Assistant Safety Commissioner John Stephen nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services. If approved, Stephen would replace Nick Vailas, who resigned due to ethics concerns.
Since taking office, Craig Benson has repeatedly stressed that Government needs what he calls change agents -- private sector innovators whose business background would shake up the state bureaucracy.��. Benson admits John Stephen doesn�t fit that mold��After all, he�s spent his entire career as a public servant � and none of it in a heath care related field. Even so, Benson says Stephen�..who he described as �an aggressive guy� has what it takes under the circumstances..
"Sometimes is better to come from the outside and not be so tuned into what�s going on in the industry�..and we have about 4000 employees over there that presumably know something about heath and human services��.so is it important that we get someone who is adept at managing�.and dealing with legislative issues�..and moving through the process? I think that�s more of a skill set that we need than another person who understands all the details about the regulation."
The executive council�s read on the Stephen nomination was decidedly mixed��Councilors Ray Weiczorek and David Wheeler said Stephen has their support��.Both said they were confident he�d ably supervise the agency�s 1.6 billion dollar budget��Wheeler said he�d followed Stephen�s rise through law enforcement and says the former prosecutor is qualified to take on what many consider the hardest job in state government.
"I think he�s one of the best people we have on board now�.He�s an excellent assistant commissioner��I first met John Stephen when he worked in the ag office and then whe he was testifying before the senate �..I think he�s a great guy for the job."
Some on the council, however, weren�t so sure�..District 2 councilor Peter Spalding admitted Stephen�s familiarity with government is a plus�..but says he remains deeply skeptical that makes up for his lack of a health care background.
"I do think you have to have to have a basic undersanding of what heath and human services does��He may have prosecuted welfare froud but that may be the closest he�s come to it."
District one councilor Ray Burton agreed that the Stephen�s nomination needs what he called a good coming over�..And Burton added that his support would require a assurances that Stephen � who launched an unsuccessful run for congress in 2000 � intends to remain in state service.
"On thing that I�m going to leaning on very heavy on the nominees is finish out this term��and see if he can�t break that tradition�..because as far as I know no HHS commissioner has never been reappointed��They�ve either resigned�..run away or didn�t get renominated."
The council is expected to vote on the Stephen nomination next month.
