Kinzer Carroll County Public Health Officer Dr. Jordan Dutter confirmed Friday that public health nurse Hope Kinzer tendered her resignation last week. He said that three part-time nurses will be working in the health department to do Kinzer’s work until a replacement is found.

Dutter said the three nurses will be paid from H1N1 funds, as they had been prior to Kinzer’s departure. He said their licenses were on file in the department and in the auditor’s office.

Dutter, who left Saturday for a two week mission trip abroad, indicated Dr. Brian Doggett would be the temporary health officer in his absence. Health board president Alvan Eller is out of the state and not able to perform those duties.

When contacted for a statement about her abrupt departure, Kinzer said that she would have preferred to stay in the county position, but under the office circumstances, felt that leaving was the best course of action.

“I’m very sad that I had to leave,” Kinzer said.

She cited problems in the department as her reason for leaving. She said issues exist in the department with management accountability, from the board to the health officer to the employees. Too much personal business done on taxpayer time in the department during work hours was also a concern.

According to Kinzer, attempts to resolve the situation with Dutter, who is responsible for the operation of the department, were unsuccessful.