Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sheriff cites health of mother as reason for departure
DAVENPORT-Wade Magers' last day as Lincoln County Sheriff will be June 30, he told the county commissioners in an email and confirmed to The Record-Times in a phone call this week.
His retirement will end a 15 ½-year career as Sheriff and 32-year career in law enforcement six months before the conclusion of his fourth elected term.
Magers announced two weeks ago he wouldn't be running for re-election this fall.
Magers' retirement comes one day after his scheduled pretrial on his criminal charges of obstructing a law enforcement officer, making a false or misleading statement to a public servant and rendering criminal assistance in the third degree stemming from an alleged incident in Feb. 2021 involving his son's alleged one-car DUI crash.
But Magers said the timing of his retirement isn't related to his pretrial or trial, the latter of which is scheduled to begin July 25 if no prior resolution is reached. In fact, he said he wasn't aware of his pretrial date when asked by The Record-Times.
Magers instead pointed to his need to care for his mother, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.
He added that he will be his mother's primary caretaker and will travel back and forth to Republic during his retirement for that purpose.
Finding his replacement will require a process from the Lincoln County Republican Central Committee and the county commissioners. The position of sheriff will face county voters in November, and the voters' elected choice will take office Jan. 1, 2023.
However, that leaves a six month gap between Magers' resignation and the New Year. To fill that gap, the Committee will screen, interview and nominate three candidates to present to the commissioners, county prosecutor Adam Walser told The Record-Times.
"The Republican Central Committee will solicit names, interview and nominate three to the commissioners," Walser said.
The commissioners can additionally interview those three candidates before Magers' retirement, but cannot make an appointment until the office is vacated, Walser added.
"Then, that person is sheriff until the election," he said.
The commissioners' appointment must run for re-election in November if so desired. The Committee is not bound to choose candidates currently within the Sheriff's Office or from candidates who file to run for office during filing week in mid-May.
Commissioner Scott Hutsell said an appointment is likely to come July 1 or later in the day June 30, depending on whether Magers vacates his office the morning of June 30 or at the end of the day.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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