Effingham County Board members approved a multi-item consent agenda during their October regular meeting, including grant disbursements, small capital repairs and changes to employee stipend payments. The board also approved a separate motion to provide a county Christmas luncheon and $25 gift certificates to eligible employees.

The consent agenda passed on a motion from Jeremy Daters, seconded by Tim Ellis, after the board removed the Christmas-luncheon item for separate consideration. Among items approved as part of the consent package were an $18,000 opioid-related disbursement to the county health department/Family Resource Center, an intergovernmental maintenance agreement for a portion of County Highway 19 (Green Street) with the Village at Toplis, a bridge aid petition for West Township, and authorization to proceed with emergency roof repairs on the historic courthouse using contingency funds.

The board also approved a stipend structure for employees: a monthly stipend up to $1,000 to cover premiums for county group health coverage enrollees and a one-time $1,700 deposit to enrolled employees' health savings accounts. The board approved a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for layover (public review) and a 12-month extension of the county's ambulance provider contract. A transportation item restricting access for a Shelby County PCOM dataset to Shelby County–related data was approved as presented.

The board separately considered the holiday luncheon and gift certificates after member Sandy Rich asked that the motion be clarified to make the benefit available to all full-time and part-time county employees while excluding board members. Rich moved the clarified motion to approve the Christmas luncheon and $25 gift certificates for all full-time and part-time county employees, excluding the Effingham County Board, with department and elected-official lists of eligible employees due to the clerk by Dec. 1. Jeremy Daters seconded. The motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Other smaller actions approved within the consent bundle include a proclamation supporting the local Chamber of Commerce, a resolution to place an advisory referendum on federal scholarship tax credits on a future ballot pending legal review, and approval of a resolution related to an appellate prosecutor requested by the state attorney.

Board members voted on each item by roll call; recorded votes for the separate Christmas-luncheon motion included "yes" votes from Chris Keller, Mike Buzzard, Doug McCain, Sandy Rich, Jeremy Daters, Robert Saltweagle (as recorded on the roll call), Tim Ellis and Dave Campbell. The original consent-agenda motion also passed by roll call after the Christmas-luncheon item was pulled for separate action.

The meeting included routine elected-official reports: Treasurer Debra Hall reported distribution of more than $48 million in tax receipts to local taxing districts following the Oct. 1 distribution; Supervisor of Assessments Pam Brown said appeals and year-end work continue; County Engineer Greg Custer noted final spending from an ARPA allocation for township drainage projects. No closed session was requested and the board adjourned following the regular agenda.

Votes at a glance (items discussed/approved during this meeting):
- Consent agenda (multiple items) — motion: Jeremy Daters; second: Tim Ellis; outcome: approved (roll-call). Items in the package included: minutes and departmental reports, approval of bills, $18,000 opioid funding to the health department/Family Resource Center, proclamation supporting Chamber of Commerce, a resolution to seek an advisory referendum on federal scholarship tax credits (pending legal review), bridge aid petition for West Township, intergovernmental agreement with Village at Toplis for maintenance of Green Street (portion of County Hwy. 19), use of the historic courthouse courtyard for a city holiday event, $13,100 disbursement and contingency funds for emergency roof repairs on the historic courthouse, transportation access restriction for Shelby County PCOM, monthly stipend up to $1,000 for county health-premium support, one-time $1,700 HSA stipend for enrolled employees, proposed FY26 budget for layover, and a 12-month ambulance-provider contract extension.
- Christmas luncheon and $25 gift certificates (excludes board members) — motion: Sandy Rich; second: Jeremy Daters; outcome: approved (roll-call). Departments to submit eligible-employee lists by Dec. 1.
- Elevator/other building repairs and small capital payments are listed elsewhere on the agenda; see separate article on elevator repair.

The board chair announced the next public filing window for candidates: Oct. 27–Nov. 3 for several county offices and precinct committee persons. The meeting adjourned with unanimous voice vote on the motion to adjourn.