Contractors give the council an earful

In executive session next week, Oconee County Council is scheduled to “receive legal advice regarding potential property purchase at Oconee County Rock Quarry.” That executive session is set at the tail end of council’s next regular meeting—Tuesday night, February 20. Last night worried contractors filled chairs in the meeting room for a meeting of council’s budget, finance and administration committee, and three of them implored the council to back away from any consideration of leasing the quarry and its rock crusher to a private company. David Hubbard, Robbie Lee, and Danny Hutchinson warned the council allowing what has been a steady money maker for the council to wind up in private hands would spell doom for their livelihoods. They fear that a private company given charge of the quarry would raise the price of crushed rock to a level that could jeopardize their businesses and force them to lay off employees. While Robbie Lee spoke, County Administrator Scott Moulder took notes. And Moulder later said he was writing down thoughts about the issue that he would say to the council. Earlier yesterday one contractor predicted should the lease proposal reach a vote of the council, three members would vote no and two would vote yes.