OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County's Board of Commissioners will hear arguments next month on if they should remove Adeline Hambley as the county's public health officer.
The hearing notice was shared Wednesday on the county's website and was signed by Commission Chairperson Joe Moss.
It lists several charges the commissioners will consider:
- Ms. Hambley demonstrated incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty by making false public representations about budgetary scenarios.
- Ms. Hambley demonstrated incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty by falsely claiming that she was not included in the budget process.
- Ms. Hambley demonstrated incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty by failing to cooperate in the budget process.
- Ms. Hambley demonstrated incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty by making false claims that encouraged and caused confusion, anxiety, fear, and panic in the community.
"The charges pretty much speak for themselves. I mean, that's based on the evidence, and that's why we attached all the evidence," Kallman Legal Group Senior Partner David Kallman told FOX17.
All of the charges are related to the Public Health budgeting process. Commissioners passed the FY24 budget Tuesday night, which includes cuts to some Health Department programs. In the weeks leading up to the vote, Hambley was vocal about the cuts.
The notice cites MCL 46.11(n) as justification for the hearing, which says a county board may remove an appointed officer if they are incompetent or "guilty of official misconduct, or habitual or willful neglect of duty."
"It's obviously dealing with Ms. Hambley's old statements. And the statements that led to problems and people being misled about the budget process and what was going on? What was being cut, what was not being cut," Kallman added.
The public hearing documents show County Administrator John Gibbs's emails in the public hearing letter. The emails start in mid-August, discussing general fund contributions of around $2.5 million.
According to the health department, that number was an 80% reduction from what the health department had originally asked for.
Following the request, Hambley posted to social media that this funding level would shutter the department in weeks. The public hearing documents show Gibbs sent an email on August 23: "Please proceed with producing a budget with a general fund contribution as close to the below-directed level as possible."
"We reviewed evidence and information at the request of the Board Chair, Mr. Moss, and then drafted the document.
These emails are the first time FOX17 is seeing Gibbs's requests. We have reached out several times, both in emails and in person.
Commissioner Chairman Joe Moss also provided his thoughts on the budget process.
"These are merely a sample of the fear and terror that Ms. Hambley inflicted on the community," Moss wrote. "While it is always acceptable to publicly criticize an officially proposed budget...it is wholly inappropriate to present internal budgetary questions to the public."
In corporate counsel's initial email, he asked if Hambley had any interest in a 'global resolution' where both sides could go their separate ways.
Hambley's attorney responded in part:
"She is not interested in a negotiated resolution of her case, which would involve her resignation or her removal as Health Officer," Sarah Riley Howard explained.
Hambley's attorney filed emergency orders Wednesday. Howard says these allegations of incompetence, misconduct, and neglect of duty by Hambley are a sham to get her fired.
Howard is asking the court to delay the removal hearing until further notice, and she's asking the court to issue that delay before planned oral arguments on October 11th.
The hearing is scheduled for Oct. 19, 2023, at 8 a.m.
This is the latest development regarding Hambley's employment with the county.
In January, the newly elected board voted to demote her from health officer to an interim role. County Administrator John Gibbs also indicated that the board planned to replace her, although current Michigan law says the position of health officer cannot be terminated without just cause.
Months later, Hambley sued the board, claiming they wrongfully demoted her, which stripped her of the abilities to make decisions essential to her role. The lawsuit also claimed that commissioners were creating problems with the goal of firing her.
That lawsuit is still working its way through the court system.
This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 17 for updates.
Read the full notice here:
Hambley released the following response:
September 27 Adeline Hambley Response to FY24 Budget Approval by WXMI on Scribd
Read Hambley's motion for stay of hearing below:
Hambley's Motion for Stay of Hearing by WXMI on Scribd
