By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Ellis County officials are preparing for changes within the county attorney’s office following the August primary election.
After more than 20 years in office, current County Attorney Tom Drees decided not to seek re-election and ran for and was elected district judge in the 23rd Judicial District.
In the race to replace Drees, Hays attorney Robert Anderson handily defeated former Assistant County Attorney Chris Lyon.
There was no Democratic candidate to file for county attorney and no write-in challenger has emerged, so a transition from Drees to Anderson is underway.
Drees recently presented the transition plan to the county commission. Drees told the commission they would hire Anderson as a special, independent contractor starting Oct. 1. They have also hired on a legal assistant.
“Robert’s going coming in and start learning the office,” Drees said. “That way we can hopefully have a very smooth transition for law enforcement and for everyone in the court system.
“He’ll do a great job with that,” Drees added.
Anderson said he is in the process of finishing up his work as a defense attorney.
“I probably have well over half of my cases closed out already,” Anderson said.
He said he stopped taking new cases several months ago.
Anderson has served as a contract defense attorney with Ellis County and said he has been transferring his cases to Cassy Zeigler, an Ellis attorney. She is expected to take Anderson’s spot working as a defense attorney through the county.
Anderson will take over as Ellis County Attorney on Jan. 11.
Drees, after 24 years as county attorney and 31 total years in the working for the Ellis County attorney’s office defeated Judge Blake Bittel in the race for District Judge in the 23rd Judicial District and will begin serving on the court Jan. 11.