MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is resigning at the end of the year following criticisms from Gov. Kay Ivey.
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) Commissioner Kent Davis has released the following statement on Tuesday:
“I want to first thank the Veterans community for the outpouring of support and kind notes I have received over the last few days. As reported on Monday, I will step down as the Commissioner of ADVA at the end of the year.
After a cordial, informative meeting with Governor Ivey and several members of her senior staff on Monday, the matter has been resolved to the mutual benefit of all parties. This was not an easy decision, but I am convinced that my decision was the best one given my recent health concerns, the long-term mission of the ADVA, and, most importantly, the outstanding military Veterans of Alabama. I remain proud of the great work and propriety that the ADVA team has accomplished over the past nearly six years of my tenure as Commissioner. Governor Ivey summed it up best when she spoke of the challenges of fulfilling our respective roles, and I am very grateful for the great discussion we had on Monday.
My time as Commissioner has been some of the best years of my civilian career. The best part was meeting the men and women who have served and the families who sacrificed for the freedoms we have. I am grateful to have had this opportunity.
One of the most significant accomplishments during my tenure will be celebrated later this week as we dedicate the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home in Enterprise. This has been a seven-year project that I am grateful to see through the ribbon-cutting of this incredible facility.
And yet, as I reflect on my nearly six years as Commissioner, I also acknowledge that more work is needed. There are always new and constructive ways to support Alabama’s Veterans. I look forward to completing this year with that goal in mind, and I will continue to apply the same passion and purpose for the next few months that has become expected.”
Previous coverage: Commissioner W. Kent Davis on Monday submitted his resignation which will be effective Dec. 31, Ivey’s office announced. Ivey last week asked Davis to step down, accusing his office of mishandling an American Rescue Plan grant by proposing uses that were not allowed under state and federal law. Davis said the claim was inaccurate and initially refused to resign.
Davis submitted his resignation after meeting with Ivey and senior staff members on Monday. Ivey said the meeting was “respectful, frank, and informative with both sides gaining new perspective and insight about the challenges each of us face in fulfilling our respective roles.”
“I appreciate Commissioner Davis’s record of service as Commissioner, and I appreciate him doing the right thing for our state and the future of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs,” Ivey said.
Brandon Miller, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, confirmed Davis’ resignation but did not give a reason for the decision.
“Today, Commissioner Kent Davis had a very cordial and informative meeting with Governor Ivey and her senior staff. This matter has been resolved to the mutual benefit of all parties,” Miller wrote in an emailed statement.
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is a state department that assists former military service members and their dependents. The commissioner is selected by the State Board of Veterans Affairs, which Ivey chairs.
Before his resignation, Ivey had called a Tuesday board meeting to try to remove Davis. Her office canceled the meeting.
State Sen. Greg Albritton, a co-chairman of the Legislature’s ARPA Oversight Committee, told The Associated Press last week that he did not know of any funds that had been improperly spent. He said he understood that some grant money had been “pulled back” by the state.
“As the finance director explained, they were not in accordance with ARPA guidelines,” Albritton said.
