County files lawsuit alleging unpaid taxes

Oconee County yesterday filed suit alleging that principals of the Journal newspaper owe $315,675 in property taxes, interest and penalties on an airplane kept at the Oconee Regional Airport. The suit, for which a jury trial is requested in the Common Pleas Court, names as defendants Jerry Edwards, Steve Edwards, a partnership, and a company that operates a hangar at the airport. It alleges that the partnership, BDS, benefited from an illegal lease executed by county Supervisor Ann Hughes in 2001. Jerry Edwards told 96.3/WGOG NEWS this morning that he hasn’t yet seen the lawsuit, nor has he been served with papers. But he said he’ll have a statement at the appropriate time.