Calaveras Supes Approve New Sheriff

San Andreas, CA — Today, more than six months after the untimely death of Sheriff Gary Kuntz by heart attack, a new Calaveras County Sheriff has been named.

Just before 3:30 this afternoon, the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, following lengthy public interviews of five finalists and public comments, sorted out their own varied thoughts over personal preferences. As reported earlier here, the contenders were Gary Redman and Gary Stevens, who are associated with the Amador County Sheriff’s Office; Pat Garrahan, who ran for Sheriff in 2014 against Sheriff Kuntz; former Calavaras deputy Larry Blaine Smith; and the department’s Sgt. Rick DiBasilio.

In the end, District 4 Supervisor Debbie Ponte moved to appoint DiBasilio to the post, which was seconded by District 5 Supervisor Steve Kearney. It carried 4-1 with District 1 Supervisor and Board Chair Cliff Edson casting the only dissenting vote.

Once the announcement was made, DiBasilio requested to address the board and was promptly given the opportunity. “I want to thank you very much for the opportunity to take care of this department and this county,” he stated. With a voice full of controlled emotion, he added, “As I have expressed in my time alone with you folks, and today…the time that you folks have been working with this process, I want to thank you very much. It is very humbling that I am going to have this opportunity — and I promise you this: I will make you proud.”

As indicated earlier by the board, it will make the appointment official through a public proclamation on May 10. Following that DiBasilio will ostensibly serve out the remainder of Kuntz’s term, which runs through the end of 2018. Following that, in order to remain in the post, DiBasilio would then have to run and be elected Sheriff.