GREEN COVE SPRINGS – While tackling issues such as future priorities and economic branding for Clay County, county commissioners also welcomed back one of their own from nearly a year of military service overseas and saluted his interim replacement with a grateful good bye at their March 14 meeting.

Gavin Rollins, who represents Clay County District 4, which includes the Keystone Heights and Middleburg areas, returned to the commission after spending nearly a year in the Horn of Africa with his Florida Army National Guard unit. Rollins served with Task Force Hurricane, which was part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, in support of the Global war on Terror. Rollins’ unit provided security and supported operations to neutralize terrorist groups, such as Al Shabaab and Islamic State.

With Rollins safely back home, the commission said farewell to Buck Burney, who had served in Rollins’ place while he was deployed.

Rollins’ return was noted in Chairman Wayne Bolla’s regular attendance reading of those commissioners present at the meeting.

“Let the record show that all the commissioners are here, including our good friend Gavin Rollins, who is back from serving his country,” Bolla said. “We want to say ‘hooah,’ thank you for your service and thanks for getting back to us.”

Rollins, who serves as an Army intelligence officer, had last attended a commission meeting on March 22, 2016, before being deployed. He was elected as a county commissioner in 2014 for a four-year term.

Burney, who flew F-16s and retired from the Florida Air National Guard as a lieutenant colonel, was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to take Rollins’ place while he was deployed. Burney, who is also from the Keystone Heights area, also serves as the state of Florida coordinator for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

After welcoming Rollins home, Bolla and the other commissioners turned their attention to Burney, who was called up from his seat in the audience for a special recognition of his service on the board during the past year.

“When you came to us, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d heard some rumors about this guy from down there and I thought, ‘oh, I don’t know about this.’ But I honestly want to say you were a great, pleasant surprise to me and I want to thank you for all your support and for your real concern about people,” Bolla said. “That’s what you really brought to this board, in my opinion.”

Commissioner Gayward Hendry said it had been a “blessing” to have had Burney on the Board of County Commissioners, and called him “an impressive guy.”

“I thank you for your honesty, your sincerity, and as Wayne [Bolla] said, your dedication to the community,” Hendry said.

Hendry also mentioned Burney’s always present sense of humor and “levity,” saying that they often helped with the “trials and tribulations” that confronted the board.

“Humor will take you to a higher plane, and it really helps to have it,” he said.

Hendry, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, wished Burney “Semper Fidelis,” in the tradition of marines.

Vice Chairwoman Diane Hutchings thanked Burney for his time on the board.

“Thanks for standing in. I know you did it for Gavin and that you appreciated his service and you do that because of the many years of service you’ve given,” she said.

Commissioner Mike Cella said Burney would be missed.

“It’s really bittersweet. We’re saying goodbye to somebody that’s done a great job and that’s always had a kind word or fun word for us,” he said. “It’s tough to be parachuted in by the governor and try to get up to speed and do all the things that you did, but you did them well and we will miss you greatly.”

Rollins commended Burney for taking such an active role as a commissioner, and noted the stories he had heard about Burney dealing with some issues.

“Those types of things just really take the role to the next level in terms of serving and not just serving from the dais but from getting out there and getting his hands dirty and helping people,” he said.

For his part, Burney said the year had been “an incredible journey.” Infusing some of his well-known, colorful language into his parting speech, Burney described his feelings about having served on the board.

“Most people didn’t know who I was and that was great. That was not my role in life to be someone that was known so I really am being humble when I say this – I felt like a hot dog at a steak dinner,” he said.

Burney had high praise for all of the county’s staff members and especially noted Stephanie Kopelousos, county manager, calling her “the best of the best.” He also said his fellow commissioners were “awesome people.”

“I think when I look back I will say I really got to work with a lot of top guns,” he said, adding that he had tried to make his votes “accountable” and for the good of the people he served.

“So thank all of you and thank you Clay County for the opportunity to serve,” he said.

Wednesday morning, after Tuesday’s meeting, Rollins said he greatly appreciated Burney’s service, and was glad to be back in Clay County.

Rollins served for nearly a year as the senior intelligence officer for Task Force Hurricane and was deployed with his Florida Army National Guard unit to a combat zone in the Horn of Africa. Rollins, who turned 30 during his deployment, is a first lieutenant, but is expected to soon be promoted to captain.

While he’s catching up with family and friends after his March 1 return, he said he’s continuing to work on his master’s degree in education leadership and hopes to teach social studies at a Clay County high school.

Rollins had previously worked for the Clay County School District as coordinator of communications.

As for being home, Rollins said “It feels good.”

“It’s great to be back home. I can’t tell you how wonderful it felt to land on U.S. soil and then just to come back to Clay County,” he said.

Rollins is planning to host three town hall meetings in the coming weeks, probably in early April. The meetings will be in Middleburg, Keystone Heights and Clay Hill, and will be announced officially as soon as the details can be confirmed.

“The idea is to reconnect with my constituents and have them share with me what’s important to them,” he said.

In other action, the county commission chose the firm of Burdette Ketchum to create a distinct, county-wide brand that could be used to promote the county for economic development. The company was chosen from a field of 11. The vote was 4-1 among the commissioners, with Hendry voting for the second highest scorer, Station Four Inc.

Commissioners also got a preview of the results of community workshops staff has held in the past months as part of the state-required 7-year update on the county’s Comprehensive Plan. Edward Lehman, director of Planning and Zoning for the county, said the biggest concern residents voiced was jobs and the need to expand the employment base in the county.

Several more workshops will be held before a final report is prepared, he said.