Boone County Health Administrator: Q & A from an anonymous source. True or False?

I just received an email which appears to have quite a bit of “insider” information regarding what is going on regarding the Administrator controversy at the Health Department.  I am posting it in the hopes that a reader out there can research enough of the allegations so the proper authorities can be questioned and the public can have the real truth. I really do not know where the truth lies on many of the question/answers posed by the unidentified emailer.

Questions that need to be asked:

How much health department grant money is in jeopardy due to this applicant not being acceptable to the state?  (more than 200,000)

Was there an open public search of any kind; Ie, newspaper advertisements, website announcement, professional journal ads? Where are the expense receipts etc. to show the extent of that search? Answer: no receipts exist, there was no search for Malafu Tiatia’s replacement as there had been to replace Doug Beardsley and Carol Klint.

Is the board of health fully aware that even though they were told=2 0the state’s attorney had been asked about the legality of a closed search, she in fact had not been asked?

Was staff utilized in helping to fill this opening when Malafu was selected? Answer: yes

Was staff utilized in helping to fill this opening this time? Answer: no

Has management staff been asked to render an opinion or to give input as to the current situation and the options being discussed? Answer: no

The state has indicated that there was another situation in which a county (Jasper) was allowed to hire an unqualified person and that person was then overseen by a qualified individual.   Was the Jasper County situation exactly like Boone County’s or were there other circumstances? Answer: not the same; a public search had been done and none of the applicants met the requirements. The state then allowed an exception.

Is there anyone currently on staff who fills the state requirements to be an administrator?

Answer: yes ; both the Director of Personal Health Services and the Director of Environmental Health

What other options are available?

1) O ffer severance pay (the position has a 6 month probationary period) to the chosen candidate then;

a. appoint a qualified staff member as interim and not fill the position until the end of the year = saving approx. $30,000.00

b. appoint the two directors as co administrators and not fill the position until the end of the year = saving $30,000.00

c. exercise either option 1 or 2 to act until an open search is completed and an acceptable candidate found = saving money

2) the state has stated that the current assistant administrator may act as interim for 90 days; conduct a search for a qualified candidate during that time to fill the position not to merely oversee on the job training

Is the board of health aware that the Illinois Department of Public Health wants them to reopen the position and conduct an open search and is not really in favor of this stop gap measure?

Has the state’s attorney given an opinion on the option to be overseen by another county or individual for two years? Answer yes; her opinion is that this option can only be exercised out of necessity and that not having an open public search would disqualify that option as being necessary.

What was the board of health response to the well qualified, immediately available individual who sent her resume’ when she read in the newspaper of the disqualification of the chosen candidate?

Does anyone really think having this position overseen for a period of two years is a good idea or is this a fix to save face?

If this candidate had been disqualified because a four year degree is required and she only had a two year degree; would anyone seriously consider allowing her to occupy the position while being overseen for two years while she gets the proper degree?