County Board's Legislative Committee Approves Makeup of Childcare Research Committee

The Effingham County Board's Legislative Committee Monday approved the members of a Childcare Research Committee. 

The committee was formed to find way to assure sufficient childcare resources for the county. The full County Board approved the framework of the committee at their meeting last month.

Committee members include county board members Elizabeth Huston and Norbert Soltwedel, along with Effingham County Regional Growth Alliance President and CEO Courtney Yockey and Molly Laue of Altamont, a parent representative. Also on the committee are Angela LeSarge, who is an in-home child care provider; HR Manager Teresa Harmon of Sherwin Williams and Trina Niemerg, Compliance Officer at Washington Savings Bank. Harmon and Niemerg represent the local business component of the committee. Sasha Althoff of the City of Effingham will represent a unit of local government, while Little Lambs Early Childhoo Center Director and Owner Carla Holtz will be an at-large committee member. Lena Myers, Director of LLC Kids at Lutheran Childcare Center, will be a Center Child Care Provider Rep.

Ex-Officio committee members will include Courtney Hatcher, Provider Recruitment and Quality Specialist for Project CHILD; Connie Jerden, COO of CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation; Jennifer Fox, principal of Unit 40's Early Learning Center and East Side Preschool; Samantha Weidner, Early Childhood Development Director for Effingham County Health Department; Meghan Rewers, Executive Director of Crisis Nursery of Effingham County; and Johnna Schultz, Assistant Director of Effingham Public Library.

The official purpose of the committee is "To research and identify underlying issues with childcare services in Effingham County, develop a plan to overcome these workforce related hurdles, and work with the County Board on its implementation". 

The Board's timeframe for the committee is five to six months, beginning March 1. 

The comittee's objectives are to review a comprehensive report from the Community Based Planning Group, and to host a listening session with childcare providers, parents and local businesses, along with inviting elected officials to that session.

Yockey said the goal is for the committee to meet every other week on Thursday evenings. They are still deciding a location for the meetings.

Also Monday, legislative committee members tabled discussion on the acquisition of equipment to broadcast County Board meetings.