WEST OLIVE, Mich. — The termination hearing for Ottawa County's health officer will wait another week.
Just after 8 a.m. Monday, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners reconvened its special meeting into Adeline Hambley's employment, only for Chairperson Joe Moss to announce the hearing would be adjourned for a week.
“Best interest to give everybody enough time to keep reviewing all the copious amounts of information,” Moss said.
A crowd of two dozen did not hold back after they learned about the delay in the vote.
“Shame on you, Joe Moss,” and "You are a disgrace and embarrassment," said some audience members.
At first, Moss proposed a new date of Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. However, the attorney for Hambley said she could not attend that day, so the commission ultimately scheduled to return on Monday, Nov. 6 at 9 a.m.
“I didn't necessarily think this is how it would go down. I thought they might make a decision today. So I'm not sure what else there is to be learned over the next week, frankly, that all of their reaction last week, to me, made it fairly clear what they were doing,” Hambley’s attorney Sarah Howard told FOX 17.
Chairperson and Ottawa Impact Founder Moss accuses her of incompetence, misconduct and neglect of duty during the county's budgeting process. For two days last week, Hambley's attorney, Sarah Howard, called several witnesses to testify in defense of the health officer.
"Obviously, they campaigned on removing me. They voted to remove me on January 3. So I think it's not unexpected. I think what's unexpected is this delaying and carrying it out and the complete circus that we're operating in right now," Health Officer Hambley said.
About two dozen people showed up Monday to hear a decision. Despite that not happening, attendees tell FOX 17 their presence is important.
"So by being here just to put a spotlight and put visibility on what's going on, I think that helps turn the tides to try to keep this from happening," Luke Sanner from Park Township said.
Ottawa County's health officer and the Board of Commissioners have been at odds ever since January, when a number of candidates aligned with Ottawa Impact took office. During the Board's first meeting in January they moved to remove Hambley from office, but a series of state law requirements and legal motions by Hambley have kept her in office so far.
The OI majority voted to put in their pick, Nathaniel Kelly. In recent weeks, County Administrator John Gibbs sent Kelly’s credentials to the state health department for approval.
MDHHS responded saying they can’t review the documents if there isn’t a health officer vacancy.
"I think it's terrible to hold this hearing for the reasons I think they're holding it. Then to put it off twice, drags it out for everyone," Howard said.
FOX 17 asked Hambley if the Board of Commissioners were to keep her on, how she would move forward.
"I think if they decide to keep me, that maybe they will have understood that there's more to the statute and the authority and the officer position have a health officer than they thought," Hambley told FOX 17. "I'll continue doing my job and serve the community and protect them."
READ MORE: Ottawa County Commissioners hold removal hearing
The Board of Commissioners room became a makeshift courtroom for two days last week for this scheduled removal hearing. The commissioners heard testimony from several witnesses, including current and former employees of Ottawa County. The county commissioners approved recess to go over their notes to cast their vote on whether Hambley should be removed as health officer.
The longest testimonies commissioners heard were from County Administrator John Gibbs and Hambley.
Gibbs answered questions from Howard for around three hours, ranging from his interactions, emails and his hand in crafting Ottawa County's Public Health budget for 2024.
FOX 17 previously reported several dozen answers Gibbs gave were "I don't remember," "I don't recall" or "That's what is written."
READ MORE: Removal hearing enters day 2
Gibbs did clarify his feelings after Hambley went public about potential cuts and accused him of leaving her out of the budget negotiations.
"The budget is process. And so throughout that process, to be going to the media and saying things like, 'The Department of Public Health will be forced to shut its doors,' I think it's extremely highly irresponsible," Gibbs explained to Howard.
Hambley has told FOX 17 that she stands by her actions to tell the public where Ottawa County was in making this year's budget.
"To me, this is public information and this is good transparency. That is granted there," Hambley said during testimony.
HOW WE GOT HERE:
The health officer initially submitted to have Public Health's general fund allocation of around $6.4 million. Not long after that initial request, Moss suggested during a scheduled Finance Administrative meeting to have that number at $2.5 million.
"I'd love to see that budget go back to kind of what it has been historically, maybe put it down towards 2.5 [million dollars] in the general fund allocation," Moss said at a meeting.
READ MORE: Ottawa Co. Health Officer Department asked to cut budget by 50%
Gibbs then emailed Hambley a day later, on Aug. 22, to work with fiscal services "to work out the details of a budget using $2.5 million general fund contribution," and to eliminate all COVID-19 grants. According to that email, Gibbs told Hambley to return it to him in less than 48 hours.
According to data from Public Health, the department had never been near a $2.5 million general fund in 20 years.
FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION:
In an email dated Aug. 23 from Gibbs to Hambley and Ottawa County Fiscal Services Director Karen Karasinski, he wrote, "Please proceed with producing a budget with a general fund contribution as close to the below‐directed level as possible."
During the removal hearing, Howard asked Karasinski what she thought at the time when she read that email.
"I believe that we were focused on the 2.5 [million]," Karasinski responded to Howard's question.
Hambley went public on Aug. 24 to explain this budget level. If approved, it would lead to the closure of Ottawa County Public Health in weeks. The health officer explained without proper funding, the Health Department wouldn't have the necessary funds or meet adequate service levels on essential services.
Since then, county leaders have backtracked, providing more money to key programs like Family Planning. According to emails sent to FOX 17, if this program didn't meet proper funding, Ottawa County risked sending its Title X grant to its nearest recipient, which was Planned Parenthood.
READ MORE:
- Facing budget cuts Ottawa health officials planned parenthood explore options
- Family Planning sees added funding
Another issue within this budgeting process is the possibility of excluding the health officer during the final weeks.
The county leaders maintain that they always included Hambley in the budget.
"John Gibbs never told you to cut Ms. Hambley out of any of the process?" Ottawa County Attorney David Kallman asked Karasinski.
"He did not," Karasinski replied.
Howard released 550 pages of emails from Hambley, which include her conversations between Gibbs, Karasinski, another fiscal service employee, and Commissioner Gretchen Cosby.
In one of those emails from Aug. 25, Gibbs told Karasinski to create a budget for "Public Health general fund contribution to $2.5 million, and then have Public Health use a portion ($1.3 million) of their $3 million fund balance to reach $3.8 million." The county administrator did CC Hambley on it. At the end of his email, he added, "For any additional details, please work with Nina and Kris to set the exact budget numbers within the above parameters."
Hambley has explained she was left out as county leaders worked to set Public Health's budget, without her input on why programs need a certain level of funding.
"This is me at the window, looking in at the birthday party and trying to get myself invited in," Hambley said during testimony.
Kallman disagreed in his closing remarks on Wednesday: "Ms. Howard just spent hours today [Wednesday] with her own client, [and] with Mr. Gibbs going after email after email after email showing [Hambley's] involvement."
OTTAWA COUNTY FINALIZES BUDGET:
According to public health officials, the health department is now allocated $4.8 million from the general fund by utilizing $1.7 million of its rainy day funds.
READ MORE: Board of Commissioners vote on 2024 fiscal budget
Moss told his Board members back when the budget was approved in late September that this is the second-highest Public Health budget second to 2023 numbers.
"General fund is important, but when you can reduce general fund allocation by using state grants and other monies, then you don't have to use the general fund," Moss added.
The jurors, Ottawa County Commissioners, who are the majority of Ottawa Impact members, will vote on Monday at 8 a.m. The vote would determine if Hambley will stay as Ottawa County's health officer or not.
