KINGSTON — Ulster County's deposed health director and his wife are now officially retired, but County Executive Mike Hein says they won't get paid for any of their stored-up vacation and sick time until a department investigation is complete.
Hein announced Tuesday that he's suspending separation pay for former Health Director Dean Palen and his wife Deborah, who was his secretary. The Palens, who together ran the Ulster Health Department for 15 years, are the subject of an investigation after roughly $33,000 in uncashed checks and a stack of unfulfilled permit applications were found in a safe behind Deborah Palen's desk.
Hein's order will withholds a hefty payout from the couple. County officials say Dean Palen was owed $105,000, and Deborah Palen had accrued roughly $35,000.