Following a four-month search, the Sneads Town Council hired a new town attorney this past Tuesday night at the council’s regular monthly meeting.
The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to hire Tallahassee lawyer John Reid to fill the vacant town attorney position. Reid replaces former Sneads town attorney Guy Green, who was fired abruptly in October 2018 after decades on the job.
The council had previously indicated it preferred to hire a local attorney, but the search for a Jackson County-based lawyer to fill the job proved fruitless.
“I am disappointed that no local attorney was found,” council member Tim Arnold said after Tuesday night’s meeting. “But the price was good and the experience is adequate.” Of several bids that were solicited and advertised by the council and submitted to the committee, Reid’s had the lowest retainer fee ($1,250) and hourly rate ($125). The other applicants and rates were: Bryant Miller Olive of Tallahassee ($1,800 retainer; $225/hour); Oertel Fernandez of Tallahassee ($2,000 retainer; $200/hour); and the Young Qualls law firm of Tallahassee ($3,600 retainer; $500/hour).
Council members did not discuss the attorney hire prior to holding the vote, and none of the applicants were present Tuesday night. Sneads Town Manager Lynda Bell recommended the council hire Reid. Council member Mike Weeks said after the meeting that Reid should should be on board at the next council meeting in March.
Reid has been an attorney since 2000 and practices family law, administrative law, government law and state appeals out of his Tallahassee offices, according to his website.
