MICHAEL SUCKAU
WESTFIELD – Health Director Michael Suckau has resigned his position as head of the city’s Health Department and an interim director was named by the board following a executive session of the Health Board last week.
Health Board Chairman Juanita Carnes said this morning that Suckau submitted his letter of resignation late last week and that Joseph A. Rouse has been named to head the department on an interim basis while the board considers a timeline for initiating a new department head search.
Suckau was hired nearly three years ago to replace Dan Reardon who retired after holding that post for three decades. Suckau was working as a sanitarian for the Chicopee Health Department at the time of his appointment.
The Health Board conducted an executive session on Wednesday, Aug. 21 following the conclusion of their regular meeting agenda. Jeff Krok, a labor lawyer with the Law Department, and Karin Decker, the Assistant Personnel Director, were both in attendance that night.
The Health Board reviewed Suckau’s job description and performance several months ago. Suckau initiated several programs while in office such as establishing a “sharps” kiosk at City Hall to assist residents with needle disposal after a state law banned disposal of sharps in trash. Suckau also established the transfer station sticker for access to the Twiss Street landfill program to raise revenue to hire a gate attendant, a priority of the City Council to eliminate the use of that facility by non-residents of the city.
However, Suckau failed to aggressively push the process to increase the city’s tipping tonnage at the transfer station. That increase was identified as a city goal by a blue-ribbon panel established to review the city’s solid waste management program and was chaired by Ward 6 Council Chris Crean. The increase was strongly supported by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, as well as City Council members, because it is a possible source of revenue to reduce the city’s cost of trash disposal.
Carnes said that the Health Board appointed Rouse to the interim post because of his technical knowledge, communication and managerial skills.
“Joe has proven to know the department well and has the management skills needed for that position,” Carnes said. “Joe is excellent with people and knows his stuff health wise.”
Carnes said the Health Board, which is down to one member because of the resignation of John Lehman who has relocated his family to Florida, has not yet discussed the timeline and process for a permanent hire to fill the health director post.
