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San Miguel County Undersheriff Dan Covault was appointed to serve as interim sheriff at a San Miguel Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday.

“The majority of the board has indicated support for Undersheriff Dan Covault. Is there a motion to appoint Sheriff Dan Covault as the next sheriff as of June 3, 2025, to serve out the remainder of the term?” said San Miguel County Manager Mike Bordogna.

“So moved,” chimed in San Miguel County Commissioner Lance Waring.

The sheriff vacancy comes as current Sheriff Bill Masters announced his retirement earlier this year. Covault will serve the remainder of Masters’ term, which is set to expire in 2026.

Covault was one of two candidates who applied for the position. San Miguel County Sheriff Operations Sgt. Lane Masters also applied.

County commissioners held interviews for both candidates last week. Bordogna said many members of the community shared their opinions and feedback on the candidates to help inform the decision.

“We’ve received 90 letters of support for both of the two candidates combined. We received 39 staff surveys from the sheriff’s office about the qualities—not who they would prefer—they’re desiring in the sheriff to fulfill the vacancy,” Bordogna said. “I also know the commissioners received numerous written feedback, but also, you’ve had a lot of in-person meetings with citizens on the street, phone calls. This has been, without a doubt, the most public input the commissioners have ever received regarding a vacancy appointment.”

Before voting on an appointment, each commissioner had the opportunity to share their thoughts.

Commissioner Galena Gleason began by recognizing current Sheriff Masters.

“I’d like to start by giving deep respect and recognition to Sheriff Bill Masters’ tenure as sheriff for 45 years and really being dedicated to the safety and vitality of the residents and visitors of San Miguel County,” Gleason said. “Thank you for your service.”

All commissioners noted the decision on who to appoint was a difficult one, as both candidates are qualified.

“I would sleep well knowing that San Miguel County is under the protection of either Lane Masters or Dan Covault,” said Commission Chair Anne Brown.

Commissioner Lance Waring urged the candidates and community to stay kind.

“In a moment, one of the candidates and their family and friends will be disappointed. That’s the hard fact of binary decisions,” Waring said. “No matter how the votes fall, I ask everyone involved to neither gloat nor hold a grudge. Each member of this board is simply doing their job by making what they feel is the best possible interim decision for the sheriff’s appointment for San Miguel County until the voters can have their final say in 18 months.”

All commissioners emphasized the importance of voters having their say in an election next year.

“The job of the BOCC today is not to anticipate the outcome of that election, but to determine who best to hold the sheriff’s office steady in the interim,” Brown said. “Today we are appointing an interim sheriff.”

Commissioner Brown gave her support to Undersheriff Covault.

“The job of the undersheriff is to execute the sheriff’s duties when the sheriff is absent, or incapacitated. To, in effect, serve as interim sheriff,” Brown said. “Our long-serving sheriff will be ‘absent’ after June 2—the date on which he begins his well-deserved retirement. At this point, I feel it is my duty to appoint the person to serve as interim sheriff who knows the sheriff’s office most intimately, has more seniority, and is currently second in command.”

Commissioner Gleason joined Brown in her support for Covault. Commissioner Waring expressed his support for Sgt. Masters.

However, when it came to the official vote, Brown urged unanimity.

“While I see from our vote, our preferences are not unanimous. I would respectfully encourage the dissenting voter to join the majority and vote in favor of this motion,” Brown said. “The incoming sheriff will need, and deserves, the full support of all county commissioners—as will whoever is elected in November of 2026.”

Waring obliged, and the vote to appoint Undersheriff Covault to sheriff was unanimous.

Dan Covault will step into the position of San Miguel County sheriff when Sheriff Masters retires on June 2, 2025.