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Permar Publications
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December 23, 2024
Established in 1972
Vol 52 Issue 51
Blue Angels headline May Air Show
Blue Angels 7 and 8, LCDR Lilly Montana (Blue Angel 8) (left) and U.S.M.C. Maj. Scott Laux (Blue
Angel 7) landed at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport last week for a press conference announcing
the U.S. Navy Blue Angels participation in the May 2025 Golden Isles Air Show. The air show
is scheduled May 17 and 18, 2025 at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport. Tickets are on sale at
GoldenlslesAirShow.com. Islander Staff Photo - Permar
BOE selects sole finalist for superintendent position
Feds file
lawsuit
against City
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
Last week the U.S. Depart
ment of Justice (DOJ) filed
a lawsuit against the City of
Brunswick alleging that the
City violated the Religious
Land Use and Institutionalized
Persons Act (RLUIPA) through
its efforts to interfere with and
permanently close The Well.
RLUIPA is a federal law
that protects religious institu
tions from unduly burdensome
or discriminatory land use
regulations.
The Well, located at 1101
Gloucester St., is a shelter
offering day services to the
homeless. It is one of several
ministries run by Southeast
ern Educational Services, Inc.
d.b.a. FaithWorks. Southeast
ern Educational Services, Inc.
is affiliated with the United
Methodist Church according to
their web site.
In April 2023 the city com
mission voted to order The
Well to close. Mayor Cosby
Johnson sent a letter to Wright
Culpepper who oversees Faith-
Works and The Well to close
the facility and to remove the
trash cans and portable toilets
located next to The Well on J.F.
Mann Way.
The homeless were gather
ing and sleeping on the side
walk on J.F. Mann Way.
According to the lawsuit, the
city’s order to close The Well
did not cite what ordinance,
regulation or legal authority
was the basis for the closing.
Early in April 2023, prior to
closing The Well, the city com
mission met with members of
the public including residents
and business owners who dis
cussed their experiences with
homeless persons near their
businesses and homes. The
city also passed an ordinance
in April regulating services to
Turn to Page 8
Federal lawsuit
With a unanimous vote dur
ing their regular meeting, the
Glynn County Board of Edu
cation members named Mike
Blackerby the sole finalist for
the superintendent position
effective July 1, 2025. Glynn’s
current superintendent Dr.
Scott Spence will formally re
tire June 30, 2025.
During the same meeting
last week, Dec. 17, the board
said goodbye to two members:
Jerry Mancil and Marcus
Edgy. Mancil served for 16
years and Edgy has served for
By Pamela Permar-Shierling
eight years.
Blackerby graduated from
Brunswick High School and
earned a B.S. degree in Edu
cation from the University
of Georgia; a Master of Edu
cation degree from Georgia
Southern University; an Edu
cation Specialist Degree from
Valdosta State University.
He taught physical educa
tion in Camden County and
coached football, golf and
track. In 2002 he was named
assistant principal at Wood
bine Elementary School and
became principal in 2009.
In 2015 he became Director
of Operations / Transportation
for Camden County Schools
and in 2021 came to Glynn
County as Executive Direc
tor of Operations for Glynn
County Schools. He became
Assistant Superintendent of
Operations in 2023.
Blackerby, born and raised
in Glynn County, is the son of
Linda and Johnny Blackerby.
Turn to Page 2
Blackerby
County-Wide News - Read County-Wide
Page 4- 2280 Demere rezone deferred
~ Ord. change allows service on more than one
county board
Page 6 - Bwk. Police Chief addresses complaint
Page 9 - Man of the Year, Man of the Ages
~ BOE continues school safety upgrade
Page 10 - Obit - Anne Lyerly
Page 12 - Back Talk
Fendig honored
on stepping
down from BOC
• K&P liquor license
sparks discussion
By Matthew J. Permar
Like President-elect Don
ald Trump, Glynn County
Commissioner Cap Fendig is
one of those rare elected offi
cials to serve non-consecutive
terms.
Fendig, Glynn County born
and raised, was first elected
to the Glynn County Board of
Commissioners (BOC) in 2000
and served two terms, eight
years, until 2008.
He ran again and was re
elected to a third term in 2020
and served his last meeting,
last week (Thursday, Dec. 19).
So, it was after 12 years of
public service to the citizens of
Glynn County that the com
mission honored him during
last week’s meeting.
Turn to Page 3
Fendig
City says no
to new alcohol
license
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
After 52 minutes of discus
sion and a public hearing, the
Brunswick City Commission
voted three to two to deny a
new alcohol beverage license
to Fountain Package owner
Sudhaben Patel.
The vote during the Dec.
18 commission meeting was
Mayor Cosby Johnson and
commissioners Kendra Rolle
and Gwen Atkinson-Williams
voting to deny; commissioners
Felicia Harris and Lance Sab-
be voting against denial.
Seven people spoke dur
ing the public hearing; six
spoke in favor of the license
including at least one nearby
resident.
Apparently the former
Turn to Page 10
City
0 94922 29970
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