Board appoints longtime sheriff's official Tony Winger to LEC authority

The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted to appoint Tony Winger as the at-large citizen representative to the Law Enforcement Center Authority, with an effective start date of Jan. 20, 2026.

Winger, who told the board he began in 1993 and rose through corrections, patrol, investigations and leadership ranks, described more than three decades of experience with the sheriff's office and a long involvement in the jail project. "I've been in meetings, the new jail, so from day one I've been in meetings ... my life has been the new jail, until the day we moved in," he said, describing work on the design, move-in and operations.

Supervisors and the sheriff endorsed Winger's selection, citing his institutional knowledge and steady leadership during the building and move-in phases. A supervisor said, "There's nobody more capable, of taking on this role," praising Winger's close work with building services and his familiarity with daily operations. The motion to appoint carried 5–0.