Interim sheriff to be named

Thursday, September 4, 2008

The future sheriff will be chosen this Saturday and now the hopefuls have been named.

Of the nine people listed, the Republican party will have to it narrow down to one.

Putnam County Republican Chairman Larry Sutton said the caucus will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, and that a new sheriff will be named by no later than 11 a.m.

"We are going to do the whole thing right there in the Commissioner's Room of the Putnam County Courthouse Annex," Sutton told the Banner Graphic. "After the person is chosen, County Clerk and Republican Chairperson Marty Watts will swear the person in. Five minutes after the swearing-in, we will have a new sheriff."

The list is as follows: Mark Albright, Rodney Cline, Darrin Cox, Steve Fenwick, James Hilton, Fred McIntire, Thomas Miller, George Schneider and Danny Wallace.

All the hopefuls are Putnam County residents. The new sheriff will have to be chosen by a majority vote.

Although it could take up to two hours, Sutton reported that it wouldn't necessarily take that long. It all depends on how long it takes to count the ballots and narrow down the field to one.

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  • Well M must say that im kind of disappointed not to see Tom Helmer on that list of names. However, I'll be happy to see Mark Albright or Danny Wallace elected.

    -- Posted by joey_cope on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 12:57 AM
  • Xgamer,,Xgamer!!! Xgamer should be on that list as well!!

    The job description allows me to be Mayor of Cloverdale AND Sheriff at the same time!

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 5:34 AM
  • Oh great lets put Danny wWallace in as Sheriff and be no better off then we were with the last one!! I think Helmer should go for it!

    -- Posted by Innocent on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:01 AM
  • I think Steve Fenwick should be named Sheriff. We need someone to do the job, not to just be a pretty face with a good political background.

    -- Posted by ladycubs on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:22 AM
  • What???!!!! You don't think Steve has a pretty face?? And heaven forbid it be someone with a "good political background".

    -- Posted by stay at home mom on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:32 AM
  • Are we forgetting how tight Fenwick and Mark used to be?

    -- Posted by drewbie on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:52 AM
  • Thomas Miller for Sheriff!!! It doesn't get much better than that!!!

    -- Posted by horsepower on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 9:02 AM
  • sonicfilter...there are no democrats since a republican was elected to the office. This affords the republicans the right to place someone in the office rather than having an election. Thus, you have no voice in the matter and we will have a republican as sheriff until 2010 when the next election is.

    -- Posted by kevincrafton on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 9:15 AM
  • Thomas Miller would be an awesome pick in my opinion. Have a great day everyone!!

    -- Posted by Life Is Good on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 10:20 AM
  • I hope we get someone who can step in and take over without a lot of downtime on the department. Should be interesting to see how this caucus turns out.

    -- Posted by justducky on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 10:21 AM
  • Let's all support whoever gets the job and get past this mess. I am tired of having Putnam County hit the Indy news stations and the AP wire for only negative things. If you look at the list, there are 2 names that should take priority over the others - Darrin Cox and Thomas Miller. Both of these guys have been great in law enforcement and in secular jobs. Both of them have served this county for years. Both of them do not use the "good old boy" strategy such as the current deputies on the list do. Darrin led both the Depauw Police and GPD as chief then served our country before coming home again. Thomas served this county as a paramedic, deputy sherriff, and special invesigator while also being the current Coroner. Give the reins to one of them and I AM SURE the department will turn itself around and become accountable again!

    -- Posted by infiremanemt on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 11:38 AM
  • Kip Davis should have thrown his name into the running. He has a great deal of experience on everything to do with emergency services and public administration. It would have been great to see him in a position where he could really shine.

    -- Posted by CdaleResident on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 12:44 PM
  • This is the best Putnam County has to offer?!?!? God help you all......Who came up with this list?

    -- Posted by jimsgirl on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 2:31 PM
  • oh my! let's see, i'm gonna say steve, cause we all know no matter what is said the good ole boy sydrome is alive and well.

    miller would not do this county justice and mark would be to old school, not to say mark wouldn't do a so-so job but you know!

    let's get ready to support the new sheriff no matter whom it might be.

    steve let's see if you keep your promise about your chief deputy, i was there when you said it to .......... and i will remind you again if you fail to keep a promise, what am i taking about this is politics...sorry i forgot!

    God bless and help our new sheriff.

    -- Posted by gottokno on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:10 PM
  • What about Darin Cox, he has more experience than anyone on the list. Thomas Miller is #2 on my short list. Fenwick would be my LAST choice!!

    -- Posted by Blue6 on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:33 PM
  • Tom Helmer cannot flip flop parties...again! He ran R against Frisbie in 2002 and lost...then chose to jump to the D side for the 2006 election, he cannot jump back to the R side just to get (back) into office.

    I'm saying my prayers for the entire PCSD and the commissioners. I'm with a few other of you and I too hope Putnam County can move past this and prevail!!

    -- Posted by THxGC on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:40 PM
  • Hopefully the new Sheriff will do something about the Gangstalking hate crimes in Putnam Co.

    -- Posted by Harmony Church on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 4:31 PM
  • There's nothing wrong with old school.....good luck Rod Cline!

    -- Posted by Michele1953 on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 4:41 PM
  • What are you talking about THxGC...Helmer ran AGAINST Frisbie in 2002 and in 2006. Frisbie the Republican on the Ballot and Helmer the Democrat.

    If you know anything about politics, 2 people of the same party do not run against eachother in the General Election. It is almost always a Democrat vs. Republican.

    -- Posted by climberguy on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 4:55 PM
  • I like all of the named potential candidates. But, If everyone agrees that we need new blood, that has fiscal responsibility, and isn't a member of the "old boy sheriff network." than this is a no brainer. Go with an experienced law enforcement official, George. I don't know him any better than the rest on a personal level, but he has been a staple in the State Police for years. Good luck to all, but let's make an informed decision and get it right the first time.

    -- Posted by idiot on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 7:16 PM
  • I guess the Banner is back to deleting comments again!!

    -- Posted by happy2behere on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 7:45 PM
  • well climberguy, Helmer ran R in 2002 primary and lost to Frisbie...then in 2006 he decided to go D and run in the general. Where were you??

    -- Posted by THxGC on Fri, Sep 5, 2008, at 5:57 AM
  • I guess we will find out who it is soon enough. Hopefully, the candidate will be picked for their qualifications. This a small county and everyone of these guys could fall into the good ole boy network, afterall they all have law enforcement backgrounds of some kind.

    Good luck to the winner.

    -- Posted by ladycubs on Fri, Sep 5, 2008, at 2:11 PM
  • we'll be back to the good ol' boy system once again now that fenwick's in charge. He's the definition of good ol boy's!!!!! Thomas Miller should've won, he's fair, consistent, and doesnt let personal and work interfere with one another and I guarantee Courtney wouldnt be working there helping him steal. I've lived with them during a hard time and Thomas Miller is the best man in that county be a landslide, everyone take notice! He's the up and coming or at least he should've already been.

    -- Posted by cmg071580 on Mon, Sep 8, 2008, at 7:41 AM
  • Am really disappointed with the decision to choose Fenwick as sheriff. Guess having enough of your kin folk selecting couldn't hurt. I hope Miller will not hesitate to run in the next election as he can win there hands down. Good luck Sheriff Fenwick

    -- Posted by Hobbes on Mon, Sep 8, 2008, at 11:06 AM
  • Fenwick was the right choice...........

    -- Posted by Z_2382 on Mon, Sep 8, 2008, at 12:22 PM
  • Rod Cline would have been the best choice. He served putnam county for over 10 years of his life, along with his brother randy on the police department. He is a genuine and caring man and isn't into politics, maybe that is why he was not chosen. Putnam County is not the place it use to be, and not in a good way.

    -- Posted by hoosier22 on Sun, Nov 17, 2013, at 6:24 PM
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