VERMILION COUNTY, Ill., (WCIA) — Vermilion County Health Department’s former administrator Doug Toole is suing the Vermilion County Board of Health. He said he was forced to resign.
The lawsuit accuses the County Board of violating the state’s Open Meetings Act at the Nov. 10 meeting. The lawsuit states the following were violated:
- Adjourned to closed session in the November 10, 2022 meeting without a quorum;
- Failed to take a vote to go into closed session in the November 10, 2022 meeting;
- Took final action in closed session to notify Plaintiff of an ultimatum—to either resign as Public Health Administrator, or be immediately terminated;
- Failed to vote to return to open session after meeting in closed session;
- Failed to take any final action related to Plaintiff’s employment in open session, including taking a vote authorizing Gross to provide Plaintiff an ultimatum of either resigning or being immediately terminated; and
- Failed to keep accurate minutes of the November 10, 2022 meeting
Toole spent 34 years with the Health Department, six in the administrator position.
Jana Messmore is serving as the administrator for now until the Board of Health fills the opening.
