Fox to quit, seek children services job
Critics say he orchestrated plan
McLaughlin, Sheila. Cincinnati Enquirer, May 9, 2007, pg. B2.
HAMILTON - Longtime Butler County Commissioner Mike Fox plans to announce today that he will resign his elected political post to pursue a job as executive director of the county's embattled children services agency.
The 1:30 p.m. news conference comes less than a week before commissioners are expected to approve restructuring the agency from an independent board to one more directly controlled by the commission as part of the county Department of Job and Family Services.
"I've tried every way imaginable for 20 years to reform and restructure children services throughout my legislative career and as a commissioner," Fox, 57, said. "I've tried to do it from the commissioner's seat and was accused of micromanaging. The only thing I haven't tried is running it myself, and I think I've reached that point."
Fox's resignation would have to take effect before that vote, scheduled for Monday, because he would not legally be able to vote on the reorganization and be eligible for the director's job.
The reorganization measure needs unanimous approval from all commissioners. If Fox's seat is vacant, the measure can pass with two votes.
Fox, who makes $72,000 a year, is not guaranteed a job at children services. First, commissioners would have to create the position. Then Fox said he would have to apply as anyone else would.
The announcement prompted harsh words from Fox's critics at the independent children services board.
Bill Seitz, a private attorney for the board, said this was Fox's plan all along. He accused Fox of engineering the ouster of the board and the agency's executive director, Jann Heffner, to take the job himself following the death of 3-year-old foster child Marcus Fiesel.
"This confirms what we long suspected," Seitz said. "The effort to remove this outstanding group of independent volunteer community leaders and to force the resignation of a very qualified executive director was all along motivated by the political consideration of opening this up for Fox to pursue the (job) and the handsome compensation that comes along with it."
Executive director Jann Heffner lost her $125,000-a-year job last week following a controversy over a $110,000 consulting contract the agency's board of directors gave her conditioned on her resignation .
Heffner withdrew her resignation after the county prosecutor said the consulting job was illegal. The independent board later terminated Heffner so she could get her severance pay. Her last day was Friday.
"Mr. Fox set this whole drama up like a chess game," Heffner said. "He's used the power of his office and manipulated the media so he can now ride into CSB on a white horse like some kind of hero. Meanwhile, reputations have been ruined, people have been used, social workers and children have been put at risk.
"People say, 'Well that's politics Butler County style.' It's not just political, it's ruthless. It's uncommonly ruthless. And I doubt you would see anything like this happening in any other metro county."
Heffner came under fire after Marcus died. Fox renewed a push to reform the agency after learning that Butler County had approved Marcus' placement with Liz and David Carroll Jr., even though they didn't qualify as foster parents.
The couple was certified through a private foster care agency, Lifeway For Youth, that the county hired to handle difficult placements. A state investigation determined that the county agency followed the rules but that Lifeway didn't. The state is now trying to revoke Lifeway's foster care license, and Lifeway has sued the state.
The Carrolls are serving life prison sentences after being convicted of murder. Marcus' death has prompted state and local changes in foster care licensing policies to better protect children.
Fox accused county children services of mismanagement, being too secretive and shutting out any public input following Marcus' death.
It was Fox's idea to set up a task force that released a scathing report in March saying children services was a "mess" and needed new leadership.
"They can think whatever they want," Fox said of the criticism.
Fox said he started thinking about leaving his 32-year political career after he became seriously ill in recent months and almost died from an E. coli infection.
The local Republican Party will have 45 days to appoint a replacement on the commission.
