When the Coffey County Commission decided to opt out of Governor Laura Kelly’s new face-covering protocol earlier this week, longtime Coffey County medical consultant and health officer John Shell decided it was time to cut ties with county government.
Shell, who had served Coffey County in those roles for 15 years as well as deputy coroner, tells KVOE News he recommended the county adhere to the new protocols before the County Commission meeting this past Monday, saying anything less would be “ineffective.” Commissioners, however, did not follow his recommendation, instead calling a mask mandate difficult to nearly impossible to enforce. Shell says he couldn’t stand by the county decision because it would be “hypocritical” for him to support.
Following Shell’s resignation Monday, Coffey County commissioners spent around 90 minutes in a special meeting Tuesday to discuss how best to replace Shell and restore many services to the county’s Health Department. Further action may not be coming until early next week. Additional details can be found below.
Commissioners have not issued a formal statement on Shell’s resignation at this time.
Shell also says he has no intention of resigning his position at Coffey Health System, where he has served as a family physician and obstetrician since 1993 and as chief of staff since 2003.
11 am Thursday: Coffey County’s medical consultant, health officer and deputy coroner John Shell resigns all county positions
Coffey County is now looking for a new medical consultant, health officer and deputy coroner after John Shell abruptly resigned all his positions with the county earlier this week.
Shell’s decision to resign followed the Coffey County decision to opt out of the governor’s face-covering protocol that went into effect Wednesday and triggered an emergency planning meeting on upcoming steps Tuesday. Further details about Shell’s immediate situation or have not been announced.
Details about Shell’s tenure as director of Coffey County Health Department and as deputy coroner are not immediately available, although he served his medical consultant role with no financial compensation, according to commissioners and Health Director Lindsay Payer during Tuesday’s meeting.
Shell earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from William Jewell College in 1984, following that with an internship and residency in family practice at the University of Kansas Medical Center. His practice at Coffey County Medical Center included family medicine and obstetrics.
Until a medical consultant is selected, all Health Department appointments are canceled and the Health Department cannot perform immunizations, STD tests, tuberculosis skin tests, birth control measures, daycare or school physicals or Kan Be Healthy exams. The Health Department can perform blood draws, vital checks, allergy injections and disease investigations.
People needing coronavirus tests have to go through their providers instead of going to the Health Department.
Coffey County is currently seeking an interim consultant and health officer. A decision may be made early next week, and the county may try to have one person serve both roles.
Coffey County has 275 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, up from 255 from last Friday. There are 28 active cases, up from 24. One new death was reported, moving the death toll to 10.
