Health officer firing leads to confusion

WEST PLAINS – Prior to last March, Cheney School District Superintendent Rob Roettger didn’t even know who the Spokane County health officer was.

That changed as the onset of COVID-19 prompted weekly meetings between area school superintendents and Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz.

So, when Roettger heard last Friday that Lutz had been fired, he was surprised.

“We work with him frequently in discussing plans and next steps,” Roettger said. “We had scheduled him to come to the school board this Wednesday (Nov. 4). Now, we won’t have the health district out for questions and answers at the board workshop.”

Medical Lake School District Superintendent Tim Ames said he was also surprised, an original reaction that soon changed.

“Then all of a sudden you go to why, what happened?” Ames said.

Lutz’s termination has led to confusion — not only as to who is now functioning as his replacement, but also as to the circumstances behind his removal.

Original reports indicated Lutz had been terminated after a Health District Board of Directors executive session Thursday, Oct. 30, with SRHD Administrative Officer Amelia Clark delivering the news to him.

That version changed after a Health District news conference on Friday. One of the first changes was a clarification of what took place on Thursday, with the Health District releasing a statement saying that while the decision to terminate Lutz was Clark’s, the final decision about his employment rests with the Board of Health.

According to an Oct. 31 news release, “no decisions were made or votes taken” to terminate Lutz during the executive session, which would have been a violation of the state public meeting laws if done. Subsequent to the meeting, Clark and Spokane Valley Mayor Ben Wick — acting as a witness — sat down with Lutz where Clark informed him of her decision to terminate his employment, offering him a chance to resign with a severance package.

Lutz was given until 4 p.m. Oct. 30 to submit his resignation, but refused. He released a statement to the media expressing a “strong desire to continue to work to promote the health and safety of the citizens of Spokane County and this region” and said he had hired attorney Bryce Wilcox of Lee & Hayes to represent him.

Elements that changed were the reasons behind Clark’s decision. In first announcing Lutz’s termination, the Health District cited “personnel issues,” which later changed to “performance issues.”

Lutz released a second statement Monday afternoon, Nov. 2, addressing the Health District’s version of events, noting Clark said he was terminated “effective immediately” and was asked to hand over his office equipment.

“I refused to accept SRHD’s severance offer as I do not think Ms. Clark’s actions were justified or lawful,” Lutz said in the statement.

Since then support for Lutz has poured out. Board of Health members Breean Beggs, Spokane City Council President, Betsy Wilkerson and Karen Stratton, Spokane City Council members have expressed strong disagreement with the decision to fire Lutz. Whitworth University President Beck Taylor and Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloch along with several area legislative representatives have expressed concern and surprise.

A protest of the decision on Sunday, Nov. 1, drew a crowd to the Health District building and an online petition calling for the firing of Clark had reached 6,033 signatures as of Nov. 3 — well surpassing the original 5,000 goal. Organizations such as the Washington State University College of Health Sciences, Washington State Medical Association and the Spokane County Medical Society have all questioned the timing and process surrounding Lutz’s termination.

“A vacancy or change in the Health Officer position during this pandemic is irresponsible, especially after Lutz’s strong leadership has kept our community safe,” Spokane County Medical Society members wrote in a letter opposing his removal.

Roettger also questions the timing of the decision. The Health District has been a partner in the district’s efforts to keep students and staff safe and healthy, and have been instrumental in the current partial reopening process most are going through.

Roettger cited the work of Health District epidemiologist Mark Springer, but noted Lutz has played a role when needed, not only with the weekly meetings with superintendents but also with Cheney.

“He’s been available to us,” Roettger said.

It was a sentiment echoed by Ames, who said he didn’t always agree with Lutz’s approach, particularly with reopening schools, but felt there was an openness to working with the data regarding the pandemic.

Where Cheney, Medical Lake and other schools go from here is uncertain.

The Health District said in the Oct. 31 release that it stands ready to name SRHD Treatment Services Division Medical Director Dr. Mary Bergum as interim Health Officer should the board approve Lutz’s termination, and will continue to take a “science-based” approach to the pandemic and follow state Health Department protocols.

Ames said Medical Lake and likely Cheney will continue to take a two-week look at the numbers and assess what can be done going forward.

With first and second-graders returning to in-person instruction, there is a desire to eventually include third-graders in that as those students range from 8-9 years old — the top of the group where the fewest number of cases of the virus are seen.

“Now, it’s going to be week by week watch, observe, learn and make a decision,” Ames said.

In a Nov. 3 news release, the Health District said a public hearing on the matter had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].