The Board of County Commissioners hired its first-ever female county attorney, Jennifer Wintrode Shuler, who currently serves as county attorney and school board attorney for tiny Liberty County, Florida with a population just shy of 8,000 people.
The vote to select Shuler came shortly after honoring retiring attorney William K. DeBraal with a proclamation for his 21 years of “distinguished service” at the start of last week’s BOCC meeting.
“The bad news, Bill, is you still have to finish out this meeting,” said Commission Chair Susan Adams.
Shuler will begin her new position in mid-September. She was one of seven candidates initially vying for the position that pays $205,000 annually, plus a car allowance equal to that of other senior county positions. The seven were whittled to two finalists and Shuler was offered the position. “I think I have more local government experience,” said Shuler when asked what she thought made her the most qualified for the job.
The 55-year-old was very “intentional” about applying to Indian River County for several reasons. “It’s just a really beautiful place,” said Shuler. “I’m excited about stepping back into a county that is well run. Indian River just seems like a really good fit for me.”
Also, Shuler was has been a contract attorney for Liberty County. County financial documents show a general fund budget of only $55,000 per year for legal fees, so Indian River’d full-time staff position is quite a promotion. The Liberty County Schools’ published budget lumps all school board expenses into one line item, and administrative expenses into another without delineating how much Shuler was paid for legal services. Liberty Schools Finance Director Katy Gunn would not release the total legal fees over the phone when asked how much Shuler was paid.
A local government veteran Florida Bar Board Certified in City County and Local Government Law, Shuler is also looking forward to working with members of her new department. “It’s not my goal to be the be-all and end-all,” said Shuler, who wants to help members of her department develop leadership skills.
Born in Detroit, Shuler moved around a lot growing up, living in Washington, DC, Montana, and California. Shuler earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law. She returned to Michigan after law school and worked for two years before moving to Florida in 2004. “Florida is my home now.”
She worked at several law firms before becoming the Deputy Assistant County Attorney in Bay County — a place more comparable to the size of Indian River with a population of 185,000 — where she served for nine years. Then in 2021, she became the Liberty County Attorney. She also serves in an “of counsel” capacity at the Hand Arendall Harrison Sale law firm, which has offices in Florida and Alabama.
Shuler believes one of Indian River County’s biggest challenges is planning for growth. “I think the county needs to develop some flexible planning tools in order to keep the community charm,” said Shuler.
She also values good communication. In fact, she plans to send Commissioners weekly written updates. “It doesn’t have to be long. It’s just a way to get a snapshot,” she said. “Here are some issues to think about.”
Her “First Year Game Plan” includes getting to know the people, including the local City and Town attorneys. She also plans to read extensively, including the County Code, Land Development Code, Administrative Policy Manual, and more.
Reading is a big part of Shuler’s leisure time as well. “I love to read. I call fiction, earth candy,” she said. Shuler is married and has three adult stepchildren and five grandkids. “We have an RV and we love state parks,” she said.
