Local Paper Reports on New Appointment at SDC

This week the Sonoma Index-Tribune picked up the story of the continuing management changes at Sonoma Developmental Center. The article ran on Tuesday, November 13, 2012, but is not available in the online edition of the paper. We repeat it below for those of you who don't have access to the newspaper.

Leadership shuffles continue at SDC

By John Capone
Index-Tribune Staff Writer

The state Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has named Patricia Flannery new interim director of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC), replacing previous interim Director Karen Clark. Flannery is also the sitting deputy director for developmental centers at DDS in Sacramento, a position from whick she is not believed to be stepping down.

Clark took the reighns as interim director of the SDC in August after Jim Rogers resigned.
Rogers' resignation came in the wake of a string of reports of staff abuses and an investigation into incidences of stun guns being used on patients in which the FBI became involved. No charges were filed following that investigation, though a suspect, an SDC employee hamed Archie Millora who had a Taser and a loaded handgun concealed in his car, was arrested and charged with have a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.

Initial comments from DDS Director Terri Delgadillo indicated Rogers had been fired, though Rogers' departure was later characterized as "retirement."

Clark had previously been the administrative services director at SDC, and had worked within the DDS for more than 30 years, mostly at Agnews Developmental Center, before coming to SDC in 2009. Sources within SDC said that little information about Clark's departure has been shared by DDS administration, but that the feeling among staff is Clark was "asked to step down."

The clinical director position at SDC has been a similar revolving door. In June Glenda Penny, a DDS administrator from sacramento, replaced long time SDC staffer Dawn Percy. Penny, in turn, was replaced last month by Terri Sievers.

Officials at the DDS could not be reached for comment about the staff changes.