Kansas legislators have differing assessments of Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Rob Siedlecki (SEYED’-leh-kee), who is stepping down at the end of the year.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Democrat from Topeka, said Thursday that the secretary’s tenure of just less than a year was marked by controversy and — in Hensley’s opinion — incompetence.

Hensley is critical of a proposal from Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration to move juvenile justice programs into SRS. He also opposed an effort to close the SRS office in Lawrence, which eventually failed.

But Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Carolyn McGinn said Siedlecki started a conversation about improving the agency and fighting fraud.

Original Story

Topeka – Kansas Governor Sam Brownback this afternoon announced that Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) Rob Siedlecki will be stepping down to take a position with the State of Florida to be closer to his family.

Sec. Siedlecki’s last day will be December 31, 2011.

“I promised Gov. Brownback one year to transform SRS to make it more effective and efficient and that we have done so.  We initiated an aggressive anti-fraud campaign, made adoption a priority, promoted work rather than dependence in our welfare programs, and laid the groundwork for a more child and family-focused department, ”  Siedlecki said.

Prior to joining the Brownback Administration last January, he served as the chief of staff for the Florida Department of Health.   Siedlecki also worked for four years in the federal government’s Administration for Children and Families .