Inspector General: Pirkle, Boswell Behaved Appropriately

The state Office of Inspector General has concluded that Georgia Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Meg Pirkle acted properly earlier this year when she overruled lower-level engineers in favor of a median break on the Oconee Connector.

Although the Office of Inspector General only has responsibility for the executive branch of government, it also concluded that local commercial real estate agency owner Jamie Boswell did not “inappropriately impact the design decision” Pirkle made.

Boswell represents Oconee and surrounding counties on the State Transportation Board, which is an agency of the state legislature, not the executive branch.

Boswell’s company also is listing the 47 acres owned by Maxie Price’s Deferred Tax LLC. Price wants to develop the site on the corner of Mars Hill Road and the Oconee Connector as a commercial shopping center anchored by a Publix.

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on May 4, 2021, turned down the request by Price after raising questions about access to the property from the Connector and from Mars Hill Road.

Inspector General Scott McAfee acknowledged in the July 29 letter he sent to Gov. Brian Kemp that he had no authority to pass judgment on Boswell’s role in the decision and gave no reason for his decision to do so.

For more on this story, please click through to Oconee County Observations.