Commissioner, Sanford clinic director appointed as Sioux Falls' public health director

Mayor Paul TenHaken has appointed Joe Kippley as the city's next public health director, with the Sioux Falls City Council set to vote on the move next week.

In a Wednesday morning press conference, TenHaken said Kippley was "very, very impressive to our hiring panel." He added Kippley's legal background and work in the healthcare sector would be a "tremendous benefit" to the city.

Kippley comes to the role from Sanford Health, where he's been the clinic director of cardiology since May 2023. Asked about his top priorities in the role, he pointed to the importance of the upcoming community health assessment — an overview of Sioux Falls' health that's produced every three years, with the next edition expected in early 2025 — and said his primary strength would be involvement in Falls Community Health.

"Healthcare is about people," said Kippley, adding his interest in public health first occurred while working as a Senate page in late 2001 and seeing the effects of both the September 11 attacks and the anthrax threat in that time.

Kippley was also elected to the Minnehaha County Commission in 2022, noting that one of his first calls about the position was to the Minnehaha County State's Attorney to check if holding both positions would be permitted. (It was.)

He said that as a Sanford employee, he's already used to recusing himself from some items, and said that those decisions would come on a case-by-case basis.

"The pros outweigh the cons," Kippley said, adding he believed the two roles would create what was mostly a "synergistic relationship."

The dual roles will put him on both the city and county payroll. Commissioner salaries for 2024 are set at $34,465.60, and the 2023 wage for the public health director was $162,531.20.

The city has been without a permanent public health director since Charles Chima resigned in June 2023. TenHaken thanked both Amy Richardson and Angie Uthe for their work as interim directors during the past year.

More: Sioux Falls' public health director Charles Chima resigns after nearly two years

The Sioux Falls City Council is expected to consider a resolution approving Kippley's appointment at their May 21 meeting.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Joe Kippley appointed as Sioux Falls' next public health director