By HOLLY GASKILL
Bearing stark contrast to its 4.5-hour hearing just two weeks ago, the Wells County Board of Health met publicly for just under a minute Wednesday evening.
The special session convened, and board member Bart Hott motioned to table a decision regarding the removal of Health Officer Dr. Kay Johnson. Board member Dr. Mary Donley seconded, and the board unanimously approved.
There was no further discussion, and the meeting concluded. A handful of audience members, who had waited outside the meeting room for nearly an hour, briefly sat in shock as the board members donned their winter coats and headed out.
The board held an executive session for nearly two hours before the public meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. or directly following the executive session.
Board President Chris Esterling declined to give further explanation for the decision. “We tabled (a decision), and that’s what we voted on,” he told The News-Banner. County Attorney Ted Storer advised the board would have further discussion in executive session and a public meeting regarding their final decision.
The board unanimously voted to initiate the process for Johnson’s removal on Dec. 6 and took the matter under advisement after their public hearing on Jan. 10.
During the hearing, Esterling and board member Steve Bales claimed that Johnson had not taken responsibility during the department’s staffing issues in 2023, among other issues with her leadership. Johnson and her legal counsel, Martha Lemert, argued that the county had never held expectations for more involved leadership from the health officer nor communicated something was wrong.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 16.
holly@news-banner.com
