Tuolumne County Sheriff Mele Retiring Next Month

Sonora, CA — Citing that it will save the sheriff’s department revenue in a tight budget year, Sheriff Jim Mele has decided to retire before his current term concludes.

Since Sheriff Mele is not seeking re-election, his last day in office was scheduled to be at the end of December. In a letter sent this morning, Mele says he has decided to retire on June 30, the final day of the 2017-18 budget year. Undersheriff Bill Pooley is the lone candidate that will be on the June primary ballot, so he will soon become “Sheriff-Elect Bill Pooley.”

Sheriff Mele says by cutting his salary, which has accrued over 30 years with the sheriff’s office, compared to Bill Pooley’s salary, which is based on six years in office, there will be a cost savings. Mele is also recommending that when Pooley selects someone to fill the undersheriff position, that he leave open a lieutenant position, for cost savings.

Mele writes, “These savings will assure that the Sheriff’s Office will not have to see any type of layoffs or demotions, which have been discussed. In 2010 I was unable to stop the handing out of pink slips to several of my employees; this was an action that still haunts me to this day. Today I am in a position to make sure this does not happen again.”

You can read the retirement letter by clicking Sheriff Jim Mele’s Retirement.