CLAYTON — The ºüÀêÊÓƵ County public health director misled the county council at a public hearing this week, county employees say, by suggesting her department planned to lay off 16 people.
The layoff notices had already been sent — on Nov. 2, almost two weeks prior.
County council members said Thursday that the news surprised them.
Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, a Democrat from Maplewood, said she didn’t know until that morning that the layoff notices had already gone out.
And Councilwoman Rita Heard Days, a Democrat from Bel-Nor, thought the health department was only proposing the layoffs. She questioned the public health director closely at Tuesday’s hearing, and didn’t know the layoffs were already in the works until a reporter reached her Thursday.
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“The way that it seemed to me was, we’re talking about your budget and we’re saying, ‘What are you going to do to save us a little money?’†Days said. “So, no, I was not aware. I am very, very surprised.â€
Health Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham, who started in January, declined to comment on Thursday, as did department spokesman Christopher Ave.
The issue first came up publicly on Tuesday afternoon at a health department budget hearing. Days didn’t understand why the budget director said the department was losing 26 positions; someone else had told her the number was 16.
“Can you give me an idea about the discrepancy in those numbers, please?†Days said.
“Yes,†said Cunningham. “It is 26 positions total. There’s 10 that are vacant positions, and then the remaining 16 positions are layoff positions due to the reorganization of the health department. So, for a total of 26.â€
Days then asked why Cunningham thought a reorganization was necessary, and why it included cuts.
“Once I do the reorganization,†Cunningham said, “if I determine I need to reopen those positions, I can reopen them.â€
A few minutes later, Clancy questioned Cunningham.
“I’m trying to understand what the full implication is going to be,†Clancy said. “... If we move forward with this (do) you anticipate that those folks will be able to fill vacancies that are currently in your department?â€
“Once I finish prioritizing this,†Cunningham said, “... if I do determine that those positions I truly do need, I can reopen those positions.â€
Clancy defended Cunningham on Thursday, saying it was her first budget presentation, and that she may have been nervous about “veering too far into the weeds about personnel issues.†County officials aren’t allowed to discuss private employee matters in public.
The health department originally asked for $85.8 million in its 2024 budget request, which eliminated 10 vacant positions.
County Executive Sam Page cut the budget to $85 million and included the layoffs. Page also suggested cutting specific positions, including their titles and employee identification numbers, according to an internal record obtained by the Post-Dispatch and interviews with employees.
Budget Director Paul Kreidler said the document doesn’t necessarily identify specific people, but rather job classes. Some could include multiple employees.
Page spokesman Doug Moore said Cunningham suggested the cuts to Page, not the other way around. “After she explained her reasoning for that, Dr. Page agreed with her decisions,†Moore said.
The cuts are from administrative offices, which include communications and information technology staff as well as employees who do long-term strategic planning and grant-writing. No clinical staff positions, such as nurses or people who directly serve the public, would be eliminated, Cunningham said.
Health department employees on Thursday blasted the director for not being clear with councilmembers, and worried about the impact on the department.
One, who is on the layoff list, said an entire team that manages patient records will be gone.
“There is no one there that has the expertise that I have to manage that system,†said the employee. “They’re getting rid of all of us, and the people that are remaining do not have our background.â€
The person requested anonymity, fearing they would lose their job immediately if they went public.
The workers’ last day of employment is set for Dec. 31.
The council could reconsider the health department’s budget as soon as Tuesday.