Warrick Co. Animal Control under criminal investigation, health dept. director fired

WARRICK, Ind. (WFIE) - Warrick County Commissioners voted Monday night to move animal control under their authority.

At Monday night’s Warrick County Commissioner meeting, county attorney Andrew Skinner brought up an ordinance amendment, but didn’t specify what it was.

“I’ve got one additional item that didn’t make it onto the agenda today,” said Skinner. “The first one letter A ordinance 2023, this would be 27 then.”

Skinner provided a copy of that amendment to commissioners, and they approved it with no mention of its content.

We now know it allowed the county commissioners to take over leadership of Animal Control from the county health department.

The Health Department’s board has an attorney, April Edwards, and she tried to address the commissioners.

Edwards says she didn’t sign up to speak because the item was not on the agenda. They ignored her then and again at the end of the meeting, so we reached out to Skinner for a comment.

While waiting official statement from the county attorney, Aaron Franz confirmed that he had been fired by Terry Phillippe. He says he doesn’t believe he has the authority to do that.

Franz said he’s going to fight his job termination. Employees said he plans on coming back to work here regardless.

We then received a statement on behalf of the commissioners. In it, he names a new legislative action to address deficiencies in public health.

The statement says, in part:

“Commissioners recognize that many healthcare services are not being provided or are falling below desired standards. A strategic and cultural shift is needed, in which county services should transition from being an ‘enforcement department’ to an educational services resource. The Board of Commissioners has taken its first step in achieving it goals by reorganizing the Animal Control Department from under the Health Department.”

What the statement doesn’t mention is the investigation.

Indiana State Police have confirmed there is a criminal investigation into Warrick County Animal Control.

State Police have not been able to tell us more as this is still an active investigation.

As it stands, the health department no longer has a hold on Animal Control; the commissioners do.

Health Administrator Aaron Franz was fired, and the commissioners say they cannot provide more information at this time, and Animal Control is actively under investigation by Indiana State Police; they cannot provide more information at this time either.

Franz has said he doesn’t believe the commissioners have the authority to fire him. We have been told he and Edwards may pursue legal action against the commissioners.

We will update you as this story continues to develop.