Should we consider Athens? (Atlanta, Oconee: rent, employment, schools)

[FromGA]

There is plenty of reason to live, and plenty of ways to thrive in the Athens / Oconee area.

I left the area primarily for professional reasons. Plus I had lived there for 15 years, and it was time to move on. I didi enjoy every moment of that 15 years.

If life takes you to the Athens area, that is great.

In the case of Geordie (the OP), she has children of middle school age. She is liberal minded etc. She has nothing specifically to tie her to Athens at this moment. Hence my comments/recommendations specifically for Geordie.

I still own property in Athens, and may go back to live there one day! I really like Athens.

[FromGA]

Originally Posted by eudeohio

One point I wanted to bring up though, is the nature of the dwellers of Oconee. Generally professors/academic individuals tend to lean to a liberal political perspective. If those are living in Oconee, I would imagine one can bump into them every now and then. I guess my point is, although predominantly conservative, liberals are there too.

I believe that the "to be seen area" for the liberal mindset is Five Points. UGA administrators, lawyers, etc. live there.

I am sure some of them live in Oconee county.

Check out the area around downtown Watkinsville. 2005 and later, they were revitalizing that area with restaurants and shops.

[Ollie1946]

The stereotyping just overwhelms this thread.

In my experience living here in Athens area is that people leave each other alone. I would be stereotyped as a conservative probably, and my local vote has never counted here in Athens-Clarke County. Our congressional district has one of the most conservative congressmen in all of history. I find it odd that the conservative Oconee County next door has the best schools perhaps in Georgia and the Liberal/Progressive Schools here in Clarke County are an ongoing disaster. Figure that one out. But, with that said, no one cares how you live your life in either area as long as you mind your own business. If you are an activist this or that, you might find liberal activism not going far in Oconee County. So, if that is your gig, live in Athens and activist for better schools. Clarke County at last count (I am not confirming accuracy) has around a 40% poverty rate. Could be lower, I don't know. I do know we have about a 50% high school dropout rate; a high crime rate and few jobs. So, pick your poison. But at the end of the day, no one gives a rip about your labels of liberal, progressive, church going or not, conservative, guns or not. Just do what is good for your family and let others make the same decision.

I recommend Oconee County myself given the schools.

Good luck.

[FromGA]

Ollie, you are probably 100% right, but it is still not as simple as that.

In a small town like Bogart/Watkinsville, kids that know each other from church for instance is one form of cliquishness. Those who know each other from the money class is another form of cliquishness.

Someone who already has the good fortune of living in the Athens area will figure out one way or another of dealing with these issues. But Geordie is asking questions about her situation, and I was answering for her situation. Given that she has nothing going on in Athens area at this point, I am not sure about the advantage of needing to figure out how to navigate Athens/Oconee.

I also recall putting on a lot of miles in my car the year I lived in Oconee county. I know it is not huge amounts of miles, but they all add up.

Given that housing in Oconee may be 100K higher than in Athens/Clarke, one option some people take is to send their kids to either Athens Montenssori, the church related school on Prince Ave, Athens Academy, etc. This might work for those with one kid, or if the kid is already in middle/high. There are some other private options in Athens. Athens Montessori is very difficult to get into. Not sure about the others.

[Ollie1946]

In my experience kids everywhere in all levels of society and wealth develop cliques. In some places they are called gangs. You have the athletic cliques, the band cliques, the 4H bunch, the goth crowd, the smart bunch, and on it goes. I've seen that in private schools here personally and also from school teachers in all of the various schools. Kids are not noted for being kind and fair to the weak. School can be brutal. Someone said that high school is the worst hell on earth possible. I tend to think there is some truth to that statement. It is hard for any family to prepare their children for the real world which can be at its ugliest in schools regardless of whether public or private. I am over 6 decades old and looking back into my young years, I well remember children who were bullied, isolated and got no help from a soul. The only difference I don't recall someone going to school one day with a gun and seeking revenge.

Life is what it is. If the OP wants the best public schools for her children, then Oconee County schools have the vote. If she wants her children in the best possible situation and she can afford the huge fees, then Athens Academy in Oconee County is the best going. Everything else is in between those in my opinion.

What is wearying to me is this business of liberal and conservative labels as if those 2 words describe our local society clearly. I actually know liberals who go to church. Liberal minded churches of course but somehow if someone attends a church then they somehow are a "warped" conservative. Goodness knows the "bible belt" tag has outlived its usefulness.

Life in Athens can vary from district to district, street to street.

Cheers.

[FromGA]

Ollie, while I once again fully agree with your post, this is the subtle difference I am referring to --

you are describing cliques that (in general / most of the time) form inside of the school environment, or through student/student interaction. This is normal human nature everywhere in the world.

I am specifically referring to PRE-FORMED cliques that form before a kid even enters school in small town environments. Such as knowing each other from church, family friendships, etc.

---

Ollie, I have a question, if you wish to answer -- here, in private message, or start a new thread:

I lived several years in Athens until mid 2000s, waiting to see the next big thing happen (outside of UGA). Other than
(a) shopping around the Oconee Connector, (b) construction and mortgage companies in Oconee county (which have probably mostly subsided), (c) the office complex on 316 that was touted as resembling Research Triangle but mostly has Univ / Hospital offices right now, and (d) downtown improvements.
-- I did not see anything significant happening.

What prevents Athens from becoming the next Austin, etc.? Why doesn't Athens get a charter school type thing to retain people in Clarke county (is there any talk about anything like that)? I love the Athens area and am certainly a well-wisher for the area. Do you think improvements can be made with the right attitude in people / government? Or is Athens always going to be the anti-Atlanta?

[Ollie1946]

I see no reason not to reply here. It concerns the area the OP is interested in. Of course this is my opinion and that isn't worth a whole lot in most places.

We lost the Navy Base here but gained a Medical School and the UGA Health Science Center. So, that is a plus for the area. The Epps Bridge area continues to expand and prosper. The new Catholic school is going up even now at the bridge area just before crossing into Oconee County on Epps Bridge. Right now there is a battle going on for a new, smaller Walmart on Oconee Street at the old lumber yard site. But we've lost over a 1000 manufacturing jobs in Clark County which hurts the middle class and lower folks. Our large number of public housing units still attracts a lot of people to the area. Our schools keep businesses from wanting to be here plus Athens is not seen as business friendly. When any business of any size wants to come in, there are local activists who rise up to make it difficult to impossible. However, we are getting a new jail which gets a lot of use. Pardon the sarcasm. With all of that said, perhaps a major reason for our sluggishness is lack of water. Yep, we are still in drought. Our area is way overbuilt with apartments and condos. The real estate market has collapsed. No construction. Few jobs and what jobs there are pay little. Still, the 1000 pound UGA gorilla anchors the economy and is the only reason things are as good as they are which isn't saying much. There are still many positives about the area but there are other places in GA and the US that offer a better quality of life with a better future. I'm not sure why folks want to move here unless they think that Widespread Panic and REM are giving free concerts. I am not aware of any Charter school movement. Cannot imagine it occurring either. I don't see things as hopeless given the university and our growing medical establishments, but I cannot see a bright economic future for most of our citizens. The manufacturing is not going to come back according to people who know more about such things than me. On a positive side though, the area along MLK drive had a boom of new construction before the collapse. Gentrification might be the right word. Students. But it won't be long before those areas begin to decline. Our older neighborhoods are declining as well as a generation dies out and other generations cannot afford the properties nor the upkeep. You can see the same thing in Oconee County though. The recession has hit very hard here and the looks of the area reflect it. Hope this helps a little.

[FromGA]

Thanks Ollie.

I forgot about the people interested in getting into the music scene. I did meet a few young folk in my subdivision (who had other jobs) that moved to Athens to get into the music scene.

And yes, MLK Drive / other side of College Ave / North Ave etc. have gentrified quite a bit. And UGA continues to grow.

I think a Clarke county charter school / magnet school / science school might work wonders. All that is needed is a closed Big Box store really to start one!

People move to places like San Luis Obispo and Portland just to live there, and for no other reason. I think Athens has that potential, but never lives up to it. I really hate it when people/places with potential dont (want to) live up to it.

[Ollie1946]

Sorry to say, but in this "progressive" community, a charter school would be viewed negatively and the activists would rise up to fight it. Just guessing though. A lot of people seem content with status quo except for despising Congressman Braun who is uber conservative.

Wish you the best.

[eudeohio]

Dear Ollie1946 and FromGA, your discussion really gives me lots of insight about the Athens area. Tks for sharing!