Turnover high for Brownback’s Cabinet

Published: 12/15/2013 9:59 PM | Last update: 12/15/2013 9:59 PM In governor's three years, 11 appointments have left; departures not unusual. The Associated Press

TOPEKA - Gov. Sam Brownback has seen almost half of his 11 permanent Cabinet secretary appointments turn over in the first three years of his tenure.

The percentage outpaces that of predecessors Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, and Bill Graves, a Republican, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports. But Brownback spokeswoman Sara Belfry said the turnover isn't unusual compared to past governors, including Democrat Joan Finney.

"It is not unexpected that talented people who served in this administration had other opportunities become available and they decided to pursue other opportunities," Belfry said.

Among the Cabinet leaders to depart are Rob Siedlecki, who was tapped to lead the Kansas Department for Social and Rehabilitation Services. He faced criticism over his reorganization of SRS management and the administration's pursuit of faith-based social services initiatives.

Deb Miller, the lone Democrat in the Cabinet, left her post as secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation at the same time as Siedlecki left his. Karin Brownlee was forced out as secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor in September 2012. Dennis Taylor stepped down as secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration to be interim leader of the state lottery in January, but no longer heads that agency. Dale Rodman announced this month that he wouldn't finish Brownback's first term as secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and would make way for replacement Jackie McClaskey.

Many other high-level appointed posts that pay around $100,000 a year also have been vacated. Those positions include Jim Mann, who was named chief IT officer for the executive branch last month. But he resigned a day later after it was made public that he received a college degree from an unaccredited university. The announcement of his departure came just hours after Brownback acknowledged that his administration hadn't thoroughly examined Mann's educational background.

Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, said he saw little linking the departures.

"When you look at the number and the reasons you see a mix; a mix of reasons," Beatty said. "In that sense, it's probably not unusual. If all of them were leaving because they had alleged disagreements with the governor or problems in their background or something like that, that might be unusual."

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Turnover high for Brownback's Cabinet