Health Board needs reform

Observing the Spokane Regional Health District Board in action on Thursday was educational. I learned many things, such as sharing personal opinions about studded snow tires with your co-workers could be actionable in your firing. And that Commissioner French is not interested in any part of a meeting that does not include him pontificating. I also learned that an administrator would place her failure as a manager on public display if the majority of a Board are looking to fire someone for political reasons. None of those lessons, though, are the reason for this letter.

No, the lesson I wish to share is that the person who demonstrated insubordination was not Dr. Lutz, but Ms. Clark.

Ms. Clark used the analogy that she and Dr. Lutz should work, like parents, together to ensure that SRHD employees don’t game the system. And then I watched Ms. Clark admit her insubordination and gaming of the system. Without apparent recognition of the irony, Ms. Clark described how she met with president of the board, Breean Beggs, and they agreed she would provide Dr. Lutz with a corrective action plan. Then, she decided she didn’t want to do that so she went to her “other parent,” Mayor Wick of Spokane Valley, and received permission to fire Dr. Lutz.

So the question remains: How is the board going to address the public health of Spokane County and the insubordination of Ms. Clark? If the meeting I observed is any indication, dysfunctionally.

Miriam Berkman, Ph.D.

Spokane