Dawn Gallagher, the former head of the Department of Environmental Protection, who resigned amidst controversy over closed-door negotiations with the state’s paper mills, has landed another government job – this time with the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to Lynn Kippax, the spokesperson for DHHS, Gallagher started work on May 1 as a social services and program manager. The position carries a salary of $58,115 and she is working in an acting capacity.
Gallagher, who as commissioner made $93,974, resigned last December amid allegations that her office had negotiated cleanup deals in private with two of the state’s paper mills and had violated the state’s public records law by not keeping a paper trail of one of those negotiations.
There also were allegations that Gallagher offered to tear up a hazardous waste violation against International Paper in exchange for Rep. Thomas Saviello’s support on a bill to clean up the Androscoggin River. Saviello works as the environmental manager at the plant in Jay.
At the time of her resignation right before Christmas, Baldacci released a statement saying:
“Commission Gallagher, who has been a strong leader at DEP, agrees with me that recent departmental decisions could have been handled differently. These recent departmental decisions created adverse public reaction. This does not reflect my administration’s priority to always work for Maine people in the most accessible, consistent and open way possible.
At the time, Baldacci said he intended to use Gallagher in another post in his administration. That, however, never happened.
“It just wasn’t a good fit,” said Baldacci’s spokesperson, Crystal Canney.
Canney said Gallagher applied for the job at DHHS and is working as a temporary employee. It is not clear whether she will apply or be hired for a permanent post, Canney said.
Gallagher, reached at her new job, said she never expected another cabinet level post.
“I’m now in a position that’s not an appointed position,” she said, and it was never Baldacci’s intention “nor did I expect a cabinet position.”
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