Geauga County Commissioner Tim Lennon said public officials have had a lack of involvement in the decision-making process behind COVID-related public health recommendations.
Geauga County Commissioner Tim Lennon said public officials have had a lack of involvement in the decision-making process behind COVID-related public health recommendations.
Lennon’s comments came after the conclusion of regular business at the Aug. 4 Geauga County Commissioners meeting, when the board and members of the public aired concerns about lack of communication during the coronavirus pandemic.
The discussion between commissioners and citizens was precipitated by a letter from the Geauga County Fair Board to Lennon. In it, the fair board brought up grievances regarding their communication with Geauga County Health Commissioner Tom Quade.
Lennon called the claims concerning, adding they should be further discussed with the fair board. He also said the health board should be informed.
“We’ve been completely out of the loop as elected officials to any of the happenings,” Lennon said, adding commissioners have not had an update from the health board or the health commissioner in months.
From the audience, Newell Howard of South Russell Township said he did not believe information was being clearly delivered and explained to Geauga County citizens. He also inquired about whether school will be held in the fall and how the November election will be held.
“I don’t know where these recommendations originate,” Lennon said regarding guidance county health departments have given to school boards in surrounding counties. “Are they made in a back room somewhere? Are they based on data?”
Across the state and country, elected officials have not had influence over, or been aware of, decisions made by health boards and commissioners, Lennon said.
County Administrator Gerry Morgan and Clerk Christine Blair said most schools in the county have released their plans for the upcoming year, though all plans are subject to change with the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.
Morgan explained details of the election will come from Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office, not the Geauga County Board of Elections.
Howard also said citizens of Geauga County do not know the state of the county regarding COVID-19 and the recommendations of the health commissioner.
“We get no reports whatsoever in the newspaper or any place,” Howard said.
Lennon responded the county’s coronavirus cases and deaths are reported on Ohio’s coronavirus website and Quade publishes press releases weekly and regularly posts on Facebook.
Lennon said he would request a meeting with Quade and the health board and ask Quade to present at a future commissioners’ meeting.
Diane Jones, citizen blogger, previously made a request for Quade to present a report to commissioners at their July 14 meeting. Lennon said while he had personally spoken with Quade, he had not followed through on her request yet.
In a follow-up interview with Quade after the meeting, he said he would be happy to attend a board of commissioners meeting.
“If it’s done following the guidance of masking and distancing to have the meetings, I’ll certainly be there. If not, I can remote in, I’d be happy to participate that way. That’s part of my job. If they want me to, all they have to do is ask,” Quade said. “Problems get solved when people communicate.”
The board of health will meet with the fair board at a public meeting Aug. 11, he said.
Commissioner Jim Dvorak said he wanted to inform the public when the first cases of the coronavirus appeared in Ohio, Geauga County Commissioners, department heads, law enforcement, the health commissioner and others held daily conference calls. Eventually, Dvorak said, the calls were reduced to twice a week.
“I was so impressed with all the departments voicing their concerns, hearing things from different parts of the county,” Dvorak said. “We all worked together.”
In regular business, the Geauga County Department on Aging will distribute 144 coupon sets issued by the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
Jessica Boalt, the director of the department on aging, said the program is an extension of the federal Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The coupon sets, in total valued at $7,200, will be distributed to lower income Geauga residents over 60 years of age. The coupons can be used to purchase fresh produce at qualifying farmers markets.
The board also approved funding for an assistant for the Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers jail treatment program. The funding ask was reduced this year because of time the assistant took off due to the temporary closure of the program because of the coronavirus pandemic.
