The Putnam County Republican Party presented a candidate forum on Oct. 12 at Lake Oconee Lutheran Church Community Center on Greensboro Road.
Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Four candidates qualify for District 3 Putnam BOC race

Rufus Adair
Thursday, September 28, 2023
This introduction to the four candidates competing to fill the unexpired term of abdicated District 3 commissioner Alan Foster begins with an air of quirky uniformity, but a closer look shows an interesting variety of life experiences and community involvement.
Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

STR ordinance more reasonable than some have suggested

Rufus Adair
Thursday, September 21, 2023
While Putnam County’s new short-term rental (STR) ordinance has its complications and compromises, a closer look at data and details may make it seem a lot more family-friendly than some earlier criticisms suggested.
Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

State to investigate STR ordinance passage

Rufus Adair
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Was it Casey Stengel or Yogi Berra who gave us the piece of wisdom that “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”? No matter. The problem is that “over” is still a relative term.
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