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Tax & Finance Committee approves $9,000 each for Miller Road Threshermans and County Fair; declines $55,000 Fish request
Summary
The Effingham County Tax & Finance Committee voted to award $9,000 each to the Miller Road Threshermans antique tractor show and the Effingham County Fair. A separate request from an organization identified as “Fish” for $55,000 was declined.
The Effingham County Tax & Finance Committee voted to approve two event grants of $9,000 each on a voice vote during its meeting.
Taylor, a representative of the Miller Road Threshermans, told the committee the Miller Road show will run Aug. 7–10 and marked its 44th annual event this year. Taylor said last year’s county grant covered insurance and rental of the fairgrounds and helped support attractions including antique-farming demonstrations, tractor and horse pulls, bluegrass music, a farming simulator for children, and a tractor-driving school. The group had invited participants from about 18 states and asked the committee for $10,000 this year; the committee approved $9,000.
Committee discussion around the Effingham County Fair centered on a security shortfall. The county’s off‑duty security rate was cited at $40 per hour; using a recent multi‑year average of about 220 paid off‑duty hours, staff calculated a potential security cost near $8,800. The committee agreed to keep the same $5,000 sponsorship level as last year and add roughly $4,000 to help cover security costs, for a total $9,000 donation to the fair.
A separate funding request from an organization identified in committee materials as “Fish,” which sought $55,000, was discussed and declined on a motion from a committee member. Committee members said the request was not in the current budget and that approving one such request could prompt many similar appeals.
Votes at a glance - Miller Road Threshermans: motion to award $9,000 (moved by Sandy Rich; seconded by Josh). Voice vote in favor; motion carried. - Effingham County Fair: motion to award $9,000 (moved by Doug McCain; seconded by Josh). Voice vote in favor; motion carried. - Fish request: motion to decline $55,000 request (moved by Sandy Rich; seconded by Jeremy Daters). Voice vote in favor; motion carried.
The committee did not record a roll-call tally for these three motions in the meeting minutes; the actions were recorded as carried by voice vote.
