Chatham Area Transit funding dispute moves toward potential resolution

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Thursday, County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis and democratic State Sen. Derrick Mallow met to discuss potential changes to CAT’s governing board.

The meeting comes after Ellis threatened to pull county funding for CAT’s paratransit services over concerns about the transit authority’s restructured board.

The dispute centers on a state law enacted earlier this year that restructured CAT’s oversight board and reduced Chatham County’s representation. Ellis has called the law unconstitutional.

In a letter to Ellis on Thursday, Mallow outlined four areas he says would create “a path forward” for restructuring the CAT board.

The proposed changes include the following:

• increasing the county’s representation
• adding an additional seat for the city of Savannah
• establishing a deadline for completion of a CAT audit that Ellis says is overdue
• ensuring CAT millage rate hearings are presented earlier in the annual process

“I’m taking a lead to propose this to my colleagues to get support from the Chatham delegation to then move that back and say OK commissioner, mayor, Alderman, here’s the framework that we agreed upon for the cat board,” Mallow said. “Here’s the framework that we are all coming together for and by moving this thing forward, everything else in my opinion becomes a moot point because there will be a new governing law and we all agree that that is gonna be the best pathway forward.”

Ellis said if the proposed changes are made, he would not follow through on his threat to pull county funding for CAT’s paratransit services which would keep millions of dollars in CAT funding

The issue could come before the state legislature as early as January when the 2026 session begins. Mallow noted the four points he outlined are not final and could change during the legislative process.