State Social Services secretary resigns
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State Social Services Secretary Ann Williamson resigned today amid criticism about her handling of disaster food stamps and hurricane shelters.
Cheryl Michelet, spokeswoman for DSS, confirmed that Williamson quit.
Williamson did not return calls.
Gov. Bobby Jindal had vowed to make changes at the state agency after the problems unfolded in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.
Jindal said the problems were avoidable and unacceptable.
“I said before that there will be consequences. There will be significant changes made at the department,” he said last week.
Jindal reappointed Williamson in January. She was one of the few cabinet secretaries to be retained from former Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s administration.
Two of the biggest problems in the state’s response to Gustav traced to DSS. Showers were not in place for three days at shelters in Shreveport, Bastrop and Monroe. Disaster food stamp distribution was marred by long lines in the sun as the department scrambled to train workers to process applications.
Jindal appointed gubernatorial policy advisor Kristy Nichols to serve as the interim director of the Department of Social Services, according to a statement issued Monday by the governor's office.
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