Tippecanoe County health officer resigns, withdraws resignation over course of the week
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In an email sent to Tippecanoe County officials and local stakeholders early Monday morning Tippecanoe County Health Officer Dr. Gregory Loomis submitted his notice of resignation in his role, but by Thursday morning Loomis had withdrawn that request.
"May 10, 2024 will be my last day as the Tippecanoe County Health Officer," Loomis said in the email obtained by the Journal and Courier. "Please make arrangements for coverage."
But by Thursday morning, Loomis said he had been inundated with calls, emails and messages from those same local officials and stakeholders asking him to stay. Loomis said he had been offered other job opportunities outside his position of health officer, but one of the more enticing opportunities on his plate was retirement.
Tippecanoe County Commissioner David Byers said he was unaware that Loomis had withdrawn his resignation and was still under the belief that May 10 would be Loomis' last day in the position.
The Journal & Courier requested to inspect emails between Loomis and the county commissioner since Jan. 1. The county has not yet indicated whether or when they might release those correspondence.
"It's kind of hard to leave when your people are asking you not to," Loomis said. "I am sure there are a few people who would love to see me leave. I work fast after several years as a neurosurgeon in the private sector, so I am used to getting things done quickly, and sometimes county government works at the speed of soil erosion."
Since Loomis began in his role nearly two years ago, he said he and his team have been able to make many good moves in the community despite "stone-walled" by local government. Within the past two years, Loomis said the county has seen deaths from opioids decrease by 24% and fetal and infant death rates decrease by 44%.
"Right now, we are in a situation where we have done so much for this community," Loomis said. "I am very honored by the calls asking me to stay, but this has all been a team effort. There is no 'I' in 'team,' but there is in 'win,' and that is what is important when it comes to saving lives."
A look at salaries
Loomis said he did give county officials a "hard stop" for his position in December 2026, but emphasized that the county will be hard-pressed to find a new health officer if the pay is not increased from his current $65,000 per year salary. For a young doctor fresh out of medical school, Loomis explained family physician positions begin around $300K per year, while St. Joseph County in northern Indiana has a salary for their public health officer currently set at $250K per year.
"Thanks to governor's Health First Indiana fund, we have been able to fund a lot of things," Loomis said. "I have been very strict that the money is going back to the community and the public health sector, but in order to attract a younger, family doctor, they have to increase the pay.
"In the old days, the health officer was an old physician who would be the one to tell you to boil your water. Now it's a lot more than that. If they want a succession plan, I am trying to give them one."
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached by email at jellison@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Tippecanoe County health officer decides to withdraw resignation
