The Webster County Board of Supervisors formally approved last week’s termination of longtime Webster County Health Department Director Kari Prescott.

The termination was unanimously approved during Tuesday’s supervisors meeting.

Prescott, who had been with the department since 1997 and served as director since 2008, was placed on administrative leave by the county Board of Health on May 19, pending an investigation into allegations of a hostile work environment, financial irregularities and irregularities in documentation. Further investigation led to Prescott’s immediate termination by the board on May 25.

After firing Prescott, the Board of Health also voted to contact the office of Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand to conduct an audit of the Webster County Health Department that will begin immediately.

Webster County Attorney Darren Driscoll told The Messenger that Prescott was fired for “fostering a hostile environment, rising to the level of misconduct on the part of the director.”

“We did not rely upon the financial and documentation irregularities cited for the administrative leave as grounds for termination, as we will defer to the findings of the state auditor’s investigation and report on these matters,” he said.

Prescott’s employment was unconditionally terminated and she did not receive any severance package, Driscoll said.