Oconee County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners Joint Session • July 6, 2026

The Oconee County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners held a joint session on July 6, 2026, to discuss and approve an intergovernmental agreement involving the exchange of properties between the two entities. The agreement entails the Board of Education transferring approximately 42.7 acres of undeveloped land near Highway 441 to the Board of Commissioners in exchange for ownership of the Oconee County Civic Center, a facility that includes a theater, banquet hall, and support areas. The Civic Center, currently used primarily by the school system, will become a true extension of the high school's instructional campus, enhancing educational and extracurricular opportunities for students. The transfer will allow the school system to fund maintenance and capital improvements through the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST), potentially saving taxpayers the cost of building a new auditorium, estimated at $15 million. The agreement also updates facility use and scheduling procedures and maintains public rental services. The motion to approve the intergovernmental agreement was passed unanimously, reflecting a strategic asset realignment to better serve educational and community needs while managing budget impacts.