Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer

In an unexpected announcement that surprised the Grant County Court and everyone in the meeting room Aug. 14, Sheriff Glenn Palmer said he plans to resign his position in a few months.

Palmer said he will help the court transition to the next person who takes over as sheriff. His current term of office terminates at the end of next year, and he would have faced a primary race in May.

Commissioner Sam Palmer, who met with his brother just before the start of the regular court meeting in the administrative assistant’s office to talk to him about another item on the agenda, told the Eagle he had no idea his brother planned to make that announcement.

Commissioner Jim Hamsher, who serves as the court’s liaison with the sheriff’s office, told the Eagle he was totally surprised by the announcement.

Judge Scott Myers told the Eagle all he knew was that the sheriff unexpectedly asked to speak to the court. The sheriff was not on the agenda, and Myers joked ahead of time that he would give him a little time.

Palmer did not give a reason why he planned to resign his office in a few months, but he was heard to utter under his breath that he’d had enough.

Palmer, who was first elected sheriff in 2000, previously served as a John Day Police Officer. He won re-election over challenger Richard Gray in November 2012 by 2,236-1,477. He narrowly defeated Todd McKinley in the November 2016 election by 2,208-2,065.

The earliest candidates can file for election next year is Sept. 12.