In an effort to reduce spending and cut costs wherever possible, the Decatur County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to consolidate their public works vehicle shop with the City of Bainbridge’s.

On Dec. 31, 2015, the county’s shop will close and all work to county vehicles, including Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and fire station units, will be repaired at the city’s public works department on Pierce Street. Vehicles from the county’s road department are not included in the agreement.

The city will charge the county $45 an hour for work on its vehicles.

“They have a shop up and running and have one up and running,” Decatur County Administrator Alan Thomas said. “It tells you something when you realize they don’t need extra staff to take our stuff in and do it as well.”

What that means to Thomas is that both staffs are not working at maximum capacity, and money will be save on both ends to just move the county’s work to the city’s department, he said.

The city evaluated its workload and determined having the county’s vehicle work done there would not be and overload, Thomas said, adding that Bainbridge knows what its workers are capable of and is happy the agreement is a success.

“Logically, it will safe both of us some money because it will use their personnel and not add any additional personnel, and we know what our cost is on shop work,” Thomas said.

Thomas said he would work on finding new positions for the two workers who are currently employed at Decatur County’s public works department.

“It’s about efficiency and saving money,” he said.