Potter County commissioners met on Friday to fill the vacant sheriff's position. The position is vacant because former-sheriff Mike Shumate was convicted of a felony last week. When he was convicted, Visiting Judge Quay Parker removed him from office and appointed Capt. Roger Haney to fill in until the commissioners could act.
Haney wanted to keep the job, and most observers expected the commissioners to appoint him. But in a 5 hour session, the commissioners decided to appoint someone else. Saying they needed someone from outside the department to restore the people's confidence, they appointed Roy Boyter.
Boyter is an Amarillo native, who retired as a lieutenant from the Texas Department of Public Safety. There is nothing to suggest that Haney wouldn't have done a very good job, but the commissioners probably made a wise decision. By choosing someone from outside the department, they remove any perception that the department might still be tainted.
Sheriff Boyter will serve for the next six months (and will probably be sworn in on Monday). This coming November, a new sheriff will be elected. It will either be Democrat Robert Taylor or Republican Brian Thomas. At this time, it looks like it's shaping up to be a close election.
As I recently updated on my own blog ... I'm just having a real problem with how this has all come about. Maybe Boykin will be great. I don't know. I hope so for the sake of the county. But, I have big time issues with those certain three commissioners: Borger, Kirkwood and goofball Perez.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I think I called Mr. Boyter "Boykin." My mistake!!
ReplyDeleteJami,
ReplyDeleteI think the whole things sounds weird, too...like the part about how Kirkwood talked to him for a year about possibly being sheriff.
It just sounds weird, and I also have never trusted Kirkwood.
I'll read your blog and see what you say.