Having served at Douthat State Park for more than two years as an assistant park manager, Debbie Laudermilk moved to Clifton Forge after retiring from Virginia State Parks in 2017.
In 2022, she filed her application to fill a vacancy on the Clifton Forge Town Council, and she became the lone councilwoman by joining four councilmen.
Laudermilk recalled, “I was in North Carolina visiting a friend who had broken her leg when I got the telephone call that I had been selected.”
Mayor Jeff Irvine stated, “Debbie was a unanimous choice.”
Laudermilk moved to Clifton Forge after retiring from Twin Lakes State Park in Prince Edward County, and her interest in serving her community was rewarded by being selected by Mayor Irvine, Vice-Mayor Bob Umstead and Councilman Carl “Shorty” Wolfe, Jr. Dale Burdette was selected to fill the other vacancy at the same time Laudermilk was selected.
Laudermilk is from Vienna, Va., and she graduated from George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church in 1980.
She remembered, “I studied parks and recreation at Northern Virginia Community College after I graduated from high school, but I left college and joined the U.S. Navy.”
“After four years in the Navy, I enrolled in NOVA again before being hired by Maryland New Capitol Parks & Planning Commission,” she recalled.
She continued, “I was working there until the Gulf War shut down our positions.”
Her next employment was at Twin Lakes State Park where she served as an interpreter.
After being selected as a member of the Clifton Forge Town Council, she realizes that the Town faces some challenges.
Laudermilk observed, “The biggest challenges for Clifton Forge is our water lines and our sewer lines along with dealing with un-kept property.”
She concluded, “We have gotten funding from ARPA to address a lot of the problems.”
Laudermilk attended the farewell gathering at Douthat State Park at noon on June 15 to congratulate Douthat State Park Manager Charlie Conner who will be leaving his position as soon as a replacement is hired.
Conner has been promoted to deputy chief of public safety and law enforcement for the Virginia State Parks and Virginia Natural Heritage.
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