Chatham County Commission votes to repeal "unconstitutional" state law, abolish new CAT board

Aug. 23, 2025 – Chatham County Commissioners are continuing to challenge a recently enacted state law that dissolved and reconfigured Chatham Area Transit’s governing board.

On Friday, Chatham County Commissioners approved a resolution claiming the county had the “home rule” authority to repeal local legislation and they were intending to exercise that authority by doing away with the newly configured CAT board and restoring the previous board.

The 6-3 vote came after Chairman Chester Ellis said the amendment would not affect CAT’s operations and Commissioner Aaron “Adot’ Whitely argued the resolution was a necessary step.

“I want this to just serve as a reminder that this commission is willing to do what we need to do to stand up for our constituents and our citizens in the name of accountability,” Whitely said.

Commissioners Patrick Farrell and Anthony “Wayne” Noha voted in opposition, along with Commissioner Malinda Scott Hodge, after making a failed request to table the resolution they said would add more confusion to the situation.

The resolution states that a special meeting will be held on Sept. 5 to amend the state law ” as it violates the uniformity requirement of the Georgia Constitution and is therefore unconstitutional as it violates the Transit Authority Act.”

Resolution to amend CAT board legislation>

The legislation (HB 756) increased the board from 9 members to 11 and reduced the number of appointments made by the county commission, stripping the commission of its majority.

The resolution is the commission’s latest rebuke to the legislation and comes after a Chatham County judge dismissed the county’s lawsuit challenging the legislation. The county is now appealing to the Supreme Court of Georgia to reverse the ruling.

The county has also excluded CAT from the list of SPLOST projects scheduled to be go before voters on Nov. 4. That is despite interim Executive Director Stephanie Cutter’s request for SPLOST 8 funding for CAT in a May 22 letter to County Manager Michael Kaigler, stating the funding is crucial for CAT to fund vehicle replacements and other capital needs. The commission also voted to reduce CAT’s millage rate to what amounted to an almost $2 million reduction in revenue.

Meanwhile, the newly configured CAT board voted during a special called meeting on Thursday to retain outside counsel due to “exigent circumstances” to contend and answer any potential actions by the Chatham County Commission.

If you find value in this website, please consider contributing above or via Paypal to help cover the costs. You can also send contributions via Venmo @Savannah_Agenda. Your support, no matter how much you give, is appreciated and will help ensure the future viability of this community resource. You can also show your support by subscribing below and sharing Savannah Agenda with others via email or social media. Increasing readership is critical to the long-term success of this site.