The former top administrator of the city of Gardner is among Gov. Laura Kelly’s nominees to the Kansas Board of Regents.
Kelly nominated three people to the board, including Cheryl Harrison-Lee, who resigned last year as Gardner’s administrator with little revealed about her departure. The other nominees are Jonathan Rolph of Wichita and Shelly Kiblinger of Cherryvale.
Harrison-Lee, who would succeed Daniel Thomas on the board, had served as Gardner’s administrator from 2012 until she was placed on leave in August of last year, according to a published report. She resigned in September.
At the time, Gardner officials refused to disclose any details about Harrison-Lee’s departure even though the city had received national acclaim for management and budgeting.
During Harrison-Lee’s tenure, the city won three distinguished budget presentation awards from the Government Finance Officers Association.
The city also received a Certificate of Excellence in Performance Management from the International City/County Management Association for its strategic plan, performance dashboard and public engagement efforts.
The city paid Harrison-Lee $350,000 as part of a severance agreement in which she waived any claims she may have had that she was discriminated against because of age.
She also agreed to withdraw any complaints that may have been filed with the Kansas Human Rights Commission or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
She received praise from a former city council member the night the council approved the severance agreement.
The city agreed to publish a “positive” press release about Harrison-Lee’s resignation that would include her accomplishments as administrator. The agreement barred either party from discussing the resignation publicly.
Harrison-Lee also served as the chief administrative officer for the city of Daytona Beach, Fla. and in the same position for the town of Eatonville, Fla.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in urban planning/public administration from the University of Florida.
The other regent nominees are:
Shelly Kiblinger of Cherryvale. Kiblinger is the superintendent for the Cherryvale School District and previously was the superintendent of the Hutchinson School District. She has a master’s in educational leadership and administration and a doctorate in the same area from Kansas State University. She has a bachelor’s degree in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Pittsburg State. Kiblinger would replace Dennis Mullin.
Jonathan Rolph of Wichita. Rolph is president and chief executive of Sasnak Management, which earlier this year changed its name to the Thrive Restaurant Group. The company operates several brands of restaurants, including Applebee’s, Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican restaurants, HomeGrown and The Good Egg. A graduate of Baylor University, Rolph worked for the National Student Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. His previous board experience includes serving as chairman of Visioneering Wichita, as well as serving on the boards of the Wichita Children’s Home, United Way of the Plains, and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. He would replace Dave Murfin.
