Oconee County Council authorizes OEA office lease and hires Stewart Jones as county administrator

After moving into and exiting an executive session on Dec. 19, the Oconee County Council took formal actions including approval of an office lease for the Oconee Economic Alliance (OEA) and the appointment of a new county administrator.

Council moved into executive session to discuss five items, including an economic development matter (Project Hawk), personnel recruitment, a planning-department personnel matter, ad valorem tax collections and potential claims, and a lease/contract matter related to OEA offices. After exiting executive session the council took action on the lease matter: David Root asked for a motion to approve the OEA office lease as discussed and to authorize the interim county administrator to execute the lease; a motion and a second were recorded and the chair called for "all in favor," with an affirmative response captured on the record.

Shortly afterward, an unidentified council member moved to hire Mr. Stewart Jones as county administrator with a start date of Jan. 5, 2026 and directed the county attorney to draft the contract for the chair to sign; that motion was seconded. The chair called for a vote and an affirmative voice response is recorded. The chair publicly thanked "Phil" for his service and welcomed Stewart Jones.

The transcript records motions, seconds and affirmative voice responses but does not include a roll-call tally or a copy of the executed lease or the employment contract in the provided text. The county attorney was directed to draft the administrator contract and the chair was authorized to sign it.