HILLMAN — For at least the second meeting in a row, District Health Department No. 4’s leadership was publicly criticized for a “hostile work environment.”
Three former employees and a resident on Tuesday called on the department’s board to make changes, a month after nurse practitioner Lauren Kreuger publicly called members of the health department’s leadership team “incompetant” and claimed they mistreat staff. The News reported Tuesday the board raised concerns over the department’s workplace as early as last fall. One of the former employees called on the board to fire the department’s chief executive, Denise Bryan.
Commissioners met behind closed doors for nearly 90 minutes Tuesday to discuss the concerns and complaints, but ultimately took no action.
Chairman Bert LaFleche, who represents Montmorency County on the health board, said the board is taking the matter seriously, but none of the board members offered any other public comment. Bryan has refused to comment on the accusations and did so again on Tuesday.
The Health Department provides health services in Alpena, Montmorency, Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties. Two commissioners from each county are appointed to serve on the health board.
Bryan, who is employed as the health officer for District Health Department No. 2 but runs District Health Department No. 4 on a contract, sat in on the closed-door discussion. However, several other members of the Health Department’s leadership team did not.
Lynn Robinson, who worked as a nurse practitioner at the health department for 25 years, and Paula Hyde, who was employed as a public health nurse with the department for five years, both came forward on Tuesday for what they said was the second time they’ve shared concerns about the workplace environment.
Robinson said she was forced to retire out of fear she might be fired and lose her retirement benefits. Robinson said she loved her job.
“One year ago, I spoke at the Health Department board meeting in this very room about administration,” she told the board. “Today, I stand here disappointed. We still have the same administrative team, the same problems remain, the same treatment of staff, with no movement or action by the board, and more staff continue to leave.”
Robinson said the turnover rate not only affects the health department’s bottom line because it costs money to train replacements, but also affects patients. She said patients will attend an initial appointment, and return with “very personal things to discuss,” but there are no familiar faces when they return.
“I’m sure you’ve all been told the services have not been negatively affected,” Hyde said. “Let’s think about that for a moment. Staff turnover is so high that the few core staff remaining are constantly having to train new employees and cover other counties, without their own work getting done.”
Hyde said she asked the board why the “threatening, bullying, and mistreatment of staff is being allowed to continue” since she last spoke to them in September 2018.
“The mass exodus of staff over the past two years should speak for itself,” she said.
Brenda Hanson, who was formerly employed with the health department eight months until she was fired July 31, asked the board to fire Bryan and Personal Health Director Karen Nowicki Compeau. It wasn’t immediately clear why Hanson was fired, though records obtained by The News on Monday through a public records request show she had been previously disciplined.
Hanson claims she was first asked to resign, but refused, and was then fired unjustly because she could not get along with Nowicki Compeau.
Nowicki Compeau refused to comment for The News.
Hanson, who submitted a 56-page document in August asking the health board to investigate, said she became frustrated within two months of starting work at the department. She said the leadership team does not want to change because they want everything to be done their way.
“To be a good leader, you have to take care of your people,” she said. “You have to treat them well, coach them, mentor them, guide them, train them. The health officer has not done any of these — before I was hired nor during my employment. Where does accountability come into play?”
The health board also heard from resident Hailey Black, a registered nurse who recently moved back to Alpena.
Black told the board she attended Tuesday’s meeting mostly to listen and and encouraged the health board to be more transparent with the public. Black said she doesn’t have a position on the issue, but says the health department is “really vital” for the community.
Black said she sees people with “great credentials” at the health department who appear to be doing good work for the community. She said the health department is “really vital” in helping protect the community from drinking water contamination.
“I guess my question is, (the health board) had a closed-door meeting, where is the transparency for the community?” she asked. “When do they get the whole story? Because they’re the ones who are relying on these services, and, right now, we get a little piece of the picture.”
Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or [email protected].
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