York County man kicked off mental health board wants back on

The man who lost his seat on the Catawba Mental Health Board plans to ask the York County Council to return him to the post.

The Herald reported last week that Danny Simmers – a 12-year veteran on the board of the community health center that serves York, Chester and Lancaster counties – was voted off the Catawba board after County Council members reviewed a State Law Enforcement Division background check, including a 35-year-old DUI arrest.

Now Simmers has asked to discuss the issue with the county’s finance and operations committee at the next council meeting in December.

“I’ll ask them to reinstate me,” Simmers said.

Simmers’ request has brought up a new wrinkle in the story of his sudden departure from the volunteer, state-appointed board, with county officials now citing Simmers’ credit report as the reason he was removed from the board.

Simmers was told about the credit issue after he questioned comments from County Councilman Michael Johnson in The Herald story, indicating the report reviewed by the committee included incidents as recent as the past five years. Simmers was told the concern springs from a 2013 incident he attributes to a dispute over charges on his phone bill. Simmers’ last arrest was in 1982.

“I want a chance to tell them it’s not my fault,” Simmers said.

Committee members cited the SLED report in voting to withdraw a “previous nomination” to the mental health board at an Aug. 17 meeting, without mentioning specific charges or even naming the applicant whose appointment was being rescinded.

County Councilman Robert Winkler, a member of the finance and operations committee, confirmed that Simmers’ credit history was a consideration reviewed by the committee, but he said he was advised by the council’s attorney that he couldn’t disclose an applicant’s credit history.

Johnson, who chairs the committee, did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

‘Well, that sounds reasonable’

The County Council does not meet again until Dec. 7, and any committee meetings would happen the same day at the county Agricultural Building in downtown York. While the agenda for those meetings isn’t set yet, York County Manager Bill Shanahan told The Herald he has spoken with Simmers about the request and will schedule an appearance before the board.

Simmers likely will address the credit report issues when he speaks to the committee.

“He explained it to me, and I said, ‘Well, that sounds reasonable,’ ” Shanahan said.

Winkler said he had not been familiar with Simmers’s personal background until he read his story in The Herald. He said he would welcome Simmers’ comments to the committee.

“I’m certainly open to hearing it,” Winkler said. “I believe in hearing all sides.”

County Councilman Bruce Henderson said he was more concerned about the length of Simmers’ tenure on the board. Simmers was applying for a fourth term on the mental health board, when county policy is to rotate members off after two.

“My goal has always been to get rid of complacency on these boards and shake things up with some new blood,” Henderson said. “But I’m not going to count him out. We can reconsider him. He may be a rare gem.”

Henderson also confirmed the credit report was considered but added, “I’m not going to make a decision just over a credit report. In the last five years, who doesn’t have a credit report?”

‘Very dedicated member’

Catawba board member Brenda Artemes, who served with Simmers for his 12 years on the board, said his fellow board members would welcome Simmers back. His seat has been vacant since he was removed.

“It’s difficult to get people to volunteer, and then when they do, they don’t regularly go to the meetings,” Artemes said. “Danny was a very dedicated member, and he attended regularly.”

Simmers filled several roles in his time on the board. As a member of the Catawba Indian Nation, he was able to represent the center’s clients on the tribe’s York County reservation, and he said he had used the center’s services himself while seeking treatment for depression and alcoholism around the time of his arrests.

“Many of us on the board have family or friends who have had a brush with mental illness or substance abuse, but Danny is the only one who has actually used those services,” said Chris Barton, chairman of the Catawba board. “It’s useful to have someone like that at the table.”

“It’s important for those who serve to have experiences, to know where our clients are coming from, and Danny has that,” Artemes said. “I’d be pleased to see him back.”

Cornely, the agency’s executive director, said he would welcome Simmers back “with open arms” and hopes he gets a chance to ask questions about his dismissal and tell his side of the story.

This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 4:39 PM with the headline "York County man kicked off mental health board wants back on."