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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
DATE: February 18, 2014
TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board
FROM: Kay Godwin
SUBJECT: County Attorney Recruitment Update
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
BCC DISTRICT:
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Update and request guidance on the status of the County Attorney
recruitment process.
BACKGROUND: The current County Attorney submitted his resignation to be effective July 1,
2014. The county has concurrently accepted employment applications from individuals and
proposals from firms.
A screening committee was appointed by the Board to review the proposals and applications.
Committee members are Commissioner Nathan Boyles, County Attorney Ernie Padgett, Human
Resources Director Kay Godwin, and Okaloosa Bar Association President Brad Stewart. The
Board requested the committee do preliminary interviews of the applicants, and short list the
talent pool for consideration by the Board. The screening committee short-listed to ten
applicants, and conducted 8 telephone interviews on February 5 & 6 (one withdrew and one
was unavailable). Further, the committee has reviewed all apparently qualified candidates who
had applied through February 5, 2014.
The committee also reviewed letters of interest and proposals from three private law firms who
could provide the County Attorney services through a “hybrid firm approach.” Those firms and
their primary designee for County Attorney are: Greg Stewart, Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A.;
Mike Chesser, Chesser & Barr P.A.; Dawn E. Stuntz, Matthews & Jones, L.L.P.
OPTIONS: If the commission desires, the committee could recommend two finalists from the
applicant pool for personal interviews. Upon evaluation of the applicants and the firm approach,
the board may want to consider going with the firm approach on an interim basis, or for an
indefinite period of time.
RECOMMENDATIONS: At the pleasure of the Board, interview candidates and firms;
request a recommendation from the committee; provide other guidance as desired.
RECOMMENDED BY:
APPROVED BY:
Ernie Padgett, County Administrator