LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington’s Board of Health has agreed on terms of a settlement they would share with Dr. Sheila Owens-Collins, their commissioner who was fired after 3 months on the job for reasons that remain unclear.
The motion approved at the meetings read as follows: “I move that the Board of Health agree to the settlement terms as set forth in the certain draft prepared for and presented to the Board, pursuant to negotiations between the Board and Dr. Owens-Collins, and to approve ____________ to sign the settlement agreement on behalf of the Board of Health.”
Board members had gone into executive session to discuss the motion, shielding the discussions from public view. It was approved once they came back to the public meeting room but without discussion or explanation.
Board chair Dr. Rodney A. Jackson repeatedly declined to answer reporters' repeated questions about the settlement at the conclusion of the special board meeting, saying “Right now, it’s a private personnel matter, so no comment.” He also declined to say if more information would be shared at a later time.
The clarification came hours later from a health department spokesperson, who explained the terms of the settlement now go back to Dr. Owens-Collins, who could choose to sign off on the settlement.
It was described in the official motion as discussing “proposed or anticipated litigation against the Health Department related to the same.”
In other words, the department had been made aware that Collins was suing, or was planning to sue the department because they had fired or disciplined her.
Just like everyone else, health department employees have been left in the dark, wondering why their board removed their commissioner only three months after she took over the role. Her dismissal came last month, upsetting people like David Baker, who found out about the firing from news reports.
“Transparency has been almost nonexistent,” Baker said.
He and a few other colleagues were at the special board meeting to share concerns about pay equity in the department. He said a number of employees are leaving due to low pay. It wasn't the only issue they faced, he said.
"We felt the commissioner was open to progressive ideas that have been lacking here at the health department,” Baker said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, another health department employee said they hoped Collin’s “abrupt firing of our first female commissioner,” had nothing to do with maintaining the “status quo,” but rather than making changes Collins felt was necessary. Collins's firing came in April.
A spokesperson says Collins was not the first female commissioner, and there was another female commissioner in the 2000s.
