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Effingham County board debates cutting standing committees to save per-diem and streamline meetings
Summary
Board member Josh proposed reducing standing committees from eight to six, merging transportation into a Transportation & Infrastructure committee and folding health and insurance under legislative/personnel. Supporters said it saves per-diem costs; some members warned it could reduce public transparency. Josh will bring a final proposal to the full board.
Josh, a county board member, proposed reducing the county’s standing committees from eight to six and reorganizing committee responsibilities to save per-diem costs and make meetings more efficient. He asked the committee for feedback and said he would present a final printed proposal to the full board on Monday.
The proposal would merge the transportation committee into Buildings & Grounds to create a Transportation and Infrastructure committee and move Health and Insurance under the Legislative/Personnel umbrella. Josh said the intent is to maintain oversight while cutting duplicate meeting days: “we would reduce our standing committees, from 8 to 6,” he told the committee and framed the change as a starting point for discussion.
Supporters cited efficiency and cost savings. Josh cited estimated savings in per-diem and related costs, giving figures in discussion — at one point noting “somewhere savings in the ballpark of $21,600” and elsewhere estimating about “somewhere around $7,600, in per diem, estimated savings.” Members also discussed scheduling benefits for outside stakeholders, saying that aligning meeting times could increase participation by agencies such as CEFS.
Opponents and cautious members urged preserving public deliberation and transparency. Sandy, another board member, said she was open to reducing committee counts but worried that combining tax and legislative work could eliminate the cross-membership and public back-and-forth those committees now provide: “I do think that those 2 issues are our core purpose,” she said, arguing those discussions are important during budget season and when statutes change.
Josh said he would compile the feedback and return a final proposal on the full board meeting agenda “without recommendation” so the larger board could decide. The committee did not take a final vote on the restructuring at this meeting; the item will return to the full board for consideration.
The proposal’s next step is a formal presentation and possible vote at the full board meeting on Monday.
