A proposal to advise the board of commissioners to recombine the St. Clair County health officer and medical director positions prompted heated debate at the advisory board meeting and failed in recorded votes.

A board member moved to recommend the board of commissioners recombine the two roles, citing a "loss of trust and confidence" in the health officer; the motion’s sponsor argued that combining the positions would produce clearer direction. Opponents said the previous decision to separate the roles was intentional, described the separation as an important check on concentrated authority, and warned that a recommendation to recombine could be read as an attempt to remove the health officer.

Several members traded pointed criticisms. A motion supporter said the current structure had produced dysfunction; an opponent said the motion was effectively a move to replace Health Officer Liz King and accused proponents of partisan motives. Dr. Nevin described his own earlier resignation and rescission and framed the dispute as a structural problem in which he said the health officer has at times failed to implement his medical directions.

The recombination motion was put to a recorded vote; the meeting record shows the motion did not pass (a tied/failed roll-call result was reported; the meeting transcript records the result as "3 3 vote, so that motion fails"). The board and commissioners also discussed the historical reasons the positions were split, noting previous disagreements about operational communication and the need for board-of-commissioner oversight. Commissioners noted that both positions’ contracts are up for review in June and that the county will consider the structure and contract language in the coming months.

Provenance: The recombine motion, discussion, and recorded vote occupy SEG 2236–SEG 2598; extended historical context and contract timeline discussion appear SEG 2599–SEG 2960.

Ending: The motion failed; commissioners indicated they will review contracts and the department structure before June and may take final action after committee review in January.