GUYTON — Keeping communication channels open is the key to keeping a firm handle on growth and development in Effingham County. 

That is the consensus of seven panelists at the “State of the County” Breakfast at the Guyton Community Center on April 26. The panel at the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event included Effingham County School District Superintendent Dr. Yancy Ford, Effingham County Industrial Development Authority CEO Brandt Herndon, Effingham Hospital Executive Director for Decision Support Matt Moore, Guyton Mayor Russ Deen, Springfield City Manager Matt Morris, Rincon Mayor Ken Lee and Effingham County Board of Commissioners Chairman Wesley Corbitt.

“I think transparency from the school district’s perspective is so important,” Ford said. “We can’t act as a silo. Everybody else here and every organization represented today is an integral part of educating our students to having things like (the breakfast) and countywide chamber fall leadership conferences, and meetings for us to collaborate and make sure that we bring issues to the table, and gain solutions for the issues that are going on in Effingham County is a must. 

“There is no way that each one of us can be successful if we operate in silo.”

Herndon, closing in on four years as IDA CEO said, those at the table have “made my job easier.”

“I have been nothing but very impressed that everyone will take my call and listen to what I have to say,” Herndon said.

Deen voiced support for cohesive zoning ordinances in the county and its municipalities. County government is currently working on a master plan in that area.

“I am very excited to be a part of that process,” Deen said.

Morris said Springfield officials recently starting trying to resolve potential issues before developers bring plans to the city’s Planning Board or council for consideration. This tactic can save developers unnecessary engineering expenses, he said.

“It’s been a great method for us to get ahead of zoning and get ahead of what the city is going to ask for in development, and I think that’s a good path to go down,” Morris said.

Lee stressed “collaboration” as a key to successful development.

“Twenty years ago, our municipalities were all kind of isolated from each other,” he said, “but with the growth that we’ve had, we’ve all come together. We are one now in a lot of ways and so the things that are impacting us as far as the transportation issues and the infrastructure issues throughout the county — we’ve got to work more than ever together to come to reasonable conclusions about how to address those things because we are all impacted now.

“It’s not just a certain area. We are growing, but we need to grow in a good way.”

Corbitt echoed Lee’s sentiment.

“It’s always been my position that you do better business with friends,” Corbitt said, “and I think one thing we can say is that the city and county elected officials are friends.” 

Corbitt recounted how county commissioners worked with the Rincon, Guyton and Springfield city councils to devise service delivery strategies.

“With cooperation, without competition,” he said while describing the deliberations.

The commission chairman said a sense unity was crucial to the passage of a county sales tax that is used for transportation purposes (TSPLOST).

“I think the biggest thing is we are trying to be friends,” he said. “You remember the days when we’d be on the news  — the county or a city — and there’d be conflict. When is the last time you’ve seen a conflict in the news?

“There is a lot of cooperation and collaboration. I think that is the key.”