Oklahoma Health Commissioner Terry Cline, PhD, resigned Monday after the state health board of directors accused him of mismanaging the department's finances.
The board voted at an emergency meeting Monday to accept Dr. Cline's resignation, according to the Stillwater News-Press. His resignation came after the board learned the department is faced with an immediate financial loss due to multiple years of fiscal mismanagement and over-expenditures.
In a statement to KGOU, Martha Burger, chairwoman of the board, said the board is working to get to the bottom of the department's financial issues.
"I would like to reiterate how seriously this board takes these matters today," Ms. Burger said. "We are committed to working with the department of health to resolve them."
Dr. Cline, who had served as Oklahoma's top health official since June 2009, was replaced on an interim basis by Preston Doerflinger, Oklahoma's finance secretary.
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