BURLINGTON — Three attorneys — all longtime Boone County residents — are seeking the Republican nomination for county attorney.

        J.R. Schrand, 40, of Union, Bob Neace, 45, of Hebron, and C.J. Victor, 45, of Hebron, all practicing law in Boone County, will compete in the May 28 primary. Incumbent Larry Crigler, D-Union, has decided not to run after holding the office for 24 years.

        The winner of the primary will face Democrat Howard Tankersly in November.

        The Boone County attorney is responsible for prosecuting all misdemeanors and providing legal counsel for fiscal court. The salary is close to $90,000.

        Mr. Schrand has a B.A. in psychology from the University of Kentucky; an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University; and law degree from Northern Kentucky University's Chase College of Law in 1997.

        “I got both (graduate) degrees at night while working full-time,” he said. He worked for Greenebaum Doll and McDonald in Covington and was recently made a partner at Jones Dietz and Schrand in Florence.

        Before going into law, Mr. Schrand worked in sales for Glaxo Inc., now Glaxo Smith Kline, a pharmaceutical company.

        Schrand, a 1980 graduate of Boone County High
School, and his wife, Kathy, have lived in Boone County most of their lives.

        “Boone County has been a great community for both of us and we want to keep it that way for our kids,” he said.

        He said he is qualified for the two major duties of the county attorney, which are advising the fiscal court and prosecuting misdemeanors.

        “I'm the only candidate that has a law degree and advanced business degree,” Mr. Schrand said, adding that the fiscal court is similar to a business.

        “I was a member of the Boone County Police Merit Board,” he said. The board evaluates promotions.

        “I plan on working with the police department and being in-touch on crime. I will have an experienced team of prosecutors,” he said, referring to the team of four assistant county attorneys who work in the office.

        Mr. Schrand and his wife, Kathy, a nurse, have three children, Trey, 11, Tucker, 5 and Mia, 1, recently adopted from Korea.

        Mr. Schrand said he is involved in his church, St. Timothy, at his son's school, St. Paul Elementary and in coaching several sports.

        Mr. Neace, who has lived in Boone County for more than 30 years, is a partner with Dallas, Neace and Koening in Florence and has been practicing law for 17 years.

        He also works as an assistant for the Commonwealth's Attorney 54th Judicial District and the chief prosecutor for the Boone, Gallatin, Owen and Harrison Child Support Program. He received a B.A. in political science from the University of Kentucky in 1980 and his law degree from UK in 1985.

        “I find the work that the office does real interesting,” Mr. Neace said. “I believe I can do it better than it's being done now.

        He said he would “upgrade the personnel” referring to the four assistant county attorneys and give fiscal court legal opinions in a more timely manner.

        “We need to try to get a crimes victim advocate,” he said; that person would talk the victim through the legal system.

        “I'm the only candidate that can bring the changes and has the experience to do it,” Mr. Neace said.

        He and his wife Patricia, a teacher, have two children, Cassie, 15, and Robin, 12. Mr. Neace is a past board member of Northern Kentucky Goodwill and the Tri-City YMCA, a present board member of Maplewood Children's Home and a member of Hebron Lutheran Church. He also coaches his children's sports teams.

        Mr. Victor has had a law practice in Burlington for 19 years. He is first assistant county attorney to Mr. Crigler and has worked under him for more than 11 years.

        He also is the legal adviser to the Boone County Chaplains Board. He graduated from UK in 1979 with a degree in political science and from Chase Law School in 1982.

        “To be a county attorney, you have to be a prosecutor,” said Mr. Victor. “Seventy-five percent of that job is being a prosecutor. I've been doing that job. None of the other candidates have worked in the county attorney office.

        “I've answered calls at 3 in the morning from police officers for legal advice,” he added. “You better know the answer in your head and not have to look it up in a book at the library.”

        Mr. Victor, who has lived in Boone County for 19 years, said he is not sure what changes, if any, he would make to the office.

        “If I'm elected to that position then I'm going to evaluate the staff before making decisions.”

        Mr. Victor and his wife Beth have two children, Samantha, 9, and Jason Richardson, 18.

        He is active at Union Baptist Church and is a member of the National Gideon Society.

        “Between work, church and my family, there is rarely any time for anything else,” Mr. Victor added.

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