OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Recently, Ottawa County Health Officer Adeline Hambley spoke on her frustrations about the controversy surrounding the Ottawa County Health Department.
"I think that anybody that works in business and in the community that a request of this magnitude, a 60 to 70 percent cut of an operating budget, with an anticipated turnaround of two days in order to provide that is an unreasonable request," said Hambley previously on the departments budget cuts.
Hambley requested a $6.7 million budget, however, the county told her to drop the budget to $3.8 million instead.
"I think the assertion being made is it's saving taxpayers money, that cutting 4 million or more from our budget is somehow a savings to taxpayers. And that's not what's happening," Hambley stated.
Hambley was not available for an interview Monday. She was told by county leadership to attend the county's committee meetings Tuesday morning.
Her lawyer said they believe the commission intends to fire her during the meeting.
Hambley said last week county leadership locked her out of the Health Department's social media accounts, saying she was "insubordinate" and her behavior was "unprofessional".
In a statement, county leadership said in part quote:
"Claims being made by the Department of Public Health, such as that the department will be forced to close its doors, or to cut essential mandated services, are patently false, bad faith, and disingenuous fear-mongering tactics."
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