Human services director: No details on staff complaints

“The county has not provided me with any details about the number or nature of the alleged complaints,” said Deb Suchla.

The county’s director of human services, under investigation following complaints from staff, said she has not been given access to the information.

“The county has not provided me with any details about the number or nature of the alleged complaints,” said Deb Suchla in a statement made after conferring with her legal team. “My goal has been and continues to be to deliver the best possible service to the people of the county.  To that end our department will continue to be accountable for high performance and quality results and will wisely use the resources provided to us by the hard-working taxpayers of Trempealeau County.”

The county initiated an investigation into Suchla last week following what was reportedly at least 15 complaints against her. Suchla was initially asked to leave the courthouse and not contact any of her staff last Tuesday, but the next day brought back into her office by a vote of the human resources board.

The Times asked for but did not receive information on the complaints.

An employee turnover report indicates a high number of new employees in the department, but it is not known whether the rate is especially high. The department has 46 full-time staff members, two part-time and 11 part-time, fill-in staff, according to Christa Weisenberger, the county’s director of human resources.

In 2020, 17 positions were open in the department of human resources. Sixteen had been filled by year’s end. Through May of this year, individuals have been hired into seven positions while recruitment is underway for three others. Three individuals were hired this spring to be drivers for meal delivery. A new department position, that of deputy department director, was filled in May by Erica Anderson.

Suchla is the county’s second department head to be investigated following staff complaints. Kevin Lien, director of land management, left that role in May after being on leave since January while complaints about his management were investigated. With the aid of an attorney through the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, the Times is attempting to get documents related to Lien’s “involuntary resignation.”

The county’s corporation counsel, Rick Niemeier, has not yet responded to the WNA’s opinion that his denial of access to the Lien documents is “contrary to Wisconsin law.”

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Trempealeau County Times

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