Boone County sheriff retires two years early; county looks to appoint replacement
Boone County sheriff Gregg Elsberry has resigned with two years left in his term.
First elected in 2012, Elsberry's last day in office will be Dec. 31. No reason was given for his early resignation, and he did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The Boone County Board of Supervisors now must decide how to appoint his successor.
Under Iowa law, the board of supervisors can either appoint to fill the vacancy or hold a special election. It must make an appointment within 40 days. If the board doesn't make the appointment before Elsberry leaves on Dec. 31, the department's chief deputy would step in.
Supervisors met in closed sessions Nov. 29 with three candidates to finish Elsberry's term. They all are deputies in the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
Supervisor Steve Duffy said at the board meeting Wednesday its members should consider posting the opening in order to draw other qualified candidates.
"It makes no sense that we aren't trying to get a broad selection of applicants for this appointment," Duffy said. "We could get a deputy from a larger county."
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Supervisors Bill Zinnel and Erich Kretzinger, as well as Shawn Bryant, who defeated Duffy in the November election, said they wanted to move forward with the appointment as soon as possible. Bryant sat with the board at Wednesday's meeting and participated in discussions, but he doesn't take his seat until Jan. 1.
Zinnel and Kretzinger said they'd rather make the appointment to give Elsberry time to train the new sheriff. And Kretzinger said Iowa code does not require the county to seek applicants through a job opening.
"We will consider those who came to us," Kretzinger said about the three candidates considered for the sheriff's position. "We did not seek applicants. These candidates all came to us."
Supervisor-elect Bryant agreed.
"Everyone in the county knows about this and everyone in several counties around here knows about this," he said.
Ultimately, the board decided Wednesday to hold a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 14 to appoint a sheriff.
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Residents in Boone County who want the board to hold a special election for sheriff must file a petition to the county auditor within 14 days of the supervisors' appointment. The petition must contain signatures of at least 10% of the number of voters who voted for governor in the preceding general election.
On Nov. 8, 11,204 Boone County voters cast ballots for governor, meaning a petition for a special election would need a minimum of 1,120 signatures.
Mention of Elsberry's resignation is not listed on the county's website. The amended agenda to accept his resignation at the Nov. 9 meeting was posted at the Boone County Courthouse, but online records have not been updated. Further, minutes have not been posted on the county's website for any meetings held since Oct. 26 and no agendas have been posted for meetings since Nov. 9, though the supervisors meet weekly.
Boone County Auditor Diane Patrick said that since the county's recent website upgrade, staff has been slow to post agendas and minutes as they get trained on the new system.
"That's one reason we updated the website, to make it easier to upload public documents in a timely manner because we want that to be more transparent," Patrick said. "We strive to provide the best service to our constituents that we are able to and are willing to address concerns and adopt better practices as we learn."
Boone County Board of Supervisors also consider bid to repair storage building
Also at the board meeting Wednesday, Ron Hinds from Shive-Hattery Architecture & Engineering reviewed a report regarding the county's secondary roads storage building in Ogden.
The board is considering upgrading the building, which is listed in good condition but has a mostly dirt floor, is not insulated and is not heated. Hinds recommended to the board that a vinyl scrim-faced batt insulation be used to insulate the building. Other improvements could include new LED lighting, gas fired heat and controlled ventilation, an 8" trench drain, new concrete slab floor, new water service and interior fans for air movement.
The cost is $539,350 and is expected to add 20 years to the life of the building, which was first constructed 30 to 40 years ago.
Secondary Roads Foreman Bryan Zimmerman presented a second proposal from Menz Agri Sales for what he said was a similar upgrade to the building but would cost $292,740. The Menz Agri Sales quote would include new exterior steel, spray foam and a new ceiling.
All three board members, including newly-elected Bryant, said they found the lower price very appealing.
"It's your shot. I want you to be happy," Bryant told Zimmerman. "I want to make sure you are getting what you need. Don't worry about the dollar amount. I want you to think about who is working down there and what is best for them. And if this is it, then great."
Zinnel voiced concerns over the Menz Agri Sales quote because it didn't include engineering services.
Kretzinger said he supports the lower cost quote because the Ogden project could serve as a "trial run as we look at Boone and Madrid secondary roads sheds."
A decision will come later.
What's next for the board
Along with the meeting Dec. 14 to appoint a new sheriff, the board meets in a work session Dec. 6 to discuss hiring a county engineer and to start the county's budgeting process for fiscal year 2024, which starts July 1.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct an attribution to a quote from Shawn Bryant.
Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Boone County sheriff retires two years early, appointment forthcoming
