By Mario Lotmore | Lynnwood Times Staff
On Thursday, May 21, the Snohomish County Board of Health approved by a vote of 11 to 4 to give Snohomish County health officer, Dr. Christopher Spitters, the authority to pursue legal action against businesses that do not follow his COVID-19/health directives. This was a special meeting on zoom of the Health Board and the subject matter was not on the agenda.
In its May 20 article, “Local health officers have authority to involuntarily isolate or quarantine,” the Lynnwood Times confirmed with the Snohomish Health District that the authority to pursue involuntary compliance (isolation or quarantine) against an individual also resides with the County’s local health officer, Dr. Christopher Spitters.
The Board of Health is comprised of a total of 15 Board members – five county council members and ten city elected officials throughout Snohomish County. The Health Board oversees both policy and the budget of the Snohomish Health District. The vote breakdown is as follows:
No Vote to give Dr. Christopher Spitters the authority to pursue legal action against businesses
- Scott Bader, Everett City Council Member
- Sam Low, Snohomish County Council Member
- Nate Nehring, Snohomish County Council Member
- Jeff Vaughan, Marysville City Council Member
Yes Vote to give Dr. Christopher Spitters the authority to pursue legal action against businesses
- Elisabeth Crawford, Mukilteo City Council Member
- Megan Dunn, Snohomish County Council Member
- Christine Frizzell, Lynnwood City Council Member
- Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Edmonds City Council Member
- John Joplin, Brier City Council Member
- Anji Jorstad, Lake Stevens City Council Member
- Jared Mead, Snohomish County Council Member
- Dan Rankin, Mayor of Darrington
- Linda Redmon, Snohomish City Council Member
- Kyoko Matsumoto Wright, Board Vice Chair, Mayor of Mountlake Terrace
- Stephanie Wright, Board Chair, Snohomish County Council Member
The Lynwood Time has reached out and awaiting statements of this decision by all Snohomish Health District board members, Dr. Christopher Spitters, and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers to follow up on this developing story.
The next regular Board of Health meeting is scheduled for June 9, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. A complete list of committee and board meetings are listed here.
