The state's top health official, Dr. Howard Rodenberg, was fired Thursday by Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Roderick Bremby.
"I was relieved of duty this morning," Rodenberg said.
He said Bremby cited a reason for the dismissal, but Rodenberg declined to say what Bremby said.
"You'll have to ask the secretary about that," he said.
Bremby's spokesman, Joe Blubaugh, refused to say why Rodenberg was fired. "It's a personnel issue," he said. KDHE named Richard Morrissey interim director of health.
Rodenberg served as the State Health Officer and director of health for KDHE. He was hired by KDHE in March 2005. Before, he had been director of Volusia County Health Department in Florida. He received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.
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hornhunter (anonymous) says…
IS Bremby next? Hope so!
igby (anonymous) says…
I think the public as a right to know why he was fired. Bremby, should be clear about the matter unless he wants and AG's office investigation, lol.
Wilbur_Nether (anonymous) says…
igby, agencies are allowed to withhold that sort of information under the Kansas Open Records Act. If you want that kind of information open, contact your legislator and ask the Act be amended to make it available.
KansasMeadowlark (anonymous) says…
Rodenberg was an "unaffiliated" voter and had never made a political contribution to Sebelius or other Democrats. Perhaps Sebelius/Bremby didn't trust Rodenberg to do the job they wanted.
Even though Bremby declared bankruptcy earlier this year (KDHE secretary, wife file for bankruptcy, http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/apr... , even though they make over $200,000/year), he still found a way to donate $500 to Sebelius for Governor on 10/26/2006.
ASBESTOS (anonymous) says…
He was probably fired because he wanted to actually do public health Programming and enforcement. If you want to do that, KDHE will kill your soul.
However IF you want to be a jerk, not do your job, want to be politically driven, and take the path of least resistance and have the spine equal to that of a snail, you have the job and are welcome for the duration.
kdhe has to be the WORST Evironmental and Health Governmental Agency in the United States.
"IF they work here they must really suck at their job."
ASBESTOS (anonymous) says…
Bremby was about as bad for the KDHE as Carol Browner was for EPA in the Clinton Admin.