Welfare chief mum on firings

By EMILY WAGSTER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb4thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com


June 27, 2001

Monday, April 30, 2007


My email to
Subj: Request for copy of minutes of legislative oversight committee
Date: 6/6/01 7:34:16 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Mccaleb5thdist
To: jmobley@mdhs.state.ms.us, governor@govoff.state.ms.us, GMcWhorter@sos.state.ms.us, senatorlott@lott.senate.gov
CC: llong@wlox.com, administrator@sos.state.ms.us, rweeks@sunherald.com, hzuber@mail.lbo.state.ms.us


I, as a voter and taxpayer of Mississippi, and under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.
I am requesting a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the legislative oversight committee.

You may not be familiar with my web site:

www.mississippiwebsite.com

But this email and the article will be placed in a web page and can be read by everyone.

Please read and reply

Sincerely,

Steven A. McCaleb


JACKSON - State welfare director Janice Broome Brooks repeatedly refused to answer questions Tuesday about the firing of about two dozen workers at her agency.

 

Brooks is executive director of the state Department of Human Services.

 

Appearing before a legislative oversight committee at the state Capitol, Brooks said she would not discuss personnel matters in a public meeting.

 

The workers, mostly managers, were dismissed last month.

 

Rep. Bobby Moody, D-Louisville, chairman of the House Public Health and Welfare Committee, said he was told the workers dismissed were ordered to immediately pack up their belongings and were escorted from the DHS parking lot.

 

Moody told Brooks that "I hope I live to see the day...when you get the same kind of treatment."

 

Brenda Scott, leader of a state employees union, said the criticism of Brooks was unfounded. She said the meeting was prompted by Brooks' dismissal of someone who is "politically connected."

 

 

Brooks told lawmakers that at the time of her confirmation hearing before the Senate in April she was told the agency's management was top heavy. She said she was trying to make DHS less so.