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Gifts keep coming for Treutlen House
Boys home closing in on fundraising goal of $50,000
12.23 weco-treutlen
Wayne Whitley, with his wife Glenda Whitley, far left, presents Treutlen House Board of Directors Chairman Mose Mock with a check for $2,000 Monday morning. At right is Treutlen House Director Susan Gattman. - photo by Photo by Pat Donahue
Patrick Donahue
Editor
Updated: Dec 22, 2008, 10:30 PM
Published: Dec 22, 2008, 9:53 PM
To give to the Treutlen House: Call 754-9797

The Treutlen House is getting closer to its goal.

WECO Lighting donated a portion of its recent sales to the home, giving the fundraising another $2,000 as the boys home fights to stay open.

“We’re probably a little over three-fourths of the way there,” said Mose Mock, chairman of the board of directors for Treutlen House, of the $50,000 goal. “We’ve been real blessed, even in these times. It’s been a lesson to me to see how people give.”

Treutlen House directors first sounded the call for help after learning that Morningstar, the organization that was providing operational services, could no longer afford to do so. In addition, the state also cut the per diem rate it pays to group homes to care for children, Mock said. The state has pushed the emphasis toward foster care and away from group home settings, he added, and 166 group homes have closed in the last two years. Mock noted another child advocate told him that by slowly dying off, the closing of the group homes has not gained much attention.

The state also is looking at another 20 percent cut in per diem, according to Mock.

“The biggest thing people need to know is they need to contact their (state) representative or senator,” he said. “We’ve got to get the message out.”

Treutlen House directors are going through the process of getting a temporary license to run the home and have been in talks with two of the state’s leading children’s ministries about operating the home.

“Closing the home is not an option,” Mock said.

What Mock would like to see in the future is for an endowment to be established in the Treutlen House’s name. That way, in rough periods such as the current one, there is a resource to fall back on.

There are currently eight boys in the home. They attend school in Effingham County and the home tries to keep siblings together.

“We appreciate everything Treutlen House does for the community,” said Wayne Whitley of WECO Lighting, “taking the boys in and giving them a Christian environment and a normalcy in their lives. We consider it a blessing to be able to help Treutlen House.”

Whitley also wants to encourage other businesses to lend their support to Treutlen House.

“The Bible says that true religion before God is take care for the orphans and widows,” he said. “The Christmas season is the ideal time to help.”

Mock said groups interested in visiting the house or holding meetings out there can call Treutlen House director Susan Gattman at 754-9797.

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.