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"I met with the prosecutor and (Corporate Counsel) Steve Allen today at 11 a.m.; we discussed this situation," said Huron County Board of Commissioners Chair Robert Haldane. He added, "We basically, the Board of Commissioners is going to turn everything over to them and conduct an investigation into this matter with the Sheriff."

While the three met, they discussed the procedures to follow and the issues involved with the situation.

The investigation will take a dual outlook into the private use of the vehicle, according to Huron County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Gaertner.

"We are going down two tracks of the case; we have to determine if there is a pattern," said Gaertner. He added, "We don't have all the facts (once we do) we will make a determination then."

While Gaertner is looking into the possible criminal aspects of the case, Allen is looking into the "civil" matter of the case.

"We have to look into the personal use of his (Tibbits) county vehicle to take his family to Florida for a vacation; we have to determine if it is a misuse of County property," said Gaertner.

County Officials seem very surprised to find the turn of events.

"It was foolish on his part; it's something that has to be investigated since we can't just simply sweep it under the carpet," explained Allen.

He added, "What we know of Kent Tibbits; he is not in the same realm as the Taits; Kent was using it for his personal use, not personal gain."

Tibbits did pay for his gasoline while on vacation, so officials do not see where there was any personal gain by the Sheriff.

"He says he paid for his own gas, I don't disbelieve that, but there are more issues involved and potential liability," said Allen. He added, "The County of Huron as owners of the vehicle pick up the liability, how do you justify that."

Once the investigation is complete, the cases will be reviewed by Allen and Gaertner along with the Board of Commissioners to determine what, if any action will need to take place.

"I will agree with Commissioner Leonard, really really poor judgment; I am so disappointed to hear of something like this and I was surprised for a sheriff having been around this long, that he would do something like this," said Haldane. He added, "There are a lot of unanswered questions and we have to investigate this further."