The City of Waycross has removed the “interim” tag from the titles of Fire Chief Jim Blackburn Jr. and Public Works Director Matthew Elwell.
The city announced on social media Friday evening, February 21 the promotions of both men to permanent posit ions leading the respective departments, effective February 19. Each was elevated to interim posts Dec ember 25 with the retirements of David Eddins and James Smart, res pectively, the previous day.
Blackburn and Elwell were named to their new posts February 19 followconsensus of the Waycross City Commission, City Manager Ulysses “Duke” Rayford said Monday.
Blackburn, Jr.
Elwell
Commissioners approved a resolution at Tuesday’s bi-monthly commission meeting for the promotions. Blackburn formerly was a Battalion Chief while Newell was Public Works Superintendent.
The new chief has more than 33 years of service with the WFD joining the force as a firefighter in 1991. He rose through the ranks first attaining a supervisory role in 2004 with his promotion to Lieutenant.
He became a Captain in 2009 and Battalion Chief in 2014. Blackburn’s late father, Jim Sr., was Chief of the Waycross Police Department from 2001 until his death in 2005.
The Waycross-Ware County training center for first responders is named the James E. Blackburn Sr. Public Safety Training Center. The new fire chief’s son, Hayden, is a WPD Patrol Officer.
Newell began his role as Superintendent in May, 2024. He previously was Public Works Director in Union, Maine, a town of about 2,500 located near the state’s coast about 30 miles east of the state capital of Augusta.
