Longtime Ocean County Sheriff William L. Polhemus has tapped his former undersheriff to replace Wayne R. Rupert, who died in October.
William T. Sommeling's appointment is slated to be announced at the Ocean County Board of Freeholders meeting Wednesday, said Mary McCue, Polhemus' secretary.
Sommeling, 77, previously served as Polhemus' undersheriff for many years.
Polhemus could not be reached for comment this afternoon, McCue said.
"The sheriff is unable to come to the phone," she said. "He's tied up."
Sources say Polhemus, 83, wants to run for another term as Ocean County sheriff in 2012.
Freeholder John P. Kelly said this afternoon that he has been interested in the sheriff's position for years, but only if and when Polhemus decides to step down.
"As far as I know, Bill Polhemus is going to be our next candidate," Kelly said. "I'm not seeking to unseat the incumbent sheriff."
The decision of who would replace Rupert following his death in October was the 83-year-old sheriff's decision to make, Ocean County Administrator Carl W. Block has said.
The is one of three constitutional offices in the state, which gives Polhemus the power to appoint Rupert's successor, he said.
"It's his sole choice," Block has said.
at his vacation home in Lancaster County, Pa., after he fell from the roof of his trailer, Block said.
Do you approve of Sommeling's appointment and do you think Polhemus should run again? Tell us in the comments section.
To lodge all power in one party and keep it there is to insure bad government and the sure and gradual deterioration of the public morals. - Mark Twain's Autobiography
We will soon have a true Democracy (which the Founders warned against) because those getting benefits from the government will vote for the Party that guarantees them the most hand-outs from government......The Pilgrims learned, after two hard winters, that everyone has to pull his own weight or the society fails....I am not talking about SS benefits for those on it now or shortly....(that system must be reformed to benefit the contributor and not the government) but people need to get active and get rid of dinasours - people and ideas that plague our current system...or we face a financial collapse as a nation that I do not want to contemplate. At 67 and still working (Capitalist.....at a Commission based job the current economy is hurting for sure)....I cannot afford to "retire"... Question for the Sheriff: When was the last year you were able to qualify to carry a gun...with the standards required for a probationer? I hope he no longer carries!
Jeeeze, I was practically pushed out of my job to make room for younger people at 50 yrs. old and we actually allow this guy, who shouldn't even be driving, to contine to be paid for a job that someone half his age needs to have, sorry buddy time to move on. The tax payers have served you well and your friends too. There needs to be a law against this non-sense. Stop the madness.
Quit sleeping in the barn, your horse is dead, he won't get up. Just walk off into the sunset and let a real Sheriff come to town.