Updated 5/09/09

Andrew R. McRoberts, Goochland County Attorney for the last eight years, announced his resignation Wednesday in a two paragraph letter to Board of Supervisors chairman Andrew Pryor.

“With a mixture of feelings, I submit my resignation as County Attorney for Goochland County, effective May 19, 2009, subject to mutually acceptable terms of separation, including the severance benefits that I am entitled to in my employment agreement,” wrote McRoberts in his letter to Pryor.

McRoberts, 44, was instrumental in setting up the Tuckahoe Creek Service District and successfully defended the county’s tax assessments in the West Creek Associates tax cases.

Pryor praised McRoberts’ service in a county press release.

“Mr. McRoberts has been a fine county attorney and his legal work has served us well. I don’t know when his advice has ever been proven wrong. I know he will do well in his future career,” said Pryor.

District 5 supervisor James W. Eads gave McRoberts credit for saving the county “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in the West Creek zoning tax cases.

“He did an outstanding job,” said Eads. “He personally won the West Creek case.”

Interim County Administrator Lane Ramsey said Friday that McRoberts’ salary was $145,000 per year at the time of his resignation.

Ramsey said an interim county attorney would be hired to take over for McRoberts until a successor could be found.

“We are talking to an individual who may be willing to step in during the interim,” said Ramsey, who said he hoped the board of supervisors would be able to act on the interim position when they meet May 19.

Ramsey said the board of supervisors is considering using the consulting firm, Springsted, Inc. to help conduct the job search for the new county attorney.

“It takes a broad search to find the right person,” said Ramsey.

Goochland also used Springsted to vet candidates in the process that brought newly appointed County Administrator Rebecca Dickson to Goochland. She starts her new job July 20.