Commissioners Vote on County Attorney

Casey Bigelow

By: Shelia Mader

The Jackson County Board of County Commissioners wrapped up its meeting Tuesday night by unanimously voting 5-0 to offer the position of county attorney to Casey Bigelow.

The decision followed a formal ranking process involving six attorneys who applied for the role. Each commissioner submitted an individual ranking sheet, which was tallied by Procurement Officer Tyler Schaeffer. Finance Director Tony Pumphrey then reviewed and validated the totals before announcing the final rankings to the board.

Bigelow received the top ranking overall. Knowles and Randolph placed second, followed by Nathan Nolin in third. Marcus Green ranked fourth, with Blankenship and Jordan coming in fifth and Hartman Law Firm ranked sixth.

Commissioner Paul Donofro made the motion to move forward with the hiring process, saying, “Well it’s a pleasure. I mean, we went through the ranking so I’ll offer a motion to authorize Mr. Dean and staff to enter into some sort of negotiations pertaining to his employment.” The motion was seconded by Commissioner Donnie Branch.

Commissioner Dr. Willie Spires asked what the next steps would be if negotiations with Bigelow were unsuccessful, specifically whether the board would move on to the next-ranked candidates. In response, Donofro amended his motion to include negotiations proceeding in ranked order if an agreement could not be reached with Bigelow. The amended motion passed unanimously.

Following the meeting, Bigelow expressed his appreciation for the board’s decision.

“I’d like to thank the commissioners, the administrator, employees and residents of Jackson County for all their confidence and support,” Bigelow told the Jackson County Times.

Bigelow said he is excited about the opportunity to serve the county he calls home. He was born and raised in Dellwood and is a graduate of Grand Ridge High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Florida A & M University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.

Donofro also took time to recognize the other applicants.

“I think it ought to be said that we appreciate all of the firms,” he said. “We had a number of good, qualified candidates to choose from. Anytime we’re trying to select any type of professional from a group of qualified professionals, it’s difficult. But I think it’s a fair way to approach it. So, thank all of y’all for your interest.”