Board appoints Dan Koval interim sheriff to serve remainder of term

San Miguel County commissioners voted unanimously April 30 to appoint Under Sheriff Dan Koval as interim sheriff to serve the remainder of Sheriff Bill Masters’ term beginning June 3.

The vote follows a publicized vacancy process the county launched after Sheriff Masters notified the board on Feb. 5 of his intention to retire effective June 2. The board held candidate interviews, accepted public input including a meet-and-greet in Placerville, and reviewed internal staff surveys and 90 letters of support submitted for the two finalists.

Why it matters: the sheriff is an elected constitutional officer; the commission’s appointment fills the office only until the next scheduled election. Commissioners said the appointment is meant to provide continuity and operational stability until voters select a sheriff at the next election.

Details of the selection process and reasoning: county staff described the vacancy process as a combination of internal and external posting that ran through March 31 and included interviews and community feedback. Commissioners said both finalists were highly qualified. The board’s discussion emphasized experience in daily patrol operations, institutional knowledge of the sheriff’s office, and relationships with regional law-enforcement partners as the primary criteria for an interim appointment.

Under Sheriff Dan Koval was described in county presentations as having served in multiple roles within the sheriff’s office, including dispatch, jail operations and patrol, and as the under sheriff for about four years. Commissioners said those qualifications, combined with seniority inside the office, made him the preferred interim candidate to “hold the ship steady” during the transition.

Outcome and next steps: with the board’s unanimous approval the motion passed and Koval will assume the duties of sheriff on June 3, 2025. Commissioners said the next elected sheriff will be chosen by voters at the scheduled election; the interim appointment does not affect that calendar.

Who said what: commissioners repeatedly thanked both finalists for offering to serve and emphasized a desire for transparency in the selection. The county clerk’s office handled procedural matters for the appointment.

Ending: County officials said they will continue to brief the public as Koval assumes the interim role and as the office makes any operational transitions ahead of the election cycle.