Cincinnati health board chair calls Commissioner Melba Moore's resignation a 'bombshell'

Cincinnati Health Commissioner Melba Moore, who led Cincinnati through the COVID-19 pandemic, has resigned, she confirmed to The Enquirer Wednesday night.

Moore will continue leading the department until her resignation takes effect on March 5.

The Cincinnati Board of Health will work with the city to form a search committee and conduct a national search for her replacement, board chair Dr. Edward Herzig said. Assistant Health Commissioner Domonic Hopson will become the interim health commissioner when Moore officially leaves, Herzig said Thursday

Moore, 65, was hired by the Cincinnati Board of Health in August 2018, coming at a time of turmoil for which the board was looking for a strong leader. She came to Cincinnati from the city of St. Louis Department of Health, where she last served as acting director.

Founded in 1826, the Cincinnati Health Department reaches almost every corner of the city. Employees run nine health centers and five dental centers, serving 50,000 people or 1-in-6 of Cincinnati's residents. The department inspects restaurants and supermarkets to ensure they are safe and sanitary. It watches for public health threats such as mosquito-borne illnesses. It studies trends and provides guidance to city leaders on health matters.

Wednesday night, Moore told The Enquirer "I resigned because I have accomplished what I wanted to do."

She did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

In her resignation letter obtained by The Enquirer, Moore said she was leaving the department "to pursue new opportunities" in her career. In the letter, she thanked her department's employees for their "tireless commitment to serving our residents" and applauded board members, city leadership and bargaining unions for their work in helping the department become accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board.

"As I stated on my first day, I was here to build and to collaborate, and I feel I have accomplished that," Moore wrote in her letter. "I am very excited for what lies ahead for this great city and look forward to the progress ahead. I will continue to be an advocate for our most vulnerable populations to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare."

Herzig said he was surprised by Moore's announcement, only learning of the "bombshell" at a weekly meeting with her on Wednesday. He applauded her work as health commissioner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I of course wish her well because I think she's done a really good job," he said. "During the pandemic, she has done stellar work. She really put together a program and led our department through this fraught time very well."

Moore was often seen by former Mayor John Cranley's side at COVID-19 press conferences and stressed the wearing of masks.

In June 2020, rumors swirled about her possible departure, prompting Cincinnati City Council to unanimously express support for Moore. She stayed and the rumors subsided. The move by council was unusual because neither it nor the city administration oversee the independent health department although the city does provide funding.

Last year she told the Health Collaborative, the coordinating group for the region's 40 hospitals, in a Q&A posted on the agency's website, "As commissioner, your role is visionary and planner, then your team executes. I see my role as connecting dots, bringing people together, planning and working with community partners, in leading rollout effort in vaccines."

“Every resident of our city owes Dr. Moore a debt of gratitude," Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a statement to the media. "During a pandemic that rocked our city to its core, she provided the steady hand and the guidance we needed.

"And most importantly, her community involvement has been unlike any other. Coming to Cincinnati, she dove right in and ingrained herself in the fabric of our health network and communities who have for too long been overlooked. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted our Black and brown neighbors, and Dr. Moore worked tirelessly to combat this systemic challenge by prioritizing racial equity and making access to testing and treatment in our most vulnerable neighborhoods central to her mission.

"I know I speak for public servants, activists, and citizens alike when I express our unwavering appreciation for the good Dr. Moore has done for Cincinnati.”

Enquirer archives contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Health Commissioner Melba Moore resigns