This is the first in a series of stories profiling the members of Dalton’s Public Safety Commission, the five member panel appointed by the City Council to oversee the function of the Dalton Police Department and Dalton Fire Department. The Dalton Public Safety Commission is comprised of Chairman Bill Weaver, Terry Mathis, Keith Whitworth, Kenneth Willis, and Carlos Calderin.
Bill Weaver was born in Middleton, Ohio, but has lived in the south since 1957 when his career in education brought him to The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. He moved to Dalton in 1963 to take a teaching and counseling position at Dalton High School, and he’s been here ever since.
Weaver currently serves as the chairman of the Dalton Public Safety Commission, a position he has held since January 2009. He has been a part of the commission since his appointment in 2007. But his influence over the community spans a much longer period of time as both an educator and as a leader in the Dalton Public Schools.
After serving as an English teacher and counselor at Dalton High School from 1963 until 1978, Weaver became the Director of Human Resources and Student Services for the school system until 1990 when he became an administrative assistant to the superintendent. From there, he was promoted several times in the central office, eventually wrapping up his career with the system as Deputy Superintendent until his retirement in 2001.
Over the years, Weaver has served on a number of Civic and Community Boards. Currently, he is involved with The Dalton Regional Youth Detention Center Citizens Advisory Committee, the Rotary Club of Dalton, the Highland-Rivers Community Services Board, Dalton-Whitfield Retired Educators Association, and the O. N. Jonas Arts Foundation Board of Directors.
Bill is actively involved at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, where he has served on the Vestry and currently serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.
His interest in the public safety community dates back to his participation in the Dalton Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy.
“I attended the first Citizens Police Academy,” said Weaver, “and it whet my appetite and I have been interested since then and thought ever since that I would like to be part of this commission and thankfully it worked out.”
Weaver, who also had a nephew who worked in the law enforcement field, considers his work with the Public Safety Commission to be as important as the work he did in his professional career.
“Public safety is one of the most critical services provided by a community,” Weaver said. “Our Community has always supported our Police and Fire Departments and this support has enabled them to be among the very best .”
Weaver’s tireless work with the Public Safety Commission is appreciated by the leaders of both the police and fire departments.
"The public safety business can be very complex, and almost every function we handle has a great deal of risk involved,” said Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker. “ Mr. Weaver's expertise and counsel provides a great compliment for leading the fire and police departments.”
“The Fire Department is extremely fortunate to have a Public Safety Chairman who takes the amount of time that Bill does to learn about the department and its personnel,” said Dalton Fire Chief Bruce Satterfield. “ Bill digs deep into the agency to realize the many different hats that our personnel wear and the wide array of training and capabilities within the agency that extends far beyond just fire responses.”
"When it comes to looking out for Dalton's citizens and its police and fire officers,” Chief Parker said, “Mr. Weaver's heart is in the right place."
Bill Weaver and his wife Virginia have been married since 1966. Their family consists of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Below: (left) PSC Chairman Bill Weaver speaks to the 2011 Citizens Police Academy class; (right) Chairman Bill Weaver presents a plaque honoring the retirement of Code Enforcement Officer Eddie Hughes from the Dalton Fire Department at Tuesday's meeting of the Public Safety Commission (click images to see a larger version)
Comments