Rheubin Taylor
County Mayor Weston Wamp held an unannounced reception for his choice for the next county attorney on Friday afternoon at the county mayor's conference room.
Only County Commission members were invited to the Meet and Greet with attorney Janie Parks Varnell.
That comes though the longtime county attorney, Rheubin Taylor, is under contract through next July.
Mary Francis Hoots of the county mayor's office said, "Our office is disappointed that a county commissioner chose to leak a private meeting with a candidate for the position of county attorney.
"As Chancellor Atherton ruled and CTAS has opined, when Rheubin Taylor’s contract expires on June 30th, Mayor Wamp has the power to appoint a new county attorney. Our office has been working with county commissioners to establish an appropriate transition for the county attorney’s office in the months ahead.”
County Attorney Taylor, 76, has told County Commission members that he would like to serve two years beyond the July 2025 date. He would need six votes of the County Commission to have his contract extended.
County Mayor Wamp, soon after coming into office, informed County Attorney Taylor that he was being fired. County Attorney Taylor resisted, and a lawsuit ensued.
Chancellor Jeff Atherton ruled in favor of County Attorney Taylor, and county taxpayers had to pay over $200,000 in legal costs.
Mr. Taylor has been county attorney since 1993.
He was the first licensed black attorney in Chattanooga. In 1977, he served on the state Constitutional Convention that developed the new form of county government.
He was on the initial County Commission in 1978 and served for 15 years.
Mr. Taylor has been the pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in LaFayette, Ga., for 29 years.
Ms. Varnell is an attorney with the Davis & Hoss law firm.
She is the daughter of former Chattanooga Police Chief Steve Parks.
Janie Parks Varnell