Reid Tapped as New County Administrator

Randall Reid was offered a contract Thursday morning as Saraosta County’s next administrator. He will start in late January.

Reid is currently the county administrator in Alachua County, where he earns about $170,000. The contract with Sarasota County would pay about $190,000. The contract would last three years. 

Reid will undergo another background check, plus a pre-employment physical exam before the contract is finalized.

To tide them over, commissioners extended the contract of Interim County Administrator Terry Lewis to February 15. This would give time for Reid and Lewis to work together before Reid took the reins. “An overlap would be beneficial,” said Reid. 

Reid applied for the Sarasota County administrator’s job 12 years ago “We were worth the wait,” said Commissioner Christine Robinson. “Welcome to paradise.”

“Randy, welcome to Sarasota,” said Commissioner Jon Thaxton. “If you went back and looked at the four finalists, it speaks volumes for your ability and skills. Congratulations.”

Because Alachua County is the home of Gainesville and the University of Florida, commissioners expressed hope that Reid could pull together the various educational entities in Sarasota. 

“We have these incredible schools. New College, Ringling School of Art and Design, University of South Florida and the State College of Florida,” said Thaxton. “In this campus of colleges, there has to be a way to turn that into a major economic driver.”

“With Mr. Reid as our new administrator, the only way Sarasota will be alble to really diversity our economy is if someday we could have a full-scale university in Sarasota,” said Commision Chair Nora Patterson. “We’re starting you off with a simple task, Mr. Reid."