Lexington, Kentucky – The interim director of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, Jack Cornett, has announced his resignation amidst a prolonged search for a new health commissioner. Cornett has held the position since the termination of Dr. Sheila Owens-Collins in April 2023, who was let go after only three months in the role.
His resignation will take effect on October 11, according to Kevin Hall, a spokesman for the department. Cornett, who previously served as the department’s chief financial officer and was a member of the Board of Health, expressed gratitude for his experiences in his role. “Serving as the Interim Chief Administrative Officer the past year and a half has been richly fulfilling for me,” Cornett stated. “I have enjoyed working with this team of public health professionals, and I’ve gained much respect for the skills, professionalism and overall strengths of this organization.”
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has faced challenges in finding a permanent leader, with the Board of Health struggling to retain a health commissioner for several years. Before Owens-Collins, Dr. Joel McCullough held the position from December 2021 until his resignation in July 2022. The board has been actively searching for a new commissioner for more than 16 months. In August, Board Chair Majd Jabbour announced the intention to re-post the position.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health department played a vital role in providing information, testing, and immunizations to the community. It operates with a workforce of approximately 170 employees and commands an operating budget exceeding $30 million. The department’s responsibilities include health clinic management, restaurant inspections, school nurse programs, and a needle-exchange initiative, among other public health services.
The search for a new leader has proven costly. Records reveal that the department incurred over $5,644 in expenses for food, lodging, and travel related to previous candidates interviewed between February and June. Additionally, the department paid $45,000 to a consulting firm, 20/Twenty Strategic Consultants, for assistance in the search. After Cornett’s predecessor Owen-Collins was terminated, she threatened legal action against the department, resulting in a settlement package of over $95,000.
Despite the ongoing search, the Board of Health has not publicly explained why previous candidates were not selected. Additionally, no minutes from board meetings from January to August have mentioned the re-posting decision. As the department moves toward finding a new permanent leader, these challenges highlight the growing complexities in public health leadership within the region.
