Apple fights county health orders

Spokane City Councilman Bob Apple’s refusal to put toilet paper in the restrooms of his Hillyard bar and restaurant have landed him in a dispute with county health officials.

In Spokane Regional Health District documents made public Friday, Apple took exception to orders to put toilet paper in the Comet, which is at Market and Queen. Instead, signs directed patrons to ask the bartender for a roll of toilet paper that they could use and then return when finished.

When county health inspectors said he needed to stock his restroom, Apple complained that customers steal toilet paper daily.

The documents are related to at least two complaints made to the regional health board, of which Apple is a member. One patron complained of becoming sick after eating at the Comet.

That complaint led to a health inspector’s order to add a sink to separate hand washing from food preparation areas. Apple appealed the sink requirement to Spokane County health officer Kim Thorburn. As a health board member, Apple is one of Thorburn’s bosses.

To avoid a conflict of interest on the part of the Spokane health board, Dr. Larry Jecha, director of Benton-Franklin Health District in the Tri-Cities, has agreed to handle the appeal. But that’s on hold until the Benton-Franklin health board decides whether it would be willing to take on the matter, if Apple contests Jecha’s ruling.

Meanwhile, the Spokane Regional Health District attorney, acting on a public records request from The Spokesman-Review, released documents Friday detailing the running conflict between Apple and county health officials.

“I do not need to put in a sink,” Apple said in a phone interview Friday.

Apple says he’s fighting what he calls heavy-handed treatment by health officials.

Documents show that health district officials had numerous interactions and explained their actions. Apple views the process differently.

“I find it a very difficult situation and tantamount to harassment,” he said.

On Feb. 18, someone reported to health officials that there was no toilet paper in the restrooms. On March 7, a man complained to health officials about becoming ill and suffering diarrhea after eating a hot dog and fries at the Comet.

Apple wrote the health district Feb. 25 in response to the first complaint. He explained why the barkeep also tended to the toilet paper: “This has been deemed a necessity due to continuous thefts of toilet paper products. If for some reason you believe this is unreasonable, then you must explain to us how we are to recover from these thefts and still fulfill your requirement should a roll be stolen before the next customer’s need, I will await your response.”

New metal toilet paper containers were on order and had not yet been installed when the second complaint came March 7, and an investigation began. Apple has since decided to stock paper in his restrooms.

In a March 19 letter, Apple continued to protest the toilet paper issue and wrote the health district a note regarding inspectors.

“(They) were unwilling to consider the situation and expressed a flat demand, the toilet paper must be in the bathrooms at all times, notwithstanding our problem,” Apple wrote.

Apple conceded Friday there may be an “ick” factor with the toilet paper issue.

He compared his policing toilet paper with that of gas stations using keys on their restrooms.

“We left nice notes. We explained circumstances to anyone who’d ask,” Apple said. As for the district forcing him to put paper in the restrooms, he said, “This is another case where reason flies out the window.”