Leadership in Delaware's legislature voiced concerns this week over how Governor Matt Meyer created the state's Surgeon General position.
Meyer created the position by executive order last month and tapped Dr. Neil Hockstein, chair of the state’s Health Care Commission, to fill it.
It was created by reclassifying a nursing supervisor position in the Department of Health and Social Services. That salary was $89,398, and $119,668 with other employment costs included, according to a State Senate spokesperson. For the Surgeon General position, the requested salary is $200,803, and $268,795 with OECs included. The Meyer administration says the cost difference between the two, of $149,127, will be addressed, "through existing DHSS appropriations."
State Senate President Pro Tem Dave Sokola said in a statement that this wasn’t discussed with lawmakers, despite their responsibility to review and confirm new appointments.
According to his statement, he, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, the Controller General, and DHSS Secretary met Wednesday, "to get further insight into the Meyer Administration’s vision for a Surgeon General."
During that meeting, he and the Speaker, "conveyed concerns" that the position was created last month, after the legislative budget process and session, "despite the responsibility of the Legislature to reclassify the position before it could be created."
House Speaker Melissa Minor Brown said the reclassification requires her and Sokola's approval. The two are supportive of the position. But Minor Brown said she found out about its creation the same day the executive order was signed by Meyer.
"I just want to make sure that we're having conversations from the beginning so that we can get those questions answered prior to executive orders ... and getting the surprise the same day," she said.
The General Assembly will review several Meyer appointees during a fall special session and Hockstein, who started as a surgeon general last week, agreed to testify then. Minor Brown and Sokola in turn plan to finalize the reclassification “in the coming days.”
"The only way to move things forward is for us to work together," Minor-Brown said.
