Lucas County Commissioners on Tuesday fired county Administrator Laura Lloyd-Jenkins, but offered no public explanation for the dismissal.
The termination, which was approved 3-0, is effective immediately. Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins was placed on paid administrative leave in August.
“We think she is no longer the right person to serve in the capacity of county administrator, the highest non-elected position in Lucas County,” Pete Gerken, president of the board of commissioners, said after Tuesday’s county commission meeting adjourned.
The commissioners approved the promotion of Megan Vahey-Casiere, deputy county administrator, to the position of county administrator, replacing Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins. She is to be paid $125,695 annually — the same salary paid to Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins.
Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins could not be reached for comment.
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Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins’ husband, the Rev. Cordell Jenkins, is charged in U.S. District Court with multiple offenses, including sex trafficking of a minor and child pornography. He is accused of paying two now-17-year-old girls for sex and soliciting nude photographs and videos from them.
She was suspended from her job with the county five days after a judge heard the testimony of an FBI agent who said Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins knew about her husband’s alleged crimes.
The agent testified she became aware of the allegations against her husband at least a week before his April 7 arrest and added she subsequently searched the Internet for topics related to the criminal charges and to international travel.
County officials said at the time she was placed on paid administrative leave because she failed to act in “good behavior” in her duties as county administrator.
At the time of her husband’s arrest, Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins was also secretary of the Lucas County Children Services Board. She subsequently took a leave of absence from her duties and resigned July 6.
Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins joined the county in March, 2013, after working in administrative positions for 11 years for Alameda County in California. She was the first county administrator to be hired from outside the county, the first woman to hold the position, and the first African-American to be county administrator.
The county commissioners suspended Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins without pay for two weeks with the understanding she would return to work on July 31. However, they voted to place her on indefinite paid administrative on Aug 1.
County officials said she went on leave under the Family Medical Leave Act on Sept. 1, taking pay through a combination of unused, accrued personal, sick, and vacation time.
Contact Mark Reiter at markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.
First Published November 28, 2017, 10:01 p.m.