Top Colorado Human Services Administrator Says She Was Forced Out
DENVER (CBS4) - CBS4 has learned that Viki Manley, a top level administrator at the beleaguered Colorado Department of Human Services, was forced out of her job last week despite the agency claiming she resigned to seek other opportunities.
"I didn't know I was going to be doing that (seeking other opportunities) until a half hour after I was told," Manley told CBS4 Tuesday afternoon.
Manley was the Director Of Community Access and Independence for CDHS overseeing five divisions at CDHS. Her boss, Reggie Bicha, put out an email last Wednesday that was obtained by CBS4. It said, "Yesterday Viki Manley tendered her resignation in order to pursue other opportunities."
The six sentence memo stated little else and a spokesperson for CDHS said it was a personnel issue and no further comment would be forthcoming.
However Manley told CBS4 it was not her decision to leave. She said she was given the choice late Tuesday afternoon to either resign or be fired.
"I think that was part of the conversation," said Manley.
She said she chose to resign rather than being fired. Asked if she believed she was a "sacrificial lamb" for recent CDHS problems, Manley said, "That could be a good conclusion."
In May more than 80 out of 100 state lawmakers signed a letter to Gov. John Hickenlooper saying they had lost confidence in the top level leadership at CDHS and requesting administrators be replaced or problems be corrected. Manley was one of about a dozen top administrators at the troubled agency.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
