Rudloff gave no reason for resignation, official says

Kane County’s animal control administrator has quit after four months on the job.

Veterinarian Kimberly Rudloff resigned May 25. Her departure was announced via email to county board members earlier this week, and mentioned by Kane County Board member Jim Mitchell at a finance committee meeting Wednesday morning.

“It was a surprise to me as well,” said board member Melisa Taylor, who sits on the public health committee. Animal control is part of the public health department.

Mitchell mentioned it while giving an update on the state of the animal control department’s finances.

Health department Executive Director Paul Kuehnert said Rudloff gave no reason for her departure. The resignation was effective immediately.

“We certainly wish her the best,” he said.

Aurora veterinarian Jane Davis has agreed to again serve as deputy director and county veterinarian in the interim.

Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay has asked the animal control subcommittee to contact the other finalists who applied for the job in January to see if they are still interested. If so, McConnaughay wants a candidate presented to the county board executive committee June 6, Kuehnert said. The subcommittee will discuss the matter at 10:45 a.m. Friday.

The original vacancy attracted 110 applications. Seven of the applicants met the qualifications set by the county, which included having a doctor of veterinary medicine degree and specified amounts of veterinary and management experience.

Six were vetted by health department staff and the county board’s public health committee. Two finalists were interviewed by McConnaughay and Kuehnert.

Animal control has gone through a rough patch. In March, it came to light that the department’s rabies vaccination records were outdated. Taylor had received a ticket for a dog that was up to date on its shots. The county board agreed to spend an extra $27,000 to hire temporary workers to update some 60,000 files.

In April, Kuehnert and Rudloff asked the public health committee for permission to skip this year’s mortgage payment on the animal control building, saying it didn’t have enough money to pay the $153,000 debt and ensure it had adequate reserves to pay its other bills. The animal control building was built in 2007 for $1.5 million from two county accounts.

In 2011, administrator Mary Lawrie was suspended while the county looked into expenditures made for veterinary care and secret raises; she ultimately resigned. And a pet rescue group has sued the county, charging it with mishandling a pet adoption.

Rudloff could not be reached for comment.