Ritch Wheeler, Wesley Doolittle and David Eason were sworn in Jan. 1 for various elected positions across Montgomery County, marking the end of office for several longtime elected officials.

Two-minute impact

During the ceremony, several elected officials across the county were sworn in for their respective positions. While the majority of officials were sworn in following a successful re-election bid, such as County Attorney BD Griffin and Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae, three candidates replaced outgoing elected officials.

• Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle
• Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler
• Precinct 2 Constable David Eason

Wheeler defeated incumbent James Noack in the March Republican primary election and Doolittle won a May runoff following the March primary, replacing Rand Henderson. Neither candidate faced Democratic or independent challengers in the November general election. Eason won the election to replace Gene Deforest, who did not seek re-election following 24 years of service to the Precinct 2 Constable's Office.

In their words

"As we move forward together, I pledge to keep the lines of communication open and transparent," Doolittle said in a letter to residents published on the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office website Jan. 1. "Your input and involvement are essential to our success. I am excited about the future and confident that, with your support, we can achieve great things for Montgomery County."

What's next?

Law enforcement officials began their duties at midnight on Dec. 31 to ensure seamless service. Wheeler began duties on Jan. 1, but he also closed all Precinct 3 county facilities on Jan. 2 for a department-wide staff meeting.