Wanted: Administrator and attorney for Langley

The city of Langley will see many new faces in 2004, including a new attorney and administrator.

Lynn Hicks, the city’s current attorney and administrator, announced last week she will leave her part-time position at the end of 2003.

“There was another opportunity,” Hicks said in an interview Monday.

Hicks has accepted a position as an in-house attorney at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland.

Langley Mayor Lloyd Furman hired Hicks in April, 2002. She filled and took over the combined attorney and administrator — previously held by Eric Lucas — after she returned from six months of reserve duties in the Marine Corps at the start of the “War on Terrorism.” Hicks had operated her own law practice in Langley before she was called up for duty. She closed that practice before shipping out.

Bryan Nichols, co-president of Nichols Brothers, said he looks forward to having Hicks join the company. Hicks will work part-time beginning this week to get up to speed, and will begin full-time at the first of the year when she finishes working for Langley.

Nichols said Hicks was a perfect fit because the company was looking for a local employee, rather than an outside firm to take care of the company’s legal needs.

“We need somebody in-house,” Nichols said. “After an interview, we really liked her.”

Hicks will replace Nichols Brothers’ former attorney, Tim Kelley, who died in July after a battle with cancer. Kelley had worked for Nichols Brothers’ for seven years.

In an interview Tuesday, Furman said the city will miss Hicks and her enthusiasm. He said the opportunity to work for Nichols Brothers was one she couldn’t turn down. Currently, Hicks is a contract employee with the city and has no employee benefits. She is paid approximately $60,000 a year for her part-time position.

“She’s been a real asset to the city of Langley,” Furman said.

Furman said the city will begin advertising for the soon-to-be vacant attorney and administrator positions immediately. Whether or not the positions will be combined again has not been determined.

Furman said a greater need for the attorney position will have the city looking to fill the position by the first of the year.

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