OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — More than two years after a closed-door session of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, we've now learned the elected leaders did discuss a settlement deal with the county's health officer that included a seven-figure price tag.
On Thursday, the county released the minutes from a closed session meeting on November 6, 2023. The minutes were subject of a lawsuit by the Holland Sentinel, which won a court order for their release.
The closed session meeting minutes show that the commissioners discussed a $4 million offer with embattled Health Officer Adeline Hambley.
While there are not direct quotes of what was said during the meeting, the minutes are a summary of what was said behind closed doors outside the public's view between commissioners, attorneys, and the clerk reporter.
"Chairperson (Joe) Moss said he would rather do a flat $4 million with no severance or benefits," the minutes reflected.
The former county attorney did ask for clarification on the deal, specifically the $4 million amount.
"Chairperson (Joe) Moss said that we are figuring out the cost to get this over with," recorded the minutes.
The minutes recorded Ottawa County’s legal counsel at the time, Steve Kallman, presenting the $4 million offer to commissioners, saying Hambley will accept it and the then-deputy health officer would like 12-months in benefits and severance.
Moss later rebuffed this offer during a meeting in February 2024. Moss told fellow commissioners and those in attendance that the $4 million was "a false narrative from the media and from other people."
DEAL DETAILS FROM CLOSED MINUTES
"According to Hambley’s attorney, she is not interested in any scenario where she is here but not in her current role," the minutes reflected.
The meeting started around 9 a.m. on November 6, 2023, where all commissioners were present and discussed "if she stayed and if she goes."
Hambley’s attorney proposed a figure of "$3.9 million as the potential value of her pension."
Over an hour later, then-Commissioner Rebeka Curran discussed four different scenarios with the commissioners, including the $4 million offer.
"Commissioner (Allison) Miedema, (Gretchen) Cosby, and (Sylvia) Rhodes would like to entertain what it would take for her to walk away," recorded the minutes.
Commissioners proposed $1.8 million, according to these closed-session minutes.
After lunch, Kallman presented Hambley’s offer of $8 million, which was broken down so that "Hambley and Marcia would leave. $2.6 million of that would go to Sarah Howard (contingency later on). $5.4 million to Hambley."
Over the course of a few hours that day, the two sides argued over the dollar amount.
"Commissioners Curran and (Jacob) Bonnema voiced their concerns that this is a frivolous use of taxpayer’s dollars. Why would we do this unless we do not believe we could win in Court," reflected the minutes.
Read the full minutes from the November 6, 2023 closed session below
Ottawa County Closed Session Minutes 11.6.23 by WXMI
HOW WE GOT HERE
In January 2023, a new controlling majority, supported by Ottawa Impact, worked to demote Adeline Hambley to deputy health officer after she had been promoted months earlier.
She sued the county to keep her role and prevent a new person from taking over as the top health official in Ottawa County.
After an extensive court battle, then-Board Chairperson Joe Moss presented four charges against Hambley. She was accused of incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty during the county’s budgeting process.
Hambley claimed the county was attempting to illegally terminate her employment.
The county held a two-day hearing inside the county chambers where Hambley’s attorney, Sarah Howard, and the Kallman Legal Group argued Hambley’s actions leading up to the county’s 2024 budget.
The termination hearing ended with the board approving a motion "to accept counsel's recommendation regarding litigation and settlement activities in the case of Hambley v. Ottawa County as addressed during closed session."
THE DEAL COLLAPSES
The county offered the terms described in the closed session minutes agreed a judge in 2024, but threw the deal out because Moss’ motion wasn’t clear enough, despite 7 of 10 commissioners agreeing to move forward with a settlement.
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Hambley ended up keeping her role as health officer at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars to fight the legal battle over several months.
A judge ruled the county had to pay Hambley’s attorney $188,000. County records show the Kallman Legal Group billed almost $225,000 to the Ottawa County Insurance Authority from February 2023 through April 2024.
After the settlement was reached, FOX 17 learned that Hambley’s initial offer was for her to keep the job and for the county to pay $80,000 in her legal fees.
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