County Board Forms Childcare Committee

(EFFINGHAM COUNTY RETIRED SHERIFF'S DEPUTY JEFF SUCKOW LISTENS TO A PROCLAMATION IN HIS HONOR READ BY COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN JIM NIEMANN)

Effingham County Board members Tuesday decided to form a childcare committee due to concerns over a need for childcare and a dwindling workforce.

The matter was discussed in committee last week, leading to the vote at Tuesday's meeting. 

The committee will include 13 people, yet to be chosen. They will include two county board members, a representative from Suzette Brumleve Memorial Effingham Public Library, a representative from the Effingham Regional Growth Alliance, a representative from Crisis Nursery, a parent representative, a representative of a local business, a family provider representative, a representative of another unit of local government, at an-large committee member, and two ex-officio members, from Project Child, the other a child service provider.

The goal is to have the committee selected and approved by the Board at their February meeting.

The Board Tuesday also honored Jeffrey Suckow on his retirement after 27 years of service with the Effingham County Sheriff's Department; proclaimed Effingham County School Choice Week; reappointed Norma Lansing as a member of the Board's Economic Development Advisory Board with Advisory Board Chairman Dave Campbell reporting that Quality Inn paid off a loan early leaving the board with almost $50,000 to re-loan to other businesses; allocated $15,000 to Senior Services Effingham City/County Committee on Aging; adopted the salary schedule for the fiscal year for non-union County employees; and amended the county board by-laws to allow board members to participate remotely. 

The Board also approved bridge aid petitions from Mason Township and St. Francis Township for bridge projects and a commitment of local funds to supplement Federal funds for work on the Bishop Church Bridge.