AUGUSTA — Ryan Reardon was sworn in as Kennebec County sheriff at Tuesday’s Kennebec County Commissioners meeting, with members of his family and staff watching.

Former Maine Senate President Libby Mitchell, who is a dedimus justice, administered Reardon’s oath of office.

“He is a most extraordinary young man,” Mitchell said. “He’s so humble and so pleased.”

“I’m still doing my job,” Reardon said Tuesday.

Reardon was appointed sheriff by Gov. Paul LePage in March, after nearly six months of partisan wrangling between the Republican governor and the Kennebec County Democratic Committee over the authority of the governor, the duty of the committee and the vague wording in state statute that governs how such appointments are made.

Reardon was appointed interim sheriff in September after LePage appointed former Sheriff Randall Liberty to be the warden of the Maine State Prison in Warren.

With this appointment, Reardon will serve as sheriff for the remainder of the year. A special election in November will determine who will serve the remaining two years of Liberty’s term.

The county political committees will determine via caucus the candidates for the special election.

Ken Mason, who briefly was LePage’s appointee to the sheriff’s position, withdrew his name from consideration when a battle over the legality of the appointment appeared to be brewing. Mason, the chief deputy in the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, had put forward his name to the county Democratic committee for consideration, but the committee decided not to send it on to LePage. Mason has said he’ll run in the special election as an independent.

Jessica Lowell — 621-5632

jlowell@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @JLowellKJ

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