Thirft: I-85 corridor “very appealing”

At times, relations among Oconee’s policymakers and the authority that provides sewer have been frayed. But all was good today, as partnership was demonstrated as the Joint Regional Sewer Authority turned over a check worth $960 thousand to the Oconee County Council. The funds are to help pay the bills for the first part of the county’s “Sewer South” venture that will provide piped sewer to industrial park property and, eventually, the valuable four-mile section of I-85 in the county. In the ceremony Bob Winchester, JRSA executive director, handed the check to Joel Thrift, council chairman. And those leaders made clear that the county owes gratitude to State Senator Thomas Alexander and members of the state’s Congressional delegation for their efforts to acquire the funds which have kept in interest-drawing escrow accounts. After the ceremony, County Administrator Scott Moulder told 96.3/WGOG NEWS he can’t predict the kind of economic development that’ll be the first to be attracted to Oconee’s sector of the interstate highway, but he’s confident the potential prospects are out there. Possibly, he said, the Sanctuary Pointe development will be the first, followed by a distribution company.