Chester Jones
Macon County attorney Chester Jones will retire this month after nearly 11 years of service.
The search for a new county attorney has already begun. Following a closed-session on Sept. 29, the Macon County Board of Commissioners gave county manager Derek Roland permission to enter into negotiations with Fred Jones, a private attorney with Jones, Key, Melvin and Patton, to be the next county attorney. Roland declined to detail the process to replace Jones and said that information will be provided when the commissioners meet again on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Taking the job in January 2010, Jones was originally supposed to be an interim attorney for 30 days. The interim portion of his title didn’t last, as the Macon County Board of Commissioners appreciated the knowledge and diplomacy he brought to the position.
Board chairman Jim Tate said Jones has been an important source of guidance for him during some of his toughest decisions as a commissioner.
“Chester has been an invaluable asset to Macon County,” Tate said. “He has been an incredible mentor to myself with not only his local government knowledge, but also his amicable demeanor. I am going to miss his jovial smile and calming presence at our meetings.”
Commissioner Gary Shields, likewise, said Jones has always taken his influence in the county’s government very seriously, always coming prepared to meetings and making sure that the board is well-equipped to make the best decision possible for constituents.
“The attorney for any board, elected or appointed, has an incredible responsibility to provide legal advice to its members that will allow integrity to be at the forefront of the many decisions boards and commissions have to make,” Shields said. “Chester Jones researches all questions and ideas before making a recommendation(s) and due to his work of integrity, I and other members of the commissioner board [were] guided via legal advisement to work in the best interest of the taxpayers of Macon County.”
Jones has had a hand in some of the highest-profile decisions for the county in the past decade, with one of his most notable recent roles being his drafting of a resolution during the Second Amendment sanctuary debate earlier this year. However, it isn’t important to him for his work to be under a spotlight. He feels that he does his best work when he’s helping others do their best work by taking care of the little details.
“It’s the county attorney’s job to advise, not to influence policy,” Jones said. “It’s a very straightforward goal.”
Jones plans to spend his retirement enjoying long motorcycle trips, kayaking and time with his wife and two sons. He has a long history with the attorneys at Jones, Key, Melvin and Patton, dating back to before he became the county attorney, and he expects that his successor will continue a legacy of good legal conduct.
“It’s hard to talk about me without mentioning that the successes that I’ve had are because I was trained by some great attorneys before me,” Jones said. “Macon County is in good hands.”
Jones’ last day is Friday, October 30.