Readers On Health District: If It’s Not Broken, Don’t Fix It
The Spokane County Health District is operating just fine as is. Putting it in the county commissioners’ hands would only immerse public-health decisions in politics.
That’s what readers say in response to last week’s “Bagpipes” column.
“If the advisory board that the commissioners chose gives them advice, the commissioners ought to follow it,” said Lloyd Smith of Spokane. “It sounds like they (the commissioners) are politicizing public health, and that is very risky for our community. It’s one of the reasons we ought to get a health board that is much larger than just the commissioners.”
“It appears it’s some political maneuver on the part of the commissioners,” said Lindy Haunschild of Spokane. “The committee has come back twice telling them no. Everyone is telling them no except builders and developers, which will seriously affect our aquifer.”
Kay Cobb of Spokane, who sent a full page fax of reasons for opposing a takeover, said county commissioners would be under pressure to “bend and sway to political whim (and to developers and big-business owners who fund political campaigns).
“If public-health concerns mandate environmental measures and the moneyed men don’t agree with the environmental measures, who will ensure the commissioners make the right decision to guard the rights of the majority?” Cobb asked.
“Spokane County Health District employees work for the average citizens of the county, not for politicians,” she added. “That’s the way we’d like to keep it.”
“The county commissioners have much too much on their plate already,” said Lorry Porter of Spokane. “Also, I believe that (county commissioner) Steve Hasson is incompetent when it comes to understanding and running the affairs and matters of the county Health District. I believe it should be left in the hands of those who are managing that quite well already.”
“The Health District has functioned very well in the current structure,” said Kay Hilt of Spokane. “The county commissioners and politics have no place in that arena.”
“I do not think the commissioners should take over the health department,” Debbie Riley of Spokane said.
Elaine Blair of Spokane said, “The commissioners should leave the Health District as it is and continue to do the work that they have been hired to do.”
, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone, or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.