WALLACE — Shoshone County Sheriff William Eddy has been under public scrutiny for weeks, but one county commissioner says she stands by the decision to appoint him. 

"His effort stood out to me, demonstrating his commitment and plan for the county," said Commissioner Melissa Cowles.

Eddy was appointed in November, roughly two weeks after former Sheriff Holly Lindsey resigned. He was one of three candidates, along with Spike Angle and Chris Rice, submitted to the commissioners by the Shoshone County Democratic Central Committee.

The commissioners unanimously approved Eddy’s appointment, though Commissioner Dave Dose did not consider Eddy his top candidate; he proffered his support for Angle. However, Commissioners Melissa Cowles and Jeff Zimmerman both put Eddy at the top of their lists. 

Since his appointment, Eddy has faced several challenges. Those have included the resignation of all remaining administrative staff from Sheriff Holly Lindsey’s tenure, two natural disasters, and the Dec. 26 shooting at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office. Last week, the police chiefs of Pinehurst, Kellogg and Osburn released a 2,000-word letter criticizing Eddy and stating they had no confidence in his leadership. 

Cowles, who previously had not commented publicly on much of Eddy’s tenure, said she felt it was time to explain why she voted to appoint him and why she continues to support him. 

“I didn't know any of the candidates personally,” Cowles said. “For context, the week before interviews, we requested that all candidates submit their resumes by the end of the week on a Friday. William turned in a comprehensive package, including a resume, letters of recommendation, certificates and supporting documents to counter the rumors already circulating about him."

Cowles said Angle provided no additional materials, while Rice submitted only a resume. 

One of the most common criticisms of Eddy has been his conduct during his formal interview with the board. 

“Eddy may have offered brief responses but supplied us with substantial material to review over the previous weekend,” Cowles said. “My decision wasn't based solely on the interviews; I took into account all the information presented by each candidate.” 

A video of the interviews is on the Shoshone County YouTube page. 

When asked whether the Democratic Central Committee still supported its decision to include Eddy among the three nominees, committee Chair Diannah Fields-Brown acknowledged ongoing frustration and said the group hopes for a course correction in the next election cycle. 

“The Democratic Central Committee is concerned with the ruptures that have taken place in Shoshone County’s leadership over the past many months,” Fields-Brown said. “We are hopeful that the November election will put us on track to rebuild a strong, cooperative administrative infrastructure countywide.” 

    Eddy