Committee Approves Several Recommendations to County Board

The Effingham County Board's Legislative and Personnel Committee Monday discussed two vacancies for which replacements haven't been found.

One position is a spot on the County Board of Review. The other position is the Program Compliance Oversight Monitor for the county transportation system. The opening on the Board of Review was due to a death, while the other position is due to the pending retirement of Phil Toops. 

Committee members voted to recommend the full Board let the openings continue for another 30 days, with an automatic renewal if a successor can't be found.

The committee decided to recommend the Board finalize an intergovernmental agreement with the City on a Strategic Response Team. Equipment contributed by each agency...the Effingham City Police Department and the Effingham County Sheriff's Department...would return to the contributing agency if the Team ever disbands. Committee members Sandi Gillet and Josh Douthit abstained from the vote since they work for the city police department.

Committee members also voted to recommend the County Board proclaim next week as Ag Week and the month of March as National Agriculture Month; agreed to seek a public transportation grant with any overspending to be the responsibility of CEFS, not the County; agreed to recommend Brenda Winskill to fill a vacancy on the 708 Board to replace Pat Mear; and agreed to recommend Sheriff Paul Kuhns or his designee for the 911 Board. 

Following a closed session, committee members agreed to recommend Angie Thompson to a six-month probationary period as County Office Administator at an increase in pay.

All of those items will come before the County Board at its meeting next Monday.