(KLZA)-- During the Tuesday meeting of the Richardson County Commissioners, Board members voted to accept the resignation of Sheriff Don Pounds.

Pounds submitted a letter of resignation Saturday, July 6.

In the letter, Pounds tells the Board they have forced his resignation.

Commissioners have appointed longtime Deputy and Sheriff's Department Investigator Roland Merwin to serve as Acting Sheriff until a permanent replacement is appointed. The newly appointed Sheriff will serve the remainder of Pounds term which goes until January, 2022.

Richardson County is now accepting applications for the position of Sheriff. Applications are due by July 29. The County Board must appoint someone to the position within 45 days from July 9, the day Pounds resignation was accepted.

In a three-page letter Pounds said quote: “I refuse to become a puppet for the City of Falls City and hereby stand up for the Citizens of Richardson County to do what I believe is right, which is resulting in this resignation.”

Pounds said he believes he is doing what is the best for the citizens of Richardson County, not just what is best for the City of Falls City.

In the final paragraph Pounds alleges that in January of this year, the City Attorney of Falls City initiated a criminal investigation against him on state and or federal charges. Pounds said he requested an attorney to assist him with the defense against the charges, that if founded, would have also made the County liable. He says after repeated requests he was denied an attorney and had to face a criminal investigation that included several Sheriff's Office employees being involved, and noted that thanks to the professionalism of the entire Department, the case was unfounded.

Pounds claims the Commissioners denied his basic rights by not allowing an attorney and accused the City of Falls City as the initiator of the accusation.

There are several paragraphs of the letter concerning the situation involving records management systems which started with a dispute over whether the system would be installed on a server with the City of Falls City, or one at the Richardson County Law Enforcement Center.

In related news Tuesday it was revealed that current Jail Administrator Jonathan Kirkendall has resigned from his position. He will stay with the Sheriff's Department as a part-time deputy.

Merwin told MSC News that he is appointing former Richardson County Sheriff Randy Houser as temporary Jail Administrator.