JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The director of the Duval County Health Department created a job for her cousin, then fought to get her annual pay raised to $70,000, according to the findings of an internal investigation.
The Health Department confirmed that Kelli Wells was demoted Monday but continues working for the state in a different position. According to the state, she earns $131,000 per year.
The Florida Department of Health Inspector General's Office investigation into Wells that was prompted by a complaint of nepotism was released March 30.
Investigators documented that Wells created the position of director of organizational development for her first cousin, Andrea Sharpe, at an annual salary of $42,000. Then Wells advocated for a 60 percent "discretionary pay increase" for the position before Sharpe assumed the job in 2014.
"There is no ambiguity in the state ethics law or DOH ethics policy regarding the hiring of one's relatives," the IG report found. "DOH management was negligent and failed in their responsibilities to ensure laws, policies and rules were followed."
DOCUMENT: Inspector General's report on Kelli Wells
The IG report described this as a management failure as it found that at least three deputy secretaries, two chiefs of staff, two general counsels and three attorneys "were either directly involved or had knowledge of" the relationship between Wells and Sharpe.
The report concluded that Wells was being untruthful during the investigation and provided deceptive responses during her sworn statements.
Wells has not returned calls for comment. News4Jax has asked if other administrators will be disciplined, and requested details of Wells' demotion, whether her salary was or will be cut, and Sharpe's employment status.
Wells has been with Florida Department of Health since 2013. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University and attended medical school at the University of Florida. Among the various positions she previously held were associate professor positions at both FAMU and Florida State University's College of Medicine.
Erin Hess, who was administrator of the Marion County Health Department from 2015-2017, was named interim director in Duval County on Monday. She previously was administrator of the Okeechobee County Health Department.