Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Lowndes County Commission has appointed Collirene native Charles Sigler as the county’s Emergency Management (EMA) Director. The life-long Lowndes County resident is currently transitioning from his role in the local revenue office to take on the task of responding to and planning for area emergencies.

“I wanted to do something different and to help the community,” Sigler said. “I see that we are in need of storm shelters and other things. I want to be of help to the community.” 

Sigler is a 1992 graduate of Central High School in Hayneville and earned degrees in accounting and computer information systems from Alabama State University. He worked in Lowndes County’s tax assessor’s office as the motor vehicle chief clerk before applying for the position.

Lowndes County Commissioner Fletcher Hayes was among those who considered the three candidates applying for the position.

“He has hands-on experience with computers,” Hayes said. “When we asked, ‘Are you willing to get up anytime of the day or night, to leave church to go out and do this job, he said he was.”

He is currently serving as minister of music at several churches, including Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in Gordonville and Mount Gillard near White Hall. And, while he has no biological children, Siglar said he enjoys being a father-figure to local youths and is working on raising his fourth “surrogate” child.

While training his replacement in the tax office, Sigler said he is preparing to take on his new role.

“I’m new to it,” he said. “I’ve got to get my feet on the ground. I’m running and I’m going to make the best of it. I will work for quicker ambulance response times and I want to create a safe place in every community in case of storms.”

Sigler assumes the duties of EMA Director from acting Director, Lowndes County Engineer David Butts. Butts took over the position after the death of former EMA Director Rodney Rudolph.

The new director said he also plans to work towards grants for homeowners that would enable citizens to install at-home shelters.