Photo for Headline Surfer / Mike Dyer, shown above, was named permanent county attorney on June 2. Now a contract needs to be ironed out.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DELAND, Fla. -- Back in January, following the announced retirement of former longtime County Attorney Dan Eckert, the Volusia County Council talked about launching a national search for Eckert’s replacement.
But after seeing the job that Mike Dyer has done leading the County Attorney’s Office on an interim basis for the last five months, council members have decided they already have the best person for the position.
The County Council has made it official on June 2, voting to drop the word interim from Dyer’s title and give him the permanent position. All that’s left to do now is to negotiate a contract with Dyer that will be brought back to the council for final approval.
Now on his second stint with the county, Dyer has been serving as interim county attorney since Jan. 9. Dyer, who has a law degree from Florida State University, started in private practice with the Daytona Beach law firm of Doran, Wolfe, Rost, Ansay, Kundid & Dyer, before being hired by the county in November 2005 as an assistant county attorney.
Citing Dyer’s legal work, responsiveness and oversight of his department, council members said they no longer feel the need to look elsewhere to fill the position.
“My thought was that we were going to look nationally,” County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler said. “But I do think Mr. Dyer has absolutely exceeded my expectations. …You took off running and you made tough decisions from day one.”
At-Large County Councilman Ben Johnson concurred: “He has proven very exceptional in the job he has done,” said. “I think if we look around, we’re not going to do any better.”
Citing Dyer’s legal work, responsiveness and oversight of his department, council members said they no longer feel the need to look elsewhere to fill the position.
“My thought was that we were going to look nationally,” County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler said. “But I do think Mr. Dyer has absolutely exceeded my expectations. …You took off running and you made tough decisions from day one.”
At-Large County Councilman Ben Johnson concurred: “He has proven very exceptional in the job he has done,” said. “I think if we look around, we’re not going to do any better.”
Dyer left county government in April 2012 to become general counsel for the Volusia County School Board and remained in the position until returning to the County Attorney’s Office in January 2019, with an annual salary of $148,500. He has been interim county attorney since Jan. 9 of this year, and an annual salary of $173,250
About the Byline Writer:
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.
Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.