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TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota sheriff's deputy who was fired by his boss after defeating him in a primary race has been offered another county job until he assumes the sheriff's role.
Bon Homme County Sheriff Lenny Gramkow fired Deputy Mark Maggs after Maggs beat him in the election last week.
With no other candidates filing for November's general election, Maggs will win a four-year term that starts Jan. 1.
County commissioners on Thursday voted to offer Maggs another job to tide him over until he takes office, the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan reported . It's not yet known what the job entails or whether Maggs will accept it.
The Bon Homme County State's Attorney and Maggs will negotiate which job he'll be offered, according to the motion.
The sheriff's office was inundated with negative phone calls that hindered emergency responses after the firing. Gramkow said he has no regrets.
"These people don't know me. They don't know my family. They don't know my department, and they don't know the whole story," Gramkow said of the negative comments. "Right now, it's all one-sided."
He acknowledged that he was disappointed after learning that Maggs chose to run against him.
"During the last five years (Maggs was with the department), I was always there for him," Gramkow said. "I was going to run for one more term and then hand it over to him. But he didn't want to wait."
He's begun accepting applications for Maggs' newly vacant position.
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An earlier version of this story was corrected to reflect that the election happened June 5, not last Tuesday.
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Information from: Yankton Press and Dakotan, http://www.yankton.net/
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