Dwight Gordon is the new chairman of the Long County Commission.
At a recent commission meeting, Gordon was elected to the position, 3-2, with Commissioners Clifton DeLoach and Gerald Blocker joining him in saying yes, while Long and Willie Thompson voted nay. On Jan. 6, commissioners decided to make the change after previous Chairman Robert Long said he would be stepping down.
After assuming control of the meeting, Gordon thanked Long for his service and said that a new vice chairman needed to be chosen. DeLoach was approved to take this position, also by a 3-2 vote with commissioners voting the same way as they did in the previous decision.
Darien attorney James Smith was re-elected by the board as the county attorney.
Also at the meeting, the commission recognized Safe Hollow Animal Sanctuary founder Debbie Callicutt and volunteers from her center for their service to the community. Safe Hollow, established in 2005, collects stray animals with the primary goal of adopting out the animals, although it does euthanize when necessary.
Prior to Long County establishing an animal-control office, Safe Hollow was the only establishment to provide this service for a long-term period.
Commissioners unanimously decided to sell a Dodge ambulance that was bought to be a backup vehicle had the county decided to provide its own EMS service. Last year, the county decided to contract with Excelsior Ambulance Service, meaning the ambulance was no longer needed, according to DeLoach.
The manner in which the vehicle will be sold was not decided at the meeting.
The commission also reappointed Florence Baggs to the county’s board of health by a vote of 4-0. Thompson abstained, saying that he is related to her by marriage. Commissioners also approved placing Mellissa Green on the planning and zoning board, 4-1, with Thompson being the lone opposition to the appointment.