JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Internal emails from the interim director of the Duval County Health Department obtained by the I-TEAM show the department is facing a $1.8 million budget shortfall and 35 or more employees will be laid off.
Interim Director Erin Hess wrote to her employees that the first nine positions were eliminated last month, but two of those jobs were already vacant. Seven more employees were laid off Thursday.
At least 19 more jobs were be eliminated between Phase II of the reduction in August and Phase III in mid-September.
Hess told her employees she's been a county health department staffer in a workforce reduction environment herself, adding that her mother was laid off when she was growing up. She strongly encouraged the use of the Employee Assistance Program Resources, saying that they go far beyond just counseling.
Hess took office in April in the midst of another crisis, replacing former Director Kelli Wells, who was demoted following a state inspector general investigation revealed she violated ethics laws by creating a position for her cousin, then pushed for a 61 percent salary increase before that person even started the job.
After Wells' demotion, she was moved to a position with the St. Johns County Health Department. In a settlement agreement with the state, Wells resigned that job July 18.
News4Jax requested an interview with Duval County Health Department officials about the budget shortfall and job cuts, but the request was declined.
The I-TEAM requested public records Monday about from the Florida Department of Health requesting details about the upcoming budget and programs that may be changed, but that information has not been provided.