Votes at a glance: Effingham County commissioners approve road change order, budget amendment, annex design contract and plats

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners voted on multiple items during its Sept. 16 regular meeting. Key outcomes and the basic record as stated in the meeting are listed below.

- Change order: Green Morgan School Road (TSPLOST 2025 resurfacing, District 3). Motion approved to add Green Morgan School Road to the District 3 resurfacing contract with Reeves Construction; staff reported the change order cost as $1,221,474.94 and said other resurfacing contracts came in under budget, allowing the addition. The board approved the change order by voice vote with no recorded opposition on the motion in the meeting record.

- Budget amendment: Resolution 025‑031 to amend fiscal year 2025‑2026 budget. The board approved the staff‑recommended amendment, which staff said primarily funds the Green Morgan School Road change order and adds funding for a Hunter’s Chase stormwater project, and carries forward some 2025 allocations into 2026. The motion passed with one board member recorded as opposed (meeting transcript recorded “1 opposed; motion carries”); the meeting record did not name the dissenting commissioner.

- Professional services agreement: Goodwin Mills Cawood (GMC) — annex renovation. The board approved a professional services contract with Goodwin Mills Cawood to provide architectural and engineering design, bidding and construction administration for renovation of a ~16,000 square‑foot county office annex on Highway 119 in Springfield. Staff said GMC had completed predesign and the contract covers remaining design phases through construction administration. The motion carried on voice vote with no recorded opposition.

- Final plat approval: Lonerdine Phase 3 (Coleman Company Inc.). The board approved a final plat for Lonerdine Phase 3, which creates 35 lots, dedicates roads and drainage infrastructure to the county, and includes a bond recommendation of $68,066.03 (10% of the construction cost for the phase). Water and sewer service was described as being provided by the City of Springfield. The motion passed on voice vote with no recorded opposition.

- Second readings and appointments. The board approved a second reading amendment to Appendix C (zoning ordinance article on residential subdivision open/green space) and a second reading variance request by Adrian Weber for an RV park (DRD Investments LLC / James Dewberry) on Highway 21 North (both items had passed on first reading previously). The board also approved the second reading motions without opposition recorded. The board appointed Veronica Edenfield to the library board (Fourth District) and reappointed Rebecca Boston as a non‑public representative to the Coastal Regional Commission council via the consent agenda; those personnel actions passed by voice vote.

Procedural notes: Most votes were taken by voice with the clerk recording “all in favor, none opposed; motion carries.” Where the transcript recorded dissent it noted one opposed vote (budget amendment). The meeting record contained an agenda item labeling error for one resurfacing item (an earlier agenda line referenced McClendon Enterprises when the change order under discussion and approval applied to Reeves Construction and Green Morgan School Road); staff and the board corrected that in the discussion before the vote.

Documents and next steps: Staff said a budget amendment ordinance and contract documents will be filed with the clerk and that the annex design contract will proceed through final execution. The Green Morgan School Road change order will be added to the contractor’s scope and financed through TSPLOST surface‑maintenance funds as described in the packet and the budget amendment.