“The mission of the Board remains to provide the best service to our veterans as we can and to continue with that purpose, a change in leadership was necessary,” Jerry Ferris, chairman of the veterans service board said in a statement.
Eversole has appealed to the State of Ohio Personnel Board of Review.
He also indicated he had appealed to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which declined to confirm this filing, citing federal law.
Eversole said the office operates on a $3 million a year budget, employs 27 and serves more than 15,000 veterans.
“I love my job. I love serving veterans,” said Eversole. “It’s my purpose in life.”
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Eversole was a well-known veterans advocate who sparred with Warren County officials over his insistence to budget the entire amount entitled to the commission under state law, nearly $2 million a year.
In 2013, Eversole was among regional leaders participating in a roundtable called by U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown about a backlog on service claims to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
In 2016, Eversole and Commissioner Dave Young also argued over Eversole’s efforts to add outreach services, including a large, decorated recreational vehicle. Recently Young said it was “news to me” that Eversole had been removed from his job.
In response to a request for communications between county officials and the veterans service commission, Assistant County Prosecutor Keith Anderson said there were no such records.
Records related to Eversole’s dispute with the veterans commision and his personnel record were provided in response to a public records request.
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Eversole was notified in an October letter that he was not allowed on the premises of the office on Silver Street in Lebanon while the commission “is conducting an investigation into allegations of potential misconduct.”
Agenbroad was named acting director.
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On Feb. 6, after an executive session, Eversole was terminated in a unanimous vote of the board after offering to step down as executive director but continue as a service officer, according to meeting minutes. Ferris said there was no open service officer job in response to Eversole’s proposal.
Agenbroad, a veteran and well-known veterans advocate, was hired as human resources director “to provide advice to the Executive Director and to bring order to the office,” Ferris said in the statement provided in response to questions from this newspaper.
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“For some time, the Board has had concerns about the atmosphere at the Service Office, the morale of the employees, and the leadership and job skills of its Executive Director,” Ferris added.
Despite being given a chance to improve his performance the Board saw no progress.”
Last week, Eversole said problems began last year when he returned from a scheduled surgery. He said he was told not to come back to work or attend meetings, and decided to go onto family medical leave.
Eversole declined to comment on why he thought he was fired.
“I am going to fight to defend my reputation,” he said.
Agenbroad declined to comment, referring questions to Ferris.
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