Effingham County commissioners approve agenda, multiple contracts and budget amendment; planning items moved or approved

Effingham County commissioners on April 1 approved their meeting agenda and a string of contracts, budget adjustments and policy amendments that the county said support infrastructure, public safety, communications and county operations.

The board approved a consent agenda that included authorization to pursue private corporate grant-writing services (Cyclone Port), a three‑year maintenance agreement with Georgia Mass Appraisal Solutions for rural land schedules, a renewal memorandum of understanding with the Board of Education for ambulance services, and ratification of progress reports for the former Atlas Sand facility project with Tramco Environmental Solutions LLC.

Major contract awards and professional services approvals recorded at the meeting included a recommendation to award the Central High School renovation to Paul S. Akins Co. under bid number 25-ITB-072 (the low bidder had been disqualified and the county negotiated approximately $150,000 in cost savings with the next bidder), a professional services agreement with Goodwin Mills/Caywood to master‑plan the Effingham County Recreation Complex phases 1–2 and pre‑design services for renovation of the county office building off Highway 119, a Kimley‑Horn agreement for final design of Old Augusta Road corridor improvements and a contract with EMC Engineering to prepare a US‑80 sewer master plan. The board also approved resurfacing work for McCall Road and a three‑year renewal of the OpenGov permitting and licensing system under the NASPO contract.

Policy and personnel items approved included an amendment to the county’s travel and expense standards to clarify per‑diem rules, an amendment to the administrative services agreement with Maritone Health, publication of two jail job descriptions for recruitment, and a memorandum of understanding with the YMCA that allows employees a payroll‑deduction membership discount. The county adopted a communications plan and created a Public Engagement Services department led by Jake Zigler.

The board approved several construction‑related change orders, including a grinder pump station addition for the Ebenezer Fire Station and utility‑relocation work for a Bluejay/Hodville roundabout. The board also approved a security camera server installation as the first phase of a three‑phase security upgrade at the Judicial Complex and approved office furniture purchases for the IT department.

On budget matters, the board approved Resolution 025-013, an amendment to the FY2025 budget to account for FEMA reimbursable debris removal and a renovation contract for the Ebenezer fire station among other small grant and donation allocations.

Planning matters: the board moved a contested application to rezone roughly 425 acres on Ron Station Road (agent for Kimberly and Rebecca Ron) to Aug. 5 to allow time for wetlands work and to account for a recent change in Ron Station Road’s classification; the planning staff and applicant requested the delay. The board approved two other zoning items: a rezoning requested by Keith Lancaster to change 1.8 acres at 368 Bowen Road from AR‑1 to AR‑2 to enable subdivision, and a rezoning for 10 acres at 174 Holly Drive for Laverne Moore that the board approved with an added stipulation the applicant accepted limiting further subdivision of the newly created lots.

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda with noted changes — approved (unanimous) - Approve minutes (03/18/2025 work session and regular meeting) — approved (unanimous) - Consent agenda (Cyclone Port, Georgia Mass Appraisal Solutions three‑year agreement, BOE ambulance MOU, Tramco progress reports) — approved (unanimous) - Second reading: amend truck routes (Part 2, Ch. 74, §74-8) — approved (unanimous); Ron Station Road removal noted from list - Award contract Paul S. Akins Co., Central High School renovation (Bid 25-ITB-072) — approved (unanimous) - Resolution 025-013 (FY2025 budget amendment) — approved (unanimous) - Amend HR travel and expense policy (Section 2.15) — approved (majority; 1 opposed recorded in meeting) - Amend Administrative Services Agreement with Maritone Health — approved (unanimous) - YMCA memorandum of understanding for employee membership discounts — approved (unanimous) - Publish two job descriptions for Effingham County Prison (assistant corrections counselor; corrections office corporal) — approved (unanimous) - Approve communications plan and create Public Engagement Services department — approved (unanimous) - Ebenezer Fire Station change order (grinder pump station) — approved (unanimous) - Goodwin Mills/Caywood agreements (Recreation Complex master plan; county office building pre-design) — approved (unanimous) - Security camera server installation (Judicial Complex, Phase 1) — approved (unanimous) - Kimley‑Horn agreement (Old Augusta Road corridor final design) — approved (unanimous) - OpenGov permitting/licensing renewal (3 years, NASPO contract) — approved (unanimous) - EMC Engineering US‑80 sewer master plan — approved (recusal noted for Commissioner Helmley) - Utility‑relocation change order for Bluejay/Hodville roundabout — approved (unanimous) - McCall Road maintenance/resurfacing contract award (Bid 25-ITB-083 to McClendon Enterprises) — approved (unanimous) - IT office furniture procurement — approved (unanimous) - Hospital authority Fourth District candidate transmittal (three names submitted) — approved (unanimous) - Recreation board appointments and reappointments — approved (unanimous) - Move contested Ron Station rezoning hearing (Kevin Boards agent) to Aug. 5 — approved (unanimous)

Why this matters: the approvals move multiple capital projects, facility renovations and service contracts forward, while the delay on the Ron Station rezoning preserves time for wetland analysis and coordination with road‑classification work before the board considers a large industrial rezoning. Several items reflect multi‑year procurements and SPLOST or NASPO funding vehicles.

What the board directed next: staff were asked to publish design renderings for the Central High School renovation, post communications plan materials online, refresh odor‑reporting tools on the county homepage and proceed with contract finalizations and scheduling for the approved design and resurfacing projects.