Retired Houston County attorney looks back on career

In photos from groundbreaking ceremonies and ribbon-cuttings in Houston County over the past three decades, Mike Long is noticeably absent.

The now-retired county attorney was involved in just about every road project, new building or any other significant county project during his 36 years of service. But he likes to leave the spotlight to others.

“I’m not big on getting my picture taken and getting in the paper,” he said.

Long has been easing out of his position as county attorney for the past couple of years. His law partner, Tom Hall, had long been assisting him in county work, and Hall had increasingly been taking on a larger role. For the past year or so, Hall has usually been the one to advise commissioners on legal issues during meetings.

The county made the transition official Sept. 16 when commissioners voted to hire Hall as the full-time county attorney, effectively ending Long’s tenure in the job.

Previously the law firm of Long & Hall was on retainer for legal services. Commission Chairman Tommy Stalnaker said Hall will be the county’s first full-time attorney and will have an office at the courthouse annex.

Stalnaker, who started working for the county about six years before Long, said Long played a part in just about every major county project.

“Mike has been a huge part of the growth of this county,” Stalnaker said. “His hands have touched stuff that most folks wouldn’t realize.”

Stepping down as county attorney is a big step in Long’s plan to retire. The county work, he said, has been about half of his law practice. He has other cases that have to be resolved before he steps away from legal work entirely, but he expects that will happen by early next year.

“Lawyers don’t just pick out a date and say ‘I’m going to retire,’” he said. “You’ve got to finish up your cases.”

STARTED WITH THE CITY

Long’s career in government legal work began with the Warner Robins city government, but that didn’t last long. The politics there were too volatile for his taste, he said.

When he was offered the county attorney job in 1978, he took it.

City politics always have seemed more contentious than in the county, he said.

“I don’t know how to put my finger on it, other than you are always going to have a couple of people (on City Council) who want to be mayor, and it just lends itself to have that kind of controversy going on,” Long said.

He called the current group of commissioners among the best he has worked with.

“They are all working together to do what’s best for the county, and I can’t give them any better compliment than that,” he said. “They work very well as a team, and that’s what has made it enjoyable.”

Long said probably the biggest thing to happen in the county during his tenure came in 1982 when a group upset about property revaluations successfully sought a referendum to put a cap on the millage rate. It passed, and the county remains one of the few in the state to have a tax cap.

“There was so much apprehension about how it was going to work,” he said. “The commissioners were worried about whether the revenues were going to cover the costs. It was a scary venture, you might say, but fortunately it has worked fine. I think it has had a great impact on the county as far as our growth is concerned.”

Long also was heavily involved in bringing the Southeast Region Little League headquarters to Warner Robins.

“That was probably as gratifying an experience as I had as county attorney, because it was a public-private partnership that just fit in so well with this community,” he said.

At 68, Long could still have a lot of years left to be an attorney. But the death of former County Administrator Steve Engle in 2012 influenced him to retire. Long said he remembered Engle, a close friend, talking about things he wanted to do in retirement, such as finish hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“He never got to do any of that,” said Long, who soon began to think about things he wanted to do in his own retirement, including spending time with his grandchildren.

Long has long been active in a number of volunteer groups, including the Civitan Club and United Way, and he said that won’t stop.

“I don’t want to completely just quit doing everything,” he said. “I grew up here, I love Houston County and I hope to continue as long as somebody will have me.”

Stalnaker said service to others has always been a part of Long’s makeup.

“Mike is somebody that never sought recognition, never wanted recognition when it was given to him, but one that was always willing to help the county and the people of the county,” he said.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published October 12, 2014 at 11:20 PM with the headline "Retired Houston County attorney looks back on career ."