How to pay for Velazquez

It appears our new MD at the helm of Spokane Regional Health District is Dr. Velazquez. (“County hires Velazquez as health officer,” Oct. 7)

This, I find, is quite interesting on several levels, first being that he made a point of sharing that he did NOT want this job on a permanent basis. But wait!!! His salary will be over 72 thousand dollars MORE per year versus what Dr. Bob Lutz made in the same position. No wonder he’s smiling, and certainly the salary difference would change most peoples minds.

As a retired RN, I have been utterly flabbergasted every time I have seen him comment on anything CoVID related while he has been interim health officer. All I have heard are sound bites to the public, which appear very much in line with what our pro-business minded mayor has focused on through out this pandemic. I have seen zero leadership from Dr. Velazquez as compared to what I saw from Dr. Lutz.

So here’s my idea. Per rules pertaining to the makeup of the Spokane Regional Health District, it does not require having an administrator. So how about we let Amelia Clark go? The city can use savings from her salary to supplement the grossly inflated new salary for the health officer. I see that as a small consolation to the taxpayers of Spokane and Spokane County.

Cheryl Henley

Spokane