While continuing to search for staff for the animal shelter, Effingham County commissioners have approved new job descriptions for two of the positions there.

Commissioners approved new descriptions for animal control director and the kennel supervisor. The animal control director also will be the facilities maintenance director, with the salary to be shared between the animal control and building maintenance departments.

The position’s duties now will include daily supervision of the animal shelter and building maintenance departments, along with maintaining and monitoring the Senior Citizens Center’s services and activities.

The kennel supervisor position is being re-titled kennel coordinator. The job will entail supervising the kennel operations at the animal shelter. The kennel coordinator will process incoming animals and assess them for adoption or euthanasia. Duties include assisting citizens with their complaints, providing education on the shelter and animal adoption and planning events for animal adoption and community education.

The kennel coordinator also will speak with local veterinarians and rescue groups about the availability of adoptable animals.

Effingham County has been without a shelter manager and a kennel supervisor since the beginning of the year.

Commissioners also approved changes to the makeup of the recreation board, reducing the number of positions to five to correspond with the number of commission districts. In a 3-2 vote, with commissioners Reggie Loper and Jamie Deloach opposing, commissioners approved the changes to the rec board and its membership. Among the changes are eliminating the provision to have at least one member from the school board’s athletic department.

“I and other commissioners have received some other input from citizens that needed to be passed along,” said Chairman Wendall Kessler.

The outgoing members are at-large member Mike Wilson, Craig Johnson from Springfield, Guyton board member Doug Kirkland and Rincon member Joel Moore. Johnson is the current chairman of the rec board.

The new bylaws also state that three members will compose a quorum and three affirming votes can approve any business. Previously, two-thirds of the members were required for a quorum.

Commissioners also approved three members of the revamped planning board. Earlier this year, commissioners opted to reduce the size of the planning board, eliminating the seats held by representatives from each of the cities.

Terms for the members from the 3rd and 5th districts had expired, county clerk Stephanie Johnson explained. Tim Uzupan had held the 4th District seat, but he vacated his spot last September. That seat’s term runs through December 2017.

Peter Higgins, the 5th District member, was reappointed to the board, as was Dave Burns, who has been the planning board’s chairman. Burns will be the 3rd District member, a spot that had been held by Jasper Lee. Burns had been Springfield’s representative on the planning board.

Springfield businessman Jamey Stancell will be the 4th District representative on the planning board.

Bill Sillers represented Guyton and Alphonso Giles represented Rincon but commissioners voted March 3 to alter the planning board composition.