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EEMA director urges residents to prepare for hurricanes
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Effingham County has been impacted by tropical storms, directly or indirectly, for three straight years. - photo by File photo
Mark Lastinger
Effingham Herald
Updated: May 12, 2019, 1:53 PM
Published: May 12, 2019, 1:43 PM

SPRINGFIELD — After dodging a serious weather bullet late last year, the Effingham County Emergency Management Agency rushed to the aid of a counterpart that was not as fortunate.

Hurricane Michael swept through southwest Georgia on Oct. 9, leaving a massive trail of devastation. The storm — the first Category 5 one to hit the contiguous United States since 1992 — packed 115 mph winds when it reached Georgia from the Florida Panhandle, wrecking crops and leaving 300,000 people without electricity.

“My EEMA coordinator and I went down to Blakely, which is in Early County (north of Seminole County),” EEMA Director Clint Hodges said. “We spent a considerable amount of time there assisting them because they took a pretty substantial impact. They requested help so we went down there.

“They wound up getting through their (recovery) process sooner than a lot of other areas.” 

Michael was the first Category 5 storm on record to hit the Florida Panhandle. At least 74 deaths were attributed to it. Fifty-nine were in the United States, including one in Seminole County, which borders Early County to the south.

Effingham County has been impacted, directly or indirectly, by tropical weather for three straight years.

“We’re coming up hurricane season again,” Hodges warned. “It starts June 1.”

Hodges remarked that a couple systems have already percolated in the Atlantic Ocean only to fade before fully developing. 

He said, “Everybody looks at the (NOAA hurricane forecasting) model and thinks, ‘Oh, this hurricane season is not supposed to be so bad.’ People need to keep in mind that it only takes one. It could really be a slow year but all it takes is one storm.

“We try to focus on preparedness because it is a lot easier to prepare than it is to react.”

The EEMA strives to keep Effingham County residents informed about hurricanes and other dangers through its growing social media presence.

“We put a heavy focus on all types of media but social media is the one that you can get your information out immediately,” Hodges said. “The one thing we do encourage is that people make sure that they are using a reliable source (for information), especially during hurricane season because you start to see a lot of, ‘Oh, I heard so and so.’

“We put out information as fast as we know it and we try to keep it as reliable as possible, so we encourage people to ‘like’ our pages and interact with us directly if they can.”

Follow the EEMA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Effingham-County-Emergency-Management-Agency-225265194247574/.
Effingham Schools Approve Property Tax Rate Increase
School Property Tax Rate Increase
Comparison of the property tax impact for Effingham County homeowners under the approved millage rate increase, showing the difference from fiscal year 2025 to 2026.
Updated: Sep 19, 2025, 12:52 AM
Published: Sep 19, 2025, 12:53 AM

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — The Effingham County Board of Education unanimously approved raising the property tax rate from 16.5 to 18.45 mills. For a homeowner with a $350,000 property, that’s about $22 more per month. The vote was 5-0.

Why the Increase is Needed
District officials said the adjustment is necessary to cover rising costs and remain competitive in attracting and retaining teachers and staff. More than 87% of the district’s budget goes to salaries and benefits for employees ranging from classroom teachers to bus drivers, nurses, counselors, paraprofessionals, and administrators.

Most of the increase is tied to an $8 million spike in required contributions to state benefit plans.

The state’s health and retirement benefits for certified employees — teachers — are going up 7% in 2026, finance director Lauren Cain, said. Benefits for non-certified employees — staff — are rising 36%. That’s a total of $8 million more in health and retirement benefits the district will have to cover.

Although the state is increasing funding to Effingham schools by $4 million, it will cover only about half the benefits hike, she said.

As of July 1, premiums for the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) have nearly doubled since FY2023, jumping from $945 to $1,885 per month per employee. In addition, the district’s contribution rate to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) has increased from 20.78% to 21.91%.  

To help offset those rising costs, the district voted to raise the millage rate.

Millage Rate

Balancing Costs & Education
Superintendent Yancy Ford previously called the increase “an investment in every child’s future.” He said, “Smaller class sizes, highly qualified teachers, and strong support staff are all proven to raise student achievement. This millage rate increase allows us to continue building on our successes and to make sure every child in Effingham County has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.”

Ford also acknowledged the strain on taxpayers. “We don’t want to put the taxpayers in this position next year,” he said. He promised to “dissect the budget” and search for ways to “lower costs” while still doing what’s best for students. “We know people are feeling it,” he added.

Fiscal Accountability & Academic Record
While the millage rate itself rises about 11.5%, higher property values mean overall revenue collections will increase nearly 26%. School leaders say the additional funds will help preserve Effingham’s strong academic record, which includes a 90.7% graduation rate, above-average reading scores in elementary grades, and SAT results that top both state and national averages.

Ford  emphasized accountability in managing taxpayer funds. Every dollar from this millage rate increase is an investment directly tied to student learning, he said.

Effingham Schools recently earned a 4.5 Financial Efficiency Star Rating from the Georgia Department of Education, ranking fourth out of 180 school systems statewide.

Public Concerns
About 20 residents attended the final public hearing before the vote. Several property owners, retirees on fixed incomes, and business owners voiced frustration over rising appraisals, cost of living increases, and tax abatements for industry.

Historical Millage Rate Chart

Looking Ahead: ESPLOST Vote

Looking ahead, the district is preparing to ask voters in November to approve another ESPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax). If passed, funds would go toward capital projects such as facility upgrades and technology improvements.