TRAVERSE CITY — Longtime Grand Traverse County Health Department Director Fred Keeslar abruptly left his job.
County officials said Keeslar retired after serving as the department's director since 1992. Keeslar informed interim county Administrator Dean Bott of his decision on March 23, Bott said. Officials publicly acknowledged Keeslar's departure at Wednesday's county board meeting.
Jere Pugh, the department's finance and administrative services director, will be the interim health director. Pugh is "the most logical person" for the interim role, Bott said.
Bott, Keeslar and Keeslar's wife were at the Health Department offices Monday at about 5:30 p.m. as Keeslar cleaned out his office. Jen Seman, county human resources director, asked the Grand Traverse Sheriff's Department to have a deputy present, she said.
County officials didn't suspect Keeslar did or would do anything wrong, Bott said, but they thought it was a good idea to have a third party present.
"I just wanted someone else so no one could come back and say that Fred took something he wasn't entitled to," Bott said.
Seman said she thought the deputy might be able to help Keeslar move his belongings.
"It was more of a helping out-type situation," she said.
Keeslar didn't respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Board Chairman Larry Inman said he wasn't surprised at Keeslar's sudden departure. Inman compared it to his quick exit from the banking industry after a nearly 30-year career, or the recent departure by former county Administrator Dennis Aloia to a county job in Oregon.
"That was how I treated my retirement," Inman said. "Sort of the same thing happened with Dennis."
Inman said he didn't believe Keeslar's decision is related to recent criticism of the Health Department for its handling of an animal cruelty complaint that resulted in two malnourished horses being put down.
County commissioners and members of the public were upset that an Animal Control officer at the Health Department visited a Fife Lake Township property in early October, and county deputies were called back in early January when the horses had to be euthanized. The board asked the Health Department for a report detailing what went wrong with its handling of the incident. The owner of the horses pleaded guilty to abandoning or being cruel to animals.
"I don't believe that had anything to do with it," Inman said.
Bott also said the county didn't play a role in Keeslar's departure.
"This was his decision," Bott said.
Inman anticipates a national search will begin shortly to find a replacement. The Health Department director reports to the county administrator, but the county board must approve the appointment. Keeslar was paid an annual salary of $95,617.
Inman described Keeslar as a hard-working official who took on a wide range of responsibilities, from public health to homeland security.
"Fred always had a lot of things on his plate," Inman said. "He really cared about the health, safety and welfare of the community. He always had the public's safety in mind."
Bott said Keeslar, who turned 63 this month, planned to retire in the near future, but Bott didn't expect it so soon.
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