As an elected official in Hamilton County, I have sought the opinion of our county attorney on several occasions. In light of the impending retirement of our County Attorney Rheubin Taylor, I feel the need to offer my deepest and most sincere appreciation for Rheubin and his staff.
The times that I have called the attorney’s office, I have always been received with a great response. Whether meeting with Attorney Taylor in the parking garage and discussing an issue, or being in the office with a table full of his staff, I have never been made to feel irrelevant. In times of urgency, he has gathered a room full of his staff in a matter of minutes, just to listen to my problem and offer their advice and opinions. Whatever my issue, it has always been given top priority from his office.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the working relationship with Sharon Milling. She has given good counsel and shared wisdom that I will treasure for a long time. Dee Hobbs has a been a family and personal friend for decades. On a personal note, I cherish his longtime friendship. On a professional note, he has proven time and time again to be an invaluable asset to our county. To these and all other current staff members of the Hamilton County Attorney’s office, I appreciate the counsel, the wisdom, the courtesy and the respect that I have always gotten when dealing with your office.
As we turn the page and head into a new chapter for the county attorney’s office, I must say that the mayor and County Commission would have been hard pressed to find a more suitable and qualified candidate than Janie Varnell. Ms. Varnell, while having a very compassionate side, has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in a courtroom. Having known her since she was a teenager, I have enjoyed following her career and watching her develop her skills. She has the ability to analyze an issue and present possible solutions and approaches for attack or defense, as the case may be.
It is very obvious that she garnered her work ethic and leadership abilities from her parents. Her father’s unsullied public and private sector careers spans beyond the nearly 50 years that I have known him. Her name is just as highly respected in our courthouse as his has always been. Her mother has helped train countless leaders from our county. Nearly any person of importance that you can think of, in this area, can thank her for playing a part in honing their leadership skills. No doubt Janie gleaned so much from her mother’s wisdom in the area of leadership. Not only do I commend Janie for her achievements, I applaud and honor Steve and Diane, as they witness just some of the fruits of their labor in raising Janie. I know there will be more proud moments to come.
So while I am sorrowful to see a lifelong friend start a new chapter in his life that will put distance between us, I am excited to see this energetic and vibrant attorney step into his place. I expect that she will never try to fill Rheubin’s shoes, but will proudly wear her own. Again, I thank County Mayor Wamp and the members of the Hamilton County Commission to provide Hamilton County government with such a qualified replacement for a Hamilton County icon.
Vince Dean
Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerk