COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency Board of Health approved a one year contract renewal for Health Officer Rebecca Burns on Monday after conducting her yearly evaluation in a closed session for almost an hour-and-a-half.
Commissioner Tom Matthew of Branch County made the motion to renew her contract.
(Burns was given a 10 percent pay raise which would put her salary at nearly $89,000. The one year contract would run from January 1, 2022 until December 31, 2022.)
Commissioner Jared Hoffmaster said he was against mask and vaccine mandates as well as mandatory quarantines. He expressed his support for Burns but he felt the Health Board should have more input on decisions that affect citizens in the three counties they serve.
He felt Burns would be receptive to the idea and Hoffmaster joined fellow Commissioners in approving $3,500 in merit pay for Burns for her work during the past year.
The one year contract renewal was approved on a 5-1 vote with Commissioner Brent Leininger of Hillsdale County voting no.
Burns’ contract was set to expire at the end of the month and she was seeking a three year renewal.
The board’s three member Health Program, Policy, and Appeals Committee recommended to the full board last Monday that they renew the contract and that the yearly evaluation be pushed back to either September or October.
There were for and against comments concerning Burns during a nearly half hour public comment period at the start of the meeting.
Detractors of Burns included former Community Health Agency employee Kelly Mapes who served the agency for 28 years. She said Burns neglected to conduct her yearly evaluation for three years and lied about an accident earlier this year involving the Health Agency van.
Others felt she had overreached her authority during the pandemic and was dishonest.
While in the minority, those who spoke in support of Burns basically said she was doing her job.
The regular monthly meeting was not conducted last Thursday due to a dispute over COVID-19 protocols as audience members refused to wear masks or face shields. Board Chair Kathy Pangle then announced the meeting would not be held that day and would be rescheduled.
Monday’s meeting was held via the zoom meeting platform.
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