Madison County Board votes to terminate controversial appointee

The Madison County Board voted Wednesday night to terminate the employment of Kristen Poshard, the county’s economic development chair.

She will receive a 30-day notice of the termination, starting immediately, and three months of severance pay, a standard package.

The board voted after a lengthy executive session that lasted more than 30 minutes. The reason for the termination was not divulged.

The vote was near unanimous, with two absences. Board member Phil Chapman abstained.

County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler and County Administrator Doug Hulme declined to comment.

Poshard was placed on paid suspension Aug. 3 but had declined to comment on the reason, according to previous reporting.

“On the advice of my attorneys and in contemplation of litigation against the county, Doug Hulme, Phil Chapman and other administration officials, I will not be making a comment at this time,” she had said.

At one point, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was asked to provide extra security for Poshard, but a report describing the reason was denied as an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,” and Maj. Jeff Connor declined to comment on the issue.

In September, the New-Democrat announced it was filing a lawsuit to obtain the document, based on the grounds that it concerned the duties of public employees, which is not considered a privacy invasion under the law.

Poshard was the deputy of community development before she was approved by the board as the department head.

Her appointment followed a string of department firings since Prenzler was sworn in as the board chairman in December.

Prenzler supported Poshard’s appointment “based on her skills and background,” he said in a news release, according to previous reporting.

Before working for Madison County, Poshard was at an Illinois development agency. There, she acquired “experience in grant writing, administration, housing rehabilitation, historic preservation and community development,” Prenzler wrote.

Poshard was appointed March 15 with an annual salary of $92,000.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 7:01 PM with the headline "Madison County Board votes to terminate controversial appointee."