Sheriff Brian Means to retire Feb. 28; chief deputy Shane Lynn to assume duties pending board process

Sheriff Brian Means announced to the Alleghany County Board that Feb. 28 will be his final day in office and that, under statute, the chief deputy (Shane Lynn) will assume the sheriff’s duties on March 1. Means said he submitted his retirement paperwork and the state has accepted it; he urged the board to support a smooth transition and said he intends to back Chief Deputy Shane Lynn.

"There's a statute that comes that starts the process the day that I retire ... at that point, you guys are going to have 30 days," Means said, explaining the board’s role in considering a successor under the statutory timeline. He described his 33 years in law enforcement and said he was stepping aside as a matter of principle and in part to avoid "lame duck" conflicts during the transition.

Commissioners praised Means’s tenure and said they expect a smooth handover. The board did not take formal action regarding appointment at the Feb. 16 meeting; Means said the statutory process begins after his retirement date and the board will have 30 days to act on interim appointment matters.