Board of Commissioners

Tracy Norman (left) is the incumbent for the Board of Commissioners District 5 Republican primary, while Randy Gordon (right) is the challenger. (Submitted Photo (left), Photo/Felix Scheyer (right))

Tracy Norman (left) is the incumbent for the Board of Commissioners District 5 Republican primary, while Randy Gordon (right) is the challenger. (Submitted Photo (left), Photo/Felix Scheyer (right))

Election Q&A: Growth key topic for District 5 candidates

Nick Hasnain
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Incumbent Tracy Norman and challenger Randy Gordon are on the Republican primary ballot for the District 5 seat for the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners. They also ran against each other for this position in the 2018 general primary.
Tammy and David Owens (right) point out details about their rezoning request to Commissioner Tracy Norman as county attorney Chip Ferguson looks on at the BOC meeting on Monday. The commissioners voted 4-1 to waive paving requirements for a Yancey Road property. (ANDY JOHNSTON/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Tammy and David Owens (right) point out details about their rezoning request to Commissioner Tracy Norman as county attorney Chip Ferguson looks on at the BOC meeting on Monday. The commissioners voted 4-1 to waive paving requirements for a Yancey Road property. (ANDY JOHNSTON/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

BOC approves withdrawal of Bowen Farm cell tower request

Bridget Goodman
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted APC Towers LLC’s withdrawal of a request Monday night to put a 259-foot communications tower on Bowen Farm Road.
Howard Sanders (left) is the incumbent for the Board of Commissioners District 1 Republican primary, while Britt Brooks (right) is the challenger. (Submitted Photos)

Howard Sanders (left) is the incumbent for the Board of Commissioners District 1 Republican primary, while Britt Brooks (right) is the challenger. (Submitted Photos)

Election Q&A: Taxes, property rights focus for District 1 candidates

Nick Hasnain
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Incumbent Howard Sanders and challenger Britt Brooks are on the Republican primary ballot for the District 1 seat on the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners.
County administrator Jason Lewis (left) and Jeff Sharp, the county’s director of planning, zoning and compliance, discuss a road repair project last year. Lewis said county officials are working to make the government more transparent for residents. (ZACH LEGGIO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

County administrator Jason Lewis (left) and Jeff Sharp, the county’s director of planning, zoning and compliance, discuss a road repair project last year. Lewis said county officials are working to make the government more transparent for residents. (ZACH LEGGIO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Officials aim to overcome mistrust with accessibility

Bridget Goodman
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Oglethorpe County officials say they are taking steps to increase transparency and build trust with residents.  “All governments need that ability for citizens to engage with them,” said Jason Lewis, county administrator.
Residents reported concerns about the smell from soil amendments near the intersection of Crawford-Smithonia and Suddeth roads in December. The odor has plagued the county for years. (Dakota Meeks/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Residents reported concerns about the smell from soil amendments near the intersection of Crawford-Smithonia and Suddeth roads in December. The odor has plagued the county for years. (Dakota Meeks/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Sludge still smelly issue for residents

Dakota Meeks
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Living in the country means experiencing all sorts of smells. But last December, Lisa Stacy noticed an odor unlike any other. It permeated her nose and clothes. “Initially, I really thought a deer got hit by a car,” Stacy said.
Alan Smith, who lives on Washington Road, voiced his issues with a rezone request, which helped persuade the commissioners to table it until next month. It was one of two rezone requests on the agenda, both of which were pushed back. (ANDY JOHNSTON/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Alan Smith, who lives on Washington Road, voiced his issues with a rezone request, which helped persuade the commissioners to table it until next month. It was one of two rezone requests on the agenda, both of which were pushed back. (ANDY JOHNSTON/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

BOC accepts $1 million bid for road improvements

Bridget Goodman
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners accepted a $1.04 million bid from Allied Paving Contractors in Pendergrass for road improvements on Monday night.
Oglethorpe County commissioners are (from left): Andy Saxon, David Clark, Howard Sanders, Will Brown and Tracy Norman. They unanimously voted to pass the new rules of decorum on Jan. 5. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Oglethorpe County commissioners are (from left): Andy Saxon, David Clark, Howard Sanders, Will Brown and Tracy Norman. They unanimously voted to pass the new rules of decorum on Jan. 5. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Commissioners set new rules for meeting behavior

Grace Burnett
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
The rules of decorum unanimously approved at last week’s Board of Commissioners meeting were passed to help establish “orderly, respectful and efficient conduct of all public meetings.”  The rules were posted to Oglethorpe County’s website after two edits, requested by commissioners, were made.
Jay Paul listens to a resident at the Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday. Paul, who is in his second term as chairman of the Board of Commissioners, would like to secure a landfill expansion permit this year. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Jay Paul listens to a resident at the Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday. Paul, who is in his second term as chairman of the Board of Commissioners, would like to secure a landfill expansion permit this year. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Paul focuses on protecting county’s ‘quality of life’

Ansley Gavlak
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Jay Paul has a to-do list for the upcoming year, but his top priority is something bigger.  “My goal is to protect and to preserve our quality of life,” said Paul, chair of the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners David Clarke and Howard Sanders at the BOC meeting on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Commissioners David Clarke and Howard Sanders at the BOC meeting on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Proposed ordinance silenced in meeting

Grace Burnett
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
The proposed noise ordinance that led residents to pack the Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday went quietly away.
Casey Marbutt, Project Manager at SPG Planners & Engineers, speaks to commissioners on behalf of Andy Barrs, CEO of Barrs Industries. Marbutt told commissioners about the details of the mixed-density residential development, including its aim to take developmental pressure off rural areas in the county. (Kimberly Thomas/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Casey Marbutt, Project Manager at SPG Planners & Engineers, speaks to commissioners on behalf of Andy Barrs, CEO of Barrs Industries. Marbutt told commissioners about the details of the mixed-density residential development, including its aim to take developmental pressure off rural areas in the county. (Kimberly Thomas/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Commission OKs subdivision, RV ordinance changes

Kimberly Thomas
Thursday, November 6, 2025
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners approved revisions to the county’s subdivision and recreational vehicle ordinances at its meeting on Monday night, following a recommendation from the zoning board.  The commissioners approved the changes 4-0.