Local government headlines: Kemp signs bill aimed at Athens DA, former Congressman speaks to GOP

Governor Brian Kemp has signed the bill that creates an oversight committee for prosecutors in Georgia. The measure, written by Athens state Rep Houston Gaines, was inspired in part by Deborah Gonzalez, the District Attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit that covers Clarke and Oconee counties. Republican Gaines and others have been critical of what they say is her unwillingness and inability to prosecute crimes.

Jody Hice, the 10th District Republican who served close to a decade as Congressman for Athens, is in Athens this evening, speaking at tonight’s meeting of the Athens-Clarke County Republican Party. It’s a 6 o’clock session at the Country Inn and Suites on Old Epps Bridge Road in Athens.

The Oconee County School Board meets this evening, a 6 o’clock session at School District headquarters on School Street in Watkinsville.

Franklin County Commissioners are reviewing feedback from a recent town hall on the County’s Unified Development Code: some are calling on Commissioners in Carnesville to toss out the entire set of guidelines and start over; Commissioners say they’ll continue to try to work to revise the Code, rather than replace it.