Update: The Jefferson County Health Department is looking for a new leader after Executive Director Kelley Vollmar resigned on Feb. 19, effective immediately.
The next day the Health Department Board of Trustees voted 4-0 in a special meeting to approve Vollmar’s resignation and a severance agreement. Board member Suzy Davis was absent from the meeting.
According to the severance agreement, the Board of Trustees will pay Vollmar a gross sum of $65,053.07, which is the balance of her projected contractual salary through June 30. She also will be paid $952 for unused sick time, $564 for unused leave time and $3,094.39 for continuation of COBRA medical benefits through June 30.
During the board’s regular meeting on Feb. 22, the board voted unanimously to appoint an interim executive director as recommended by the Personnel Committee. The board announced on Tuesday that Steve Sikes, deputy director of agency operations, formally accepted the interim director position. He has been with the department since 2002 and is a recipient of the Missouri Environmental Health Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
According to the contract, the position comes with a prorated salary increase to $120,000 per year, which was made effective on Feb. 1. If Sikes returns to his current position after serving as interim director, he will return to his current salary or a higher amount if the board decides to adjust the deputy position salary.
He is paid $103,343.51 as deputy director of agency operations, said Jennifer Pinkley, deputy director of agency administration.
Department spokeswoman Brianne Zwiener said Monday that the hiring process for a new director had not been determined yet.
Vollmar had worked for the Health Department for about 15 years and had been the department’s executive director since November 2015. Before that, she was the assistant director for two years. In 2021, her position was changed from an at-will employee to a contracted one, and the board awarded her a three-year employment contract. In April, she received a 6 percent pay increase, raising her annual salary to $141,000.
According to her general release and severance agreement, both parties mutually decided it was in the best interest for Vollmar to end her employment and relinquish her duties prior to the expiration of her current contractual term.
“The Parties agree that this General Release and Severance Agreement is the compromise of disputed claims,” it says. “The Parties strenuously deny and dispute any liability or wrongdoing. The payments provided herein are not to be construed as an admission of guilt or liability on the part of the Board in connection with Employee’s claims which have arisen or may arise related to her employment.”
The agreement states Vollmar is releasing the board, its board members, employees, elected officials, etc. from all manners of liability, claims, actions, suits and damages.
It also says Vollmar agreed not to disparage the board in any forum regarding its treatment of her or the board’s personnel practices. The board agreed not to disparage Vollmar in any forum regarding performance of her duties while employed or “release any information regarding Employee’s separation from employment.”
When asked for further comment about the agreement, Pinkley said the department would not discuss personnel matters outside of executive session.
On March 6, Vollmar, along with Jaclyn Brown, who was the coordinator of the Health Department’s ASPEN program, filed complaints against Davis, who was elected to the Health Department board in 2020, alleging Davis bullied them, violated board bylaws and employee handbook policies. The department hired a third-party firm, which determined the claims were founded. The board censured Davis in April as a result of the complaints – her second censure as a board member.
In Vollmar’s letter of resignation, she said it was an honor to serve Jefferson County residents for the past 15 years.
“Reflecting on my tenure as Executive Director for the Jefferson County Health Department, I strived to elevate my team, this agency, and the discipline of public health in our County to the highest standards. I am proud of all that we have accomplished. During my tenure, we doubled our annual budget from $4 million to $9 million in eight years, achieving our first tax increase in the agency's 69-year history, achieving and maintaining state accreditation for over 10 years and national accreditation in public health preparedness for the last four, while actively responding to the nation's most significant health event in the past 100 years.
“I am proud of the innovative programs developed under my leadership that have responded to our County's emerging needs for mobile clinical and dental health care services, mental health, homelessness, and opioid prevention. I am confident in the skills and talents of the JCHD team as they further expand these life-saving programs for our friends and neighbors.
“That said, my tenure has not been without its challenges. The last four years in this role have been difficult and challenging as we grappled with the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading the Jefferson County Health Department through this time placed an enormous strain on my mental and physical well-being, as well as that of my family. Due to the prominent public role of this position, my family has suffered the undue burden of being innocent bystanders held accountable for the choices I have had to make professionally. I am profoundly grateful for their unwavering love, support, and sacrifice, particularly during this challenging time.
“I took this position with the intention that I would retire from the department. Unfortunately, the last few years have been particularly difficult on my personal health, and I have come to the realization that it is necessary to step away from the pressures incumbent to the Director's role in order to find the work-life balance I need to fully heal.
“I believe now is the best time to do it as the agency is ready to embark on a fresh new journey with a new building and new Board leadership. It is my desire to position this agency and team in the strongest position possible to advance the next generation of innovative health outcomes.
“Thank you for the trust and support you have shown me throughout my tenure. I am confident in the department's continued success in its mission to promote health and well-being. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period.”
Also during the special Feb. 20 meeting, the board discussed and approved a release and settlement agreement with HR Solutions On-Call LLC, which the board hired in August to develop custom job descriptions; a performance appraisal system; wage and survey salary and comp plan development; and custom training series.
During the January meeting, the board learned staff members were not happy with the work that had been completed so far. In the agreement signed on Feb. 20, HR Solutions agreed to a partial refund of $20,000. The board had paid the company $34,000.
Original story: The Jefferson County Health Department will be looking for a new leader after Executive Director Kelley Vollmar resigned on Monday, Feb. 19, effective immediately.
The Health Department Board of Trustees voted 4-0 in a special meeting on Tuesday morning, Feb. 20, to approve Vollmar’s resignation and a severance agreement. Board member Suzy Davis was absent from the meeting.
According to the severance agreement, the Board of Trustees will pay Vollmar a gross sum of $65,053.07, which is the balance of her projected contractual salary through June 30. She also will be paid $952 for unused sick time, $564 for unused leave time and $3,094.39 for continuation of COBRA medical benefits through June 30.
The board hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 22, when it is expected to appoint an interim director based on the recommendation of the Personnel Committee.
Vollmar has worked for the Health Department for about 15 years and has been the department’s executive director since November 2015. Before that, she was the assistant director for two years. In 2021, her position was changed from an at-will employee to a contracted one, and the board awarded her a three-year employment contract. In April, she received a 6 percent pay increase, raising her annual salary to $141,000.
According to her general release and severance agreement, both parties mutually decided it was in the best interest for Vollmar to end her employment and relinquish her duties prior to the expiration of her current contractual term.
“The Parties agree that this General Release and Severance Agreement is the compromise of disputed claims,” it says. “The Parties strenuously deny and dispute any liability or wrongdoing. The payments provided herein are not to be construed as an admission of guilt or liability on the part of the Board in connection with Employee’s claims which have arisen or may arise related to her employment.”
The agreement states Vollmar is releasing the board, its board members, employees, elected officials, etc. from all manners of liability, claims, actions, suits and damages.
It also says Vollmar agreed not to disparage the board in any forum regarding its treatment of her or the board’s personnel practices. The board agreed not to disparage Vollmar in any forum regarding performance of her duties while employed or “release any information regarding Employee’s separation from employment.”
When asked for further comment about the agreement, Jennifer Pinkley, deputy director of agency administration, said the department would not discuss personnel matters outside of executive session.
On March 6, Vollmar, along with Jaclyn Brown, who was the coordinator of the Health Department’s ASPEN program, filed complaints against Davis, who was elected to the Health Department board in 2020, alleging Davis bullied them, violated board bylaws and employee handbook policies. The department hired a third-party firm, which determined the claims were founded. The board censured Davis in April as a result of the complaints – her second censure as a board member.
In Vollmar’s letter of resignation, she said it was an honor to serve Jefferson County residents for the past 15 years.
“Reflecting on my tenure as Executive Director for the Jefferson County Health Department, I strived to elevate my team, this agency, and the discipline of public health in our County to the highest standards. I am proud of all that we have accomplished. During my tenure, we doubled our annual budget from $4 million to $9 million in eight years, achieving our first tax increase in the agency's 69-year history, achieving and maintaining state accreditation for over 10 years and national accreditation in public health preparedness for the last four, while actively responding to the nation's most significant health event in the past 100 years.
“I am proud of the innovative programs developed under my leadership that have responded to our County's emerging needs for mobile clinical and dental health care services, mental health, homelessness, and opioid prevention. I am confident in the skills and talents of the JCHD team as they further expand these life-saving programs for our friends and neighbors.
“That said, my tenure has not been without its challenges. The last four years in this role have been difficult and challenging as we grappled with the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading the Jefferson County Health Department through this time placed an enormous strain on my mental and physical well-being, as well as that of my family. Due to the prominent public role of this position, my family has suffered the undue burden of being innocent bystanders held accountable for the choices I have had to make professionally. I am profoundly grateful for their unwavering love, support, and sacrifice, particularly during this challenging time.
“I took this position with the intention that I would retire from the department. Unfortunately, the last few years have been particularly difficult on my personal health, and I have come to the realization that it is necessary to step away from the pressures incumbent to the Director's role in order to find the work-life balance I need to fully heal.
“I believe now is the best time to do it as the agency is ready to embark on a fresh new journey with a new building and new Board leadership. It is my desire to position this agency and team in the strongest position possible to advance the next generation of innovative health outcomes.
Thank you for the trust and support you have shown me throughout my tenure. I am confident in the department's continued success in its mission to promote health and well-being. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period.”