February 1, 2018

To: OSDH Interim Commissioner and Secretary of Finance Doerflinger
OSDH Board of Health
OSDH Employees and Staff

From: Michael Romero, CFO

Effective immediately, I hereby resign from the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Oklahoma State
Department of Health (OSDH).

Although this is not an easy decision, I believe that I can no longer effectively perform the requirements of the job
because the leadership of the agency is compromised as to areas of great financial concern to the State of Oklahoma
as well as the Federal Government.

Yesterday, I provided a response Memo to the Interim Commissioner regarding various issues which affect the
agency. This document included matters related to OSDH information technology expenditures which I believe are
very serious concerns on multiple levels?especially in instituting the corrections required as expressed in the OSDH
Corrective Action Report to the Legislature. This document was also provided to the State Auditor and Inspector and
the House Investigative Committee.

After delivery of this memo in a one on one meeting, the Interim Commissioner revealed to me that the items in that
memo did not coincide with the previous ?testimony? of an OSDH employee. This employee had appeared before a
formal investigative process currently underway by the State Attorney General and Federal Officials. The employee
was under the clear indication from OSDH General Counsel that she was acting as the employee?s attorney in the
matter and nonetheless, after the submission of my memo to the Interim Commissioner, he was apparently capable
of fact checking my points with those made by the employee in that investigative meeting. Essentially, these actions
show me that the Interim Commissioner is using others, including his General Counsel, to stay abreast of the
proceedings and to analyze the financial communications provided by me with this compromising activity. These
matters should be kept confidential by the General Counsel and yet this General Counsel has been present
throughout the Grand Jury process.

Therefore, I believe that the process for the financial recovery for the OSDH is currently tainted with multiple
conflicts of interest. Many of which impede the steps required for me to fully assist the agency as the CFO.
Numerous important and on?going issues have already been highlighted by the former Chief Operating Officer,
Deborah Nichols?especially those related to OSDH information technology expenditures. Ms. Nichols is a C00 par
excellence and one ofthe finest executive professionals have ever been privileged to work with and the agency has
suffered without her direction.

Finally, I wish to thank all of the wonderful people that work for the OSDH and deliver such an important mission to
the citizens of the State of Oklahoma. They are the true heroes that work tirelessly to perform very difficult jobs and
I sincerely give them my thanks. To all of the finance personnel; you are astounding people with skill and ability that
match any ofthe finest professionals that have ever worked with?may God bless you.

In the best interests ofthe public in obtaining important information, I have made this most difficult decision.