DEMOCRATS NOMINATE WARD FOR SHERIFF

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County acting Chief Deputy Kindal Ward was nominated Monday as the Democratic candidate for the seat of ousted Bollinger County Sheriff Januar Peters.

Ward was selected among five Democratic candidates for the May 14 election. He will face Republican Dan Mesey, 44, a part-time investigator with the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department, who was nominated March 27 by the county's Republican Central Committee.

Ward, 26, is a Zalma native who's been a deputy with the sheriff's department for two years. He recently was promoted to chief deputy following Peters' resignation March 25.

Jessie Denton, the department's former chief deputy, resigned last week to accept another job. Denton's move wasn't connected with Peters' resignation.

Peters resigned after being charged with felony stealing. A state audit in January found Peters had misappropriated at least $5,269 in county funds and that nearly $5,150 had ended up in his personal account.

The special prosecutor appointed to the case, Robert Fuchs, said last week that the Bollinger County Commission had asked Peters to step down.

Berry Hughes was appointed interim sheriff until the May 14 special election.

Ward was selected as the Democratic candidate over Hughes, Jim Bollinger, Roger Crites and Lynn Myers.

He said Monday night that as a life-long resident of Bollinger County, his best asset is his ability to work with the county's residents.

"I was born and raised in Zalma," Ward said. "I have the experience of two years at the department working with the people.

"I know most the people and I think most of the people know me. My family's lived here in the county for 45 years and I feel real close to the people here.

"I want to give them the kind of sheriff's office they deserve."

Ward said that, if elected, he'd work hard to assure that the department is operated efficiently and according to state statutes.

"I want to do everything as we're supposed to do," he said. "I'm ready to work closely with the County Commission, and there's a real good working relationship between myself and (Bollinger County Prosecutor Paul Hahn)."

Ward said he thinks he has the dedication required to be the sheriff of a small, mostly rural area like Bollinger County.

"Being sheriff of a small county like ours requires 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week, and that's what I'm willing to give them," he said. "You have to be here for the people on a full-time basis."

Ward said he thought the nomination Monday night was a unified Democratic effort. "I believe the whole party has pulled together," he said. "That's my goal to have the sheriff's office all work together."