Ernest Ornelas inducted as sheriff
Ernest Ornelas repeats the oath for the office of sheriff as Commissioner Clark Conrow reads it to him last Wednesday.
“Do we have a new sheriff in town?” Commissioner Clark Conrow asked last Wednesday as he stood up before the audience that had gathered in the commissioner’s room. “Would he please come forward?”
With friends, family and others gathered in the room, Ernest Ornelas recited the oath of office on Wednesday, Nov. 17 and following a signature on paper, was the officially ready to fill the vacant seat of the sheriff.
“If you will raise your right hand,” Conrow requested, “this is the oath of office for sheriff of Mineral County.”
With his right hand raised, Ornelas repeated oath as Conrow read it to him.
“I, Ernest E. Ornelas, do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the constitution of the United States and constitution of the state of Montana, and I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity, so help me God,” Ornelas stated.
A round of applause followed.
Ornelas won the election on Nov. 2 with a huge gap above his two opponents. He won the election with 600 votes, compared to Tim Vulles, democrat, who garnered 296 votes and Charlie Everson, an independent write-in candidate, who grabbed 132.
Ornelas will no doubt be busy as he starts his new job as sheriff with training to attend in November and December. With a strained budget and low personnel numbers, Ornelas said that he wants to jump in as soon as he can to start handling the aspects of the position.
“I want to get handle on the different issues and get what I can resolved,” Ornelas said. “It’s going to be tough trying to get things organized with the trainings I have to go to. But I want to get an idea of where the budget stands and start looking at any grants we need to apply for next year for equipment.”
Ornelas also wants to look into what it’s going to take to get a Web site up and running so he can get information to the public. He said he also needs to get a board together for the selection process for an undersheriff.
Ornelas said that from friends to family and businesses, there’s so many people that he thanks for their support including the support of the voters.
“People across the county have been so supportive,” Ornelas said. “I just pray I’ll be able to live up to the expectations.”