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Sarasota News Leader September 21, 2012 tor Terry Lewis were trying to repair the damage of the procurement scandal, Reid said, "I'm a public servant at heart. … A doctor goes where there are sick people. … This community was a premier community with a premier government that was suf- fering probably the worst time it's had in decades." Reid also concedes that after 12 years in the same place, he was interested in new challenges — and he felt he would be leav- ing good staff behind in Alachua County, including Richard Drummond, who became manager after Reid left. Reid hired Drummond away from Jim Ley in 2000, he pointed out. Drummond had served as Sarasota Coun- ty's manger of long-range planning in its Growth Management Business Center. A NEW ADVENTURE While Reid's biggest challenge has been overcoming credibility and other issues re- lated to the procurement scandal, Reid said he has had a couple of pleasant surprises in his new post. For example: "The wealth and philanthropy in the community. … I've had people ap- proach me who are willing to contribute, to do things, which is nice." Second, he was surprised by what he calls the county's "very robust systems," includ- ing its modern computer and accounting systems. "There's a lot of in-house capacity … that's very positive," he said. Page 26 "But government is people,' he pointed out. "You've got to have the right people in the right jobs." BEYOND THE DESK Asked his favorite feature of Sarasota Coun- ty, Reid smiled and talked of the beauty of the both the natural and urban settings. "I really enjoy the drive from Longboat Key across the [Ringling] causeway into down- town. It's a classic Florida feel." For a different perspective, he said, he en- joys sitting at Snook Haven, "looking out at the Myakka River," where he experiences an "Old Florida" atmosphere. Outside the office, Reid is a sports buff and a musician. In high school, he was on the tennis team and played concert tuba. Having missed out football — after all, you can't do band and be on the football team at the same time, he pointed out — he opted for contact sports in college. Instead of football, though, he went out for rugby. Through that experience, he said, "I met a lot of people who were international stu- dents." It's not surprising, then, to have him con- fess that when he and his wife visit their daughter in Australia, he loves to attend rugby games. "My favorite team is the New Zealand All Blacks," he said. On their most recent trip to Sydney, this summer, Reid also had the opportunity to check out the rowing facility used for the 2000 Olympics. That made him all the more eager to see the completion of the complex