PERRYVILLE — Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf announced Tuesday morning his retirement effective September 30th.
He made the announcement in an open letter to county residents on the sheriff’s Facebook page and also posted on other Facebook pages.
The letter was entitled “New Sheriff Coming to Town.”
In it, he said the retirement, which comes three months before he originally planned to retire, came about as the county commission and he reached a mediated settlement as his 2018 lawsuit against the county was about to go to trial.
Schaaf indicated that the county will be making a settlement with him but didn’t say how much it is. He did indicate it was a considerable amount. Schaaf said his retirement date was moved up as a condition of the settlement.
Schaaf said the county also asked for him to make recommendations for a successor and he said he would provide that.
Perry County officials released a statement later in the day acknolwedging Schaaf”s 30-year career as Sheriff and discussing the process of replacing him.
Here is the text of Sheriff Schaaf’s letter to the community, followed by the county’s statement.
New sheriff coming to town
It is with mixed emotions that I come to the people of our community today. I began my law enforcement career over 40 years ago, as a Deputy Sheriff under my predecessor, Franklin “Dutch” Schmidt. That was in 1982.
In 1986 I took a big step and ran for City Marshal/Chief of Police in the city of Perryville. This was my first run for public office, and I won. I went on to win two more elections as City Marshal/Chief of Police.
In 1992 I ran for the office of Sheriff of Perry County and won that. I took office as Sheriff on January 1, 1993. I am currently on my 8th term as Sheriff of Perry County.
The people of this community have shown me overwhelming support throughout my law enforcement career, and I appreciate it very deeply. This has been a great community to grow up in, to get married and raise a family in, to spend my career in, and to spend my life in. You have supported me through eleven elections.
But time marches on, and as much as I may enjoy the job certain things have happened recently that make me look at where I am, and where I should go from here.
Some of you may remember that I was involved in litigation against the county concerning what my wages should be, and what I should have been paid going back a number of years. My case, which was filed way back in 2018, was coming up for jury trial at the end of September, when the offer of Mediation was made to me in an effort to settle this case before going through the expense and time involved in a jury trial.
I agreed to attend this Mediation session and before it was over the county and I had reached an agreement, but it was contingent upon my retiring from the office of Sheriff of Perry County.
Now, when I ran for office this last time, I fully intended to complete the term although I had determined it would be my last. Then the offer was made in Mediation, and I had to step back look at where I am at this point.
Someone in county administration must really want me to retire because they made an attractive offer to settle my lawsuit in mediation. I am confident that I would have prevailed in my litigation, but it was an attractive offer.
However, they insisted I retire on September 30 for some reason and would not even consider a different date. I had wanted to stay in this office until my full retirement age for purposes of Social Security, which would have made my retirement date December 31, but they insisted on the September 30 date.
And so, in the fulfillment of my agreement with Perry County, I have tendered my notice to retire from the office of Sheriff of Perry County, effective at midnight, September 30, 2022.
The Commissioners have asked that I make a recommendation to them for my replacement, and we discussed options and procedures. They will have my recommendation before I retire. I promise to leave the community in good hands
.
It’s been a great ride folks, and I appreciate you more than you will ever know.
Gary J. Schaaf
Sheriff, Perry County
Perry County responds:
Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf announced on Tuesday he would be retiring his post prior to the end of his elected term of office. The Perry County Commission accepted the sheriff’s resignation on Monday, September 19 during their regular scheduled meeting.
Schaaf’s resignation is effective at 11:59 pm, September 30. Schaaf’s current term of office would conclude on December 31, 2024.
Perry County Presiding Commissioner Mike Sauer praised Sheriff Schaaf for his dedicated service to the community as a law enforcement agent.
“On behalf of the commission, we want to thank Gary for years of service to Perry County,” Sauer said. “We appreciate the sacrifices he and his family have made for the department over the last 30 years, and we wish him well in his retirement.”
Schaaf first took office in January of 1993 and over the next three decades, went on to handily win eight terms as sheriff.
The Perry County Commission will appoint an individual to serve as interim sheriff until such time a county-wide Special Election can be held for the county to vote in a new one. Sauer said the commission is taking advisement from multiple agencies and internal law enforcement sources on what individual would best serve the role temporarily.
Should the appointment of an interim sheriff not occur immediately following the midnight deadline on September 30, per Missouri State Statute, the county coroner assumes the responsibilities of the county sheriff until the commission-appointed individual is sworn into the role of sheriff. William Bohnert is the current coroner for Perry County. Bohnert was first elected in 2016 after a lengthy career in law enforcement.
The Perry County Commission has a deadline of ten weeks after the resignation of the sheriff goes into effect to select a replacement. Commissioner Sauer said the commission had no intention of waiting any longer than necessary.
“It is our intention to fill the vacancy as soon we can feasibly do so,” Commissioner Sauer said. “We can’t appoint someone new until the current sheriff is officially no longer serving.”
Perry County Clerk Jared Kutz said the election of a new sheriff would take place at a Special Election as called by the county commission.
“Since the November ballot has already been certified, is currently being printed, and the sheriff’s resignation becomes official after absentee voting opens on September 27, we cannot put this before the voters before the end of the year,” Kutz said.
Also, in accordance with state law, the Perry County Republican and Democratic Central Committee members will each select an individual to serve as the candidate that represents their party on the Special Election ballot.
To serve as sheriff, an individual must be able to meet the following requirements:
- No felony convictions
- Resident taxpayer and Registered Voter of the county
- Resident of the county for more than 1 year before filing for office
- Capable of efficient law enforcement
- Has a valid peace office license at the time of filing for office
- Citizen of the United States
- Resident of the state 1 year next preceding election
- Is not delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence as stated in the declaration of candidacy
Is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state