Former councilman out as Regional Director of Kan. DCF

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita official for the Kansas Department for Children and Families no longer has his job.

Bill Gale-photo by Phil Cauthon courtesy KHI

Agency Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel announced Wednesday that Bill Gale was relieved of his appointment on Tuesday. He was the Wichita regional director of family services.

Meier-Hummel said the agency wasn’t comfortable with Gale’s leadership and wanted to go in a different direction. Her statement didn’t elaborate.

Before taking the state job in 2014, Gale spent eight years on the Wichita City Council and another eight years as the Sedgwick County election commissioner.

Gale took over the Wichita office when the previous director, Diane Bidwell, resigned after a state investigation found some staff members improperly released private information and gave preferential treatment to a private entity, FaithBuilders.