tonight's meeting Public Comment from Bill Hoffman, MD (2)Aimee Brunckhorst
From:
biIIhoffman@centurytel.net
Sent:
Monday, October 26, 2020 12:56 PM
To:
Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Cc:
knuckles@flathead.mt.gov; Kalispell City Council
Subject:
[EXTERNAL] tonight's meeting
Mayor Mark Johnson and Kalispell City Council:
I am a physician in the anesthesiology department at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. I have never written to
a public official regarding health care issues, but feel compelled to do so now.
I have been following the recent actions and inactions taken by the Flathead City -County Health Board and
have been utterly appalled at the willful lack of concern that this body as a whole seems to have for the health of
the people they are entrusted with protecting. Covid-19 is a dangerous, potentially deadly disease that is
spreading unchecked through our community. There are simple, easy, manageable steps that people in Flathead
County could be taking to reduce the risk, steps that don't put people out of business or significantly infringe on
anyone's personal rights. But the City -County Health Board has made a political issue out of an epidemic that
has nothing to do with politics. They are risking people's lives in the process.
I'm well aware that there are people who deny that Covid-19 is dangerous. This includes board member Dr.
Annie Bukacek, who has apparently made it her personal mission to sow doubt in people's minds about the
seriousness of this pandemic. I have seen patients dying of Covid-19 with my own eyes, patients who are not
old, and who had no more medical risk than tens of thousands of Flathead Valley residents. Most medical
decisions are personal, and if people don't want to protect their health, they don't have to. But infectious
diseases threaten everybody, whether they care about their health or not. Infectious diseases are the primary
reason that city -county health boards even exist. Their j ob is to protect us, not take steps that actively endanger
us.
If the board is going to willfully ignore the advice of infectious disease experts, their own public health officer,
and the governor, then responsible officials need to work around them until a way is found to remove them from
office. I strongly encourage the Kalispell City Council to take steps to enforce social distancing and the
wearing of masks anywhere the council has authority to do so. A mandate to wear a mask is no more an
infringement on personal rights than the mandate to wear pants. It should be required and enforced by city
police, who, incidentally, should also be required to wear masks. I would also plead with the council to take
steps in defiance of our county commissioners and the City -County Health Board. If the county tries to stop the
city from acting, I would fully support taking legal action against them.
The time to act is past. Please, be responsible and do what needs to be done.
Bill Hoffman, MD