OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County commissioners met Monday to decide the fate of county Health Officer Adeline Hambley.
Their decision was that there would be no decision on whether to fire her — at least for now.
Commissioners chose to delay the vote for a third time after nearly eight hours of a closed door session meant to discuss Hambley's ongoing litigation with the county meant to keep her in the post.
One vote commissioners did make was to accept county legal counsel's recommendation regarding the litigation and "settlement activities."
Hambley's attorney, Sarah Howard, confirmed the negotiations following the meeting, but did not provide details as to what the recommendation was.
"I mean, negotiations are always exhausting," Howard said. "I've been doing this a long time and these were very exhausting today. But, I wish I could tell you more, but I can't."
The charges against Hambley stem from actions she took during the county budget process when she went to the press and the public about concerns she had about commissioners' proposal to cut the health department budget.
It was a move she said fell within her duty to protect public health as the cuts, she said, could cause the department to close.
The charges, originally submitted by Board Chairman Joe Moss, alleged that some of her claims were not true and that she was fearmongering and spreading panic.
A two-day termination hearing was held late last month to hear testimony before commissioners made their final decisions.
"If you find in your opinion that evidence before you meets that standard, then you can make the decision," county legal counsel David Kallman told commissioners in his closing statement at the hearing.
A vote on her termination, however, has now been delayed three times, with some commissioners initially saying more time was needed to consider the evidence.
Throughout Monday's meeting, over a dozen members of the public stayed. Some were visibly frustrated but seemingly determined to see it through to the end.
"You are not conservatives," one member of the public said after commissioners recessed. "You are Christian nationalists destroying this county."
While county legal counsel has said this process was set up to be fair and follow the law, Hambley and her attorney have argued, given statements from commissioners and their attempt to replace her in January, commissioners are not a fair decision-making group.
As the meeting is scheduled to pick back up next week, Hambley's attorney did confirm one thing to reporters Monday night: Hambley remains the health officer for the time being.
The meeting is scheduled to resume on Nov. 14 at 9 a.m.
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