WELLS COUNTY, Ind. (WPTA) – Over the past several months, members of the Wells County Board of Health and other county officials have expressed their dissatisfaction with Wells County Health Officer Dr. Kay Johnson-Keyes.
Dr. Johnson-Keyes has served as Wells County Health Officer since 2010 and was elected to an additional four-year term in 2022. The County Health Officer is responsible for protecting the health of Wells County residents. They are also designated officials under Indiana law to manage the organization and operations of the Wells County Health Department.
Wells County Board of Health meeting minutes show the department had high turnover and staffing issues in 2023. In April, Dr. Johnson-Keyes apologized for not being able to attend the meeting due to health issues.
She continued to be absent, missing hours and missing meetings, according to employee and board records. Minutes from a December meeting show the department continued to experience hiring issues, and one employee told the board that they needed better direction from leadership.
That same month, the Wells County Board of Health called a special meeting. During the meeting, the board unanimously voted to remove Dr. Johnson-Keyes as Wells County Health Officer.
However, the process stalled in January as board members continued to discuss her removal in executive board meetings.
On Friday, the Wells County Board of Commissioners and the Wells County Board of Health released a joint statement saying Dr. Johnson-Keyes is voluntarily resigning from his position as local health official but will continue in his capacity as a consultant.
Officials have not released a timeline for how long it will take to find a replacement for Dr. Johnson-Keyes. 21Alive News told the health department that it contacted Dr. Johnson-Keyes for a response but was unable to find the correct contact number or email address.
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