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Two candidates introduce themselves as San Miguel County officials prepare April 30 appointment process
Summary
At a meet-and-greet hosted by County Manager Mike Burgonia, Sergeant Lane Masters and Undersheriff Dan Cobalt each gave five-minute introductions as candidates to complete Sheriff Bill Masters’s term; the county asked attendees to submit written input ahead of a special April 30 meeting.
San Miguel County on April 30 hosted a public meet-and-greet for two candidates under consideration to fill the remainder of Sheriff Bill Masters’s term.
County Manager Mike Burgonia opened the event and said the county asked residents to submit written feedback that will be scanned by human resources and provided to the county commissioners before they decide. “The sheriff has the most authority over the citizens of this county of almost any individual person in our county,” Burgonia said as he explained the process and timeline.
The two candidates, Sergeant Lane Masters and Undersheriff Dan Cobalt, each spoke for about five minutes and then met informally with attendees. Sergeant Lane Masters, a Telluride native who said he returned after two enlistments in the U.S. Marine Corps and time working in Bismarck, North Dakota, said he wanted to “continue to serve the community that raised me” and cited family and local ties as reasons for seeking the remainder of Sheriff Bill Masters’s term.
Undersheriff Dan Cobalt described a long local law enforcement career that includes jail management, setting up the county’s firearms program in the jail, and work on major investigations. “I’d like to be able to take those experiences and those lessons learned and pass them on to the new generation,” Cobalt said, noting roughly 25 years of service in the county area.
Burgonia said the county commissioners — Chair Robert Brown and commissioners Delina Gleason and Lance Waring — will consider public input and act as trustees when making an appointment. Attendees were asked to complete an input form rather than speak at length during the event; Burgonia said the HR department will “scan all of your input and pass it on to the county commissioners” for their decision-making.
Event organizers set a hard stop at 6:30 p.m. so attendees could meet both candidates. Burgonia said the commissioners will hold a special meeting on April 30 to consider the appointment. No formal vote or appointment occurred at the meet-and-greet itself.
The meet-and-greet included brief introductions of county officials and encouraged written public comment; candidates answered informal questions after the timed introductions.
