Mike Maxey, a Watkinsville grading contractor and tamer of the seemingly untamable Oconee veterans memorial project, apparently switched targets this week in his bid for the county's Board of Commissioners.

Maxey qualified Friday, the last day of the window, to challenge Chuck Horton, the former UGA police chief and Oconee board of education chairman. In doing so, he turned it around on the people (including me) he told in recent weeks he was contemplating a run for Chairman Melvin Davis' seat. (Bonus for Davis, who's taken heat from Horton recently for his governing style.)

That means every member of the BOC, including Post 3 Commissioner Margaret Hale who also qualified Friday, has a challenger this year for his or her spot in the starting lineup.

All 10 of them are Republicans. The homerun derby -- er, primary -- is July 15.

For those of you keeping score, that's Davis and Gainesville State College instructor Sarah Bell for the chairmanship; incumbent Jim Luke and Bishop Mayor Johnny Pritchett for Post 1; incumbent Don Norris and Boswell Oil executive John Daniell for Post 2; Hale against American Building Products President Esther Porter for Post 3; and Horton and Maxey for Post 4.

Blues for Bubber

And, by way of update, former county commissioner William "Bubber" Wilkes, who said he was going to run and promised to call back once he decided who to run against, never called back and never qualified -- which is a shame because I'm sure we could all use a little more Bubber.