Oconee County Council adopts ordinance creating Cornish Shire special-purpose tax district for fire protection

Oconee County Council approved Ordinance 2024-26 on third and final reading Tuesday, establishing the Cornish Shire special purpose tax district to fund fire protection and creating a related special-purpose tax district commission.

The council held a public hearing on the ordinance; no members of the public signed up to speak. After the hearing the council moved, seconded and conducted a voice vote to adopt the ordinance. Councilor Evans is recorded as seconding the motion; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The ordinance on the screen and in the meeting packet was described by the council as establishing the Cornish Shire special purpose tax district for fire protection and “other related matters.” The council closed the public hearing and proceeded immediately to the third and final reading and vote.

The ordinance creates a jurisdictional mechanism — a special-purpose tax district and commission — intended to fund fire protection for the Cornish Shire area. The text of the ordinance and details about tax rates, boundaries or commission membership were included in the council packet shown to members but not read aloud in full during the meeting.

The council did not receive public comment for the item and did not record a roll-call vote in the meeting audio/transcript; the clerk’s official minutes or the ordinance document should be consulted for full vote tallies, effective dates and any implementation steps.

The council moved from the ordinance vote directly into board and commission appointments and other organizational business.