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Letters to the editor are opinion editorials submitted by readers. Letters to the editor are a long tradition in American journalism. The views and opinions of the writer do not necessarily reflect those of Mason County Press, its staff or its parent company. For more information, please refer to MCP’s Letter to the Editor Policy.
Dear Editor,
In response to the recent announcement by Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole and the subsequent announcement by Undersheriff Derrek Wilson that he is interested in the position of sheriff, I would like to comment on the process chosen by the Sheriff Appointment Committee.
For a sheriff vacancy, MCL 168.209(2) says the senior/presiding probate judge, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney “shall appoint a suitable person to fill the vacancy.” The statute does not require them to advertise the position, solicit applications, establish an application period, or interview a minimum number of candidates.
I respect the appointment committee’s responsibility to consider qualified candidates. But waiting until early December even to begin interviews is unacceptable when Sheriff Cole is retiring on October 30. The Sheriff’s Office needs clear leadership, and decisions about hiring, staffing, and projects are already being delayed.
This affects the entire community as well. The Sheriff’s Office needs clear, established leadership in place so employees, partner agencies, and residents know who is responsible for guiding the office. Leaving an elected county office without permanent leadership for two to three months creates unnecessary uncertainty and can disrupt the office’s ability to make timely decisions and serve the public effectively.
The committee is filling a vacancy in the elected office of sheriff. Its task is to appoint a qualified person to lead the office for the remainder of the current term… Mason County voters will choose their sheriff in the next election. It’s not the election committees responsibility to choose for the voters. There is a qualified candidate here who deserves to be heard before the committee decides it needs to search elsewhere.
Undersheriff Derrek Wilson has spent his career serving Mason County, including the past eight years as undersheriff. He knows the Sheriff’s Office, its employees, and the community it serves. He is dedicated to continuing that service. Both unions at the Sheriff’s Office support him, and Sheriff Cole has publicly endorsed him.
Other appointments to Mason County offices have been made in time for the appointees to transition smoothly into their positions. Some of those appointments involved members of this same committee. Yet the committee now appears to believe that taking two to three months to complete this process is responsible. That timeline is not reasonable when the Sheriff’s Office and the community need stable leadership immediately.
The committee should show Undersheriff Wilson the respect his service has earned. Interview him promptly, hear his plans, and evaluate his experience and qualifications. If the committee believes it needs to consider other candidates after that conversation, it can do so. It should not leave the office and community waiting until December to begin that work.
If you support Undersheriff Wilson, please contact the appointment committee and share your views:
Probate Judge Jeffrey Nellis
Prosecutor Beth Hand
Clerk Cheryl Kelly
Sincerely,
Oscar Davila
Amber Township
Editor’s Note: Oscar Davila is the chief deputy of road patrol for Mason County Sheriff’s Office but has submitted this letter as a concerned citizen.
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