History & Community
Events, facilities, and projects that bring Bishop together and protect its history.
WhAt’s been accomplished
Bishop Boogie & Events
Councilwoman Deborah Lucas is always ready to support events that strengthen our sense of community. At her suggestion, the council expanded its support to sponsor annual traditions like the Bishop Boogie music festival and the Light the Lights holiday celebration. Our candidates also supported an expansion of the Bishop Farmers Market during the summer. These events don’t just bring neighbors together — they draw visitors from across Oconee, giving people a reason to come to Bishop and see what makes our town so special. With leaders like KHHL&D, Bishop shines brighter and stronger every year.
Bishop Community Center
Our Community Center is meant to be a safe, welcoming, and beautiful gathering place for Bishop.
Thanks to the leadership of our candidates on the council, renovation and safety upgrades are already underway and fully approved, ensuring that the Community Center will soon be a place we can all be proud of. Electing our candidates means this important work continues without delay, keeping Bishop’s heart open to the whole community.
For more information, please see the FAQ
Town pride
Bishop is a town worth celebrating, and our candidates have made sure that pride shines through. With new entrance signs welcoming visitors and a historic marker at the town well — created in partnership with the Bishop Engagement Committee — our history and heritage are front and center. The marker highlights Bishop’s place on the National Historic Register, building on work begun years ago under Mayor Nedra Johnson. Together, these projects show how the candidates honor our past while making Bishop more beautiful and inviting for the future.
what’s Next
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The Bishop Boogie has quickly become what our town is known for—a signature event that brings the whole community together with music, food, vendors, and small-town fun. What makes it so special is that it’s not just a festival—it’s a celebration of Bishop’s spirit, and it happens because your current council members (with the exception of Councilwoman Porterfield who has not done any work on the Boogie) work hard every year to make it possible.
Our candidates have been the driving force behind the Boogie, and re-electing them means this tradition will continue to grow. Without their leadership, the energy and vision that made the Boogie what it is today could be lost. One opponent, Jacob Spaulding, was quoted in the paper as saying he has “no issue” with the Boogie—hardly the enthusiasm you’d want in someone planning Bishop’s most important community event. (He also points to sidewalks and 441 safety as his priorities—projects our candidates are already leading the charge on.)
The Boogie is about joy, togetherness, and pride in our town. Let’s keep it in the hands of leaders who understand its value and will continue to make it better every year.
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The renovation of Bishop’s historic Community Center is well underway, and our candidates are committed to seeing it through. They continue to work closely with the contractor to ensure the building is preserved, made safe, and transformed into a vibrant gathering place for everyone in town.
As completion approaches, the next step will be deciding how best to manage the Center so it gets plenty of use and provides real benefit to the community. And instead of guessing, our candidates have gone straight to the source—listening to Bishop citizens through a recent survey. The top requests? Town events (think a holiday party with Santa!), affordable rental space (imagine a family wedding in the stunning sanctuary with its stained glass windows), and regular community mingles (Friday night movies, anyone?).
And let’s not ignore the fact that owning such a resource could put more money in our town’s pocket to do other things. We would love to see a church group rent it on Sundays. Or see our kids’ acting or dance recital spend their money here rather than a pricey venue in Athens.
This is leadership that listens: building a space that reflects what you want, not outside interests. By re-electing our candidates, you’ll keep that vision alive and ensure the Community Center becomes a place where Bishop truly comes together.
“I have lived in Bishop since 1971, and I had the pleasure of serving on the Town of Bishop City Council for thirty-six years, from 1984-2020. I served as mayor for ten of those years. Bishop is a small, historic community which has adapted to the changes in Oconee County while maintaining its own identity. The current incumbents have demonstrated their vision and dedication to our town by their accomplishments with various improvements around town and their plans to continue moving Bishop forward.
I am supporting the current incumbents, Mayor Drew Kurtz, council members Chuck Haden, Hudson Holder, Deborah Lucas and challenger Jeff Davis in the November 4th election. I believe in their vision for our community.”