Why Does Watkinsville's Council want to be Nonpartisan?

Esther Porter of Watkinsville wrote an interesting article in the OE’s Letter to the Editor, dated April 22, 2022, “Local seats should stay partisan.”

Porter wrote, “We need to know the candidate’s beliefs and ideology in order to make a decision to vote. The average voter in a local election will not have any personal knowledge of the candidates.

As you know, some politicians tell you what you want to hear, rather than their real stand on the issues. By having partisan voting, we at least have some idea of how the candidate stands on certain issues.”

Unfortunate for Watkinsville residents, the nonpartisan City Council wants elections to stay nonpartisan. The effects of Watkinsville’s nonpartisan elections can be seen by the past several years.

I haven’t forgotten how the nonpartisan Council went after our sitting Republican and conservative Mayor Smith. Smith had declared himself a Republican and conservative. All of this was recorded on county records and the partisan Oconee Enterprise.

I haven’t forgotten how the nonpartisan Council Pro Tem Brodrick, i.e., Oconee State Bank board member, had all City revenue accounts moved from other banks to his bank. This was done by Council creating a City Administrator, Council hiring the City Administrator, and Council signing off on City Administrator moving the funds. Now the residents have handed his bank millions and him the mayor’s position.

I haven’t forgotten how the nonpartisan Council allowed the residents’ Harris Shoals Park to deteriorate to the point of putting families in harm's way. They then sold a large portion of the park to a special interest group and their money.

I haven’t forgotten how the nonpartisan Council turned a city street over to the Oconee State Bank without it being condemned and sold. Instead of fixing the issue nonpartisan Brett Thomas wrote he didn’t care because it was before he was elected… one to two years before.

Year after year, the nonpartisan Main Street liberals, i.e., Democrats, continue to elect their own people to the City Council and you see the above results. Guess Watkinsville’s nonpartisan election does have its drawback for the residents.