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EPD to take water council nominees
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Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division recently announced its official call for nominations to the state regional water planning councils, outlining the minimum and preferred qualifications.

The local ad-hoc water and sewer committee says it’s ready to work together in suggesting the most qualified individuals to represent Effingham County. They plan to meet at 2 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss potential nominees.

Normally the group meets every third Wednesday of the month, but the group believed it was imperative to get working on soliciting support from the three municipalities, the county, the school board and area businesses, said Springfield Mayor Barton Alderman.

“We’ve got to start identifying people,” said committee member Dennis Webb who serves on the Effingham Industrial Development Authority. The deadline for submitting nominations to EPD is Aug. 29.

While time is of the essence, there is some good news, according to a few committee members.

“The guidelines are not quite as stringent as was anticipated,” said Effingham County engineer Steve Liotta. “(The qualifications) open up opportunities for more people in Effingham County to qualify.”

Committee members believed initially the qualifications would be pretty technical, requiring college degrees in specific fields. Instead, qualifications are more broad and general.

Already EPD has received 40 to 60 nominations throughout the state.

“For those who have been previously nominated, we now have an official nomination form online,” said EPD planning and policy advisor Nap Caldwell.  

All nominees must meet the required qualifications and must submit the application by the deadline. There are 28 seats available (25 members and three alternates) for each of the 10 regions. Effingham County falls within the Coastal Georgia region along with Bulloch, Long, Glynn, Camden, McIntosh, Bryan, Chatham and Liberty counties.

The qualification guidelines and a nomination form are available at www.gawaterplanning.org.

The governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House of Representatives make the ultimate decision on who gets appointed.