VALDOSTA — The chairman of Lowndes County’s board of commissioners has been appointed to a statewide board on disabilities and behavioral health.
Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Bill Slaughter to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities board, a statement from the board said this week.
The appointment came after the death of board member Ellice Martin. She was a former Hahira resident who later lived in Homerville and spent 10 years on the board, Slaughter said.
Slaughter, the retired owner of Waller Heating and Air Conditioning in Valdosta, has been the chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners since 2013.
He is also a member of the Legacy Behavioral Health Community Service board, which facilitates the state-level department’s services for the Valdosta area.
Slaughter will serve a three-year term on the DBHDD board.
“I am truly honored to be appointed to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Board,” Slaughter said. “I am eager to contribute to our board’s efforts in improving mental health and developmental disability services across the state.”
“Bill Slaughter’s deep commitment to his community and his extensive experience in leadership roles make him an exceptional addition to the Board,” said DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner. “While we are still mourning the loss of Ellice Martin, we are certainly going to benefit from Mr. Slaughter’s insight on how to better serve rural communities across Georgia. I look forward to working with Mr. Slaughter in this new capacity.”
Slaughter said he has a passion for work in this field.
“I think there are not many families in the nation that have not been touched by behavioral issues,” he said. “These people need representation.”