MEADVILLE – The municipal prosecutor of Meadville is eyeing the town’s top job, announcing his candidacy last week for mayor.

Franklin County attorney Lane Reed turned in the petition of supporting signatures needed to qualify as an independent candidate last week.

His candidacy is not official, however, because the city clerk’s office has not yet verified the signatures on the petition.

“We have been blessed to have quality leadership in the town of Meadville for many years, and I want to carry on that strong leadership,” Reed said in a press release.

Incumbent Mayor W.P. “Sonny” Dickey was out of town and unavailable to answer whether he intends to seek re-election.

Dickey took the office of mayor in 2005 after 20 years as an alderman.

Reed said he’s pondered a run for office about a year out of a sense of commitment to his home.

Speaking in an interview Friday about his candidacy, Reed described his priorities if he’s elected mayor and said he strengthen basic infrastructure and keep utilities strong.

“You want to take care of your most basic city services,” Reed said. “That’s a full time job, especially in a small town.”

Reed, 42, has practiced law about 20 years and served as Meadville’s town prosecutor since 2001. He feels that experience would be of benefit to him as mayor.

“I’ve seen the city in action from that point of view,” he said.

A partner with the law firm of McGehee, McGehee & Torrey in Meadville, he’s also the prosecuting attorney for the Franklin County towns of Bude and Roxie.

This experience has given him “a general family with the procedures” of municipal government, Reed said.

The need to maintain infrastructure, utilities and emergency services with a continually tight budget would be among the greatest challenges facing him as mayor, Reed believes.

“With tough economic times those are the challenges that face anyone that runs for municipal office,” Reed said.

However, tending to those services is also the backbone of the job, Reed believes and what residents value most.

Reed also has his sights set on working with the Mississippi Development Authority bring vitality to the Meadville and Franklin County economy.

A Franklin County native, he moved to Meadville after attending law school at Ole Miss.

Potential candidates face a qualifying deadline of March 8 for municipal elections. The general election is June 4.