Board approves health board resignations

ELDORA - Continuing fallout from the resignation of Hardin County Sanitarian Jessica Sheridan has seen senior leadership with the county health board submit their resignations.

Chairman Breanne Butler, Vice Chairman Tom Borer and board members Kara Butler and Kristin Hodges all submitted their resignations in recent days.

Butler cited time commitment.

“This disagreement, is just something I don’t want to be apart [sic] of,” said Hodges.

Butler pointed to the resignation of Jessica Sheridan as a reason.

Borer was the most vocal.

“It has become clear to me that the needs of the people of Hardin County and a balanced approach to governance are not considered by this board of supervisors,” said Borer. “We have asked the supervisors to reverse their decision regarding this action on several occasions, but they are not interested in righting this wrong.”

Borer alternated between calling Sheridan’s departure a “forced resignation” and then a “firing.”

Granzow asked for discussion and then addressed a matter of protocol in response to comments from a member of the public.

“No discussion?” said Julie Duhn. “Perfect.”

The interruption drew a rebuke.

“Don’t interrupt again, please,” said Lance Granzow, chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

“Sure, sure,” said Duhn. “I won’t. I’ve signed up for public comment.”

Vice Chairman B.J. Hoffman motioned to appoint Aaron Budweg on the Board of health to replace Kara Butler.

The board approved that appointment.

A special session was scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Thursday with possible appointments to the board of health.

Public Comment turned heated.

“After all, the buck stops with you three in this county,” said Donna Juber. “It would seem to me there was a failure to check the 28E before you made your decision on Jessica Sheridan.”

Action on the 28E ahead of time would have eliminated trouble.

“One of you should have read it,” said Juber. “One of you should have known it expired. One of you should have talked to Jessica first if there was a problem after giving her a great review just a couple of months before.”

Juber also criticized the person appointed to take on some of the responsibilities of Sheridan.

“Amanda Winters as the interim Environmental Health person should be considered a conflict of interest, since she and her husband own a septic tank company,” said Juber.