By HOLLY GASKILL
In a special session Wednesday evening, the Wells County Health Department Board unanimously voted to begin the removal process for Health Officer Dr. Kay Johnson.
The decision followed an hour-long executive session. Three reasons for the session were cited as the initiation of litigation or judicial action, discussion of classified records, and discussion of an employee’s job performance.
Board members Chris Esterling, Steve Bales, Molly Hoag, Dr. Mary Donley, and Ann McNabb were present in person and voted to move forward with the process. Board member Tom Longenberger joined the meeting via phone call and was not permitted to vote.
There was no discussion. In making a motion, Bales simply referenced the conversation had during the executive session. McNabb seconded, all voted in favor, and the meeting adjourned.
County Attorney Ted Storer and Esterling, who serves as board president, declined to comment, citing that it was an ongoing personnel matter. Storer referenced Indiana Code 16-20-1-28 for grounds for the removal.
The code states a local health officer may be removed for one of three reasons: failure to perform the statutory duties, failure to enforce state rules, and “other good cause.”
Also required by the statute, the health officer is entitled to an open hearing and legal representation with notice of at least five days.
Johnson has held the position since 2010. She was most recently re-appointed to a four-year term in 2022.
Should the board continue with Johnson’s removal, the board will begin the process to appoint a new health officer. Storer did state, however, that it is “subject to a veto power by the Board of Commissioners, but the Board of Commissioners doesn’t select, (they) can only approve the appointment by the Board of Health.”
In an Aug. 27 press release from the commissioners, they specifically cited Johnson’s leadership as a contributing factor in their decision to reject available funds through the Health First Indiana program.
The statement read: “Since the added attention and stressors brought on by the Covid pandemic that began in 2020, concerns about the state of the Wells County Department of Health have only increased. Specifically, county officials have continued to field concerns about the department’s management, or rather the lack thereof, by the County Health Officer, Dr. Kay Johnson.”
The item was also broached by Commissioner Jeff Stringer during the health board’s meeting on Aug. 16, after repeated communication lapses caused by Johnson joining by phone. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had that lack of leadership,” Stringer said at the time.
Johnson continued to cite the lack of support and communication from the commissioners as an issue.
The Wells County Health Department has been with half its full-time staff since July of this year when the deputy administrator and septic environmental specialist resigned. Since then, it has also had a turnover in another part-time position. Molly Hoag, who retired from the administrator role in 2022, returned as an interim in July to help the department get back on its feet, but hiring has remained a struggle.
The next regular board meeting is at 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 21 in the meeting room of the Wells County Annex.
holly@news-banner.com
