With the imminent departure of Chief Deputy Ken Mason, who was elected Kennebec County Sheriff in the Nov. 8 election, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett is faced with the prospect of replacing him.

Brackett said he is in no rush. “I’ve put out some feelers, and met with a few folks, but I’m really taking my time,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I really want someone who will be a good fit with the department.” Brackett said he will look both within his department and from outside agencies to find the right person.

Mason, whose last day is Dec. 2, is already spending more time transitioning into his sheriff job. “I’ll be back and forth for a while,” Mason said after the election. “But I have to be ready to go on Jan. 1.” Mason said he will miss his friends and co-workers in Lincoln County, but expects to see them regularly at various functions.