PHOTO: San Juan Basin Board of Health Vice President Karin Daniels, October 13, 2021. Courtesy UnitedForFreedom.us
Communication…
What does it mean?
Each year over the past several years, the Pagosa Springs Town Council has defined a set of priority goals for itself and its employees… and consistently, has chosen to define “improved communication with the community” as a priority. This year — 2021 — two significant steps were taken in that direction. The staff began to post occasional news on the Town website, and the Planning Department created a brand new interactive website, MyPagosa.org, especially dealing with development projects — facilitating public feedback on select projects.
Long before the arrival of COVID, San Juan Basin Public Health already had history of sending press releases to local media outlets. Since COVID, the SJBPH website has become even more interactive, with regular updates and data related to the pandemic. Nearly all of the press releases since last March have concerned COVID.
But pushing out news into the world is only half the communication picture. The other half of effective communication is ‘listening’ to the citizenry, and making an effort to reach out to citizens who are normally hesitant to communicate.
Unfortunately, the COVID crisis has thrown up a wall between various demographic groups, and we are even less able to communicate effectively than we were back in 2019.
For some people, a divorce may seem like the best solution, when communication has broken down.
Here’s a repeat of a quote, shared yesterday in Part Four, from Health District Investigative Committee chair Mozhdeh Bruss.
“We had our fifth [commission] meeting last night and I hear Leslie asking the same question asked over and over. ‘Where are the on-the-ground services for our community members?’ Who is responsible for that? I understand all the big, global stuff. But I think, at the end of the day, people… Leslie’s asking the question. How do we meet people’s needs, without being just a resource and referral service… with documents online…?”
Ms. Bruss had noticed an uncomfortable look on the face of the person sitting next to her — Karin Daniels, Archuleta County’s public representative on the Board of Health for the past 10 years, where she serves as Vice President.
“You have something to say, Karin?” Ms. Bruss asked, with a smile.
Ms. Daniels did indeed have something to say.
“You know, I would like to comment. In the ten years, plus, that I’ve served on the [Board of Health], I’ve been the most consistent advocate for Archuleta County. I’ve worked with six different commissions during that time, and with each Commissioner who has served on the Board for the County.
“It takes a two-way communication. A two-way communication. And Archuleta County has not… has not come forward with what their needs are.
“And I think this [investigative] committee, and this whole action, is so excellent. Because what it’s showing me, is we are not doing enough to communicate to the people of Archuleta County, and let them know what is available.
“I think you are all surprised at the number of services that are available through SJBPH — but they’re not visible. They’re not visible. And we are not communicating well enough.
“But we need it from the community, as well. In all the years, I’ve attended meetings after meetings, and we’ve tried to have at least one of our quarterly meetings in Pagosa Springs… and still they were not well attended.
“We don’t hear from everybody. And I think that… I don’t think that’s anyone’s fault? It’s just part of the process that has happened, and everyone has taken for granted, that the services are there.
“And you’re right. We’re not informing. But we’ve not being informed, either.”
An Investigative Commission Vice Chair Leslie Davis:
“Well, I think that was one of the things we were going to do… is ask y’all, how can we help? It’s not that serious of a problem that we can’t fix it… if we can identify exactly what our needs are, how can we fix that? So everybody is happy, and the public knows it. Because the public doesn’t know yet, the questions to ask.”
Another committee member, Marybeth Snyder, also responded to Ms. Daniels:
“I appreciate you saying that, because… in what I’ve investigative so far, I can see that Archuleta County hasn’t been a participant in all this. And just like the way [SJBPH] has operated, it really doesn’t matter how we got to the sickness we’re in, it really doesn’t matter — this is where we are, and what are we going to do.
“So it’s good to hear from you that, we’re right — it was a two-way communication disorder.”
Interesting terminology.
“…a two-way communication disorder.”
As an outside observer, I sense that the Archuleta County Health District Investigative Committee and SJBPH came to an understanding on October 13, that both sides — SJBPH and the Archuleta County government — could do a better job of communicating, and that maybe ‘better communication’ was the main issue… and has now been established through this investigative process?
This would then suggest that Archuleta County has no particular need to file for a divorce from SJBPH, to then form its own independent public health service… or join a public health district on the other side of the Continental Divide.
But that depends. Will the three elected commissioners who sit on the BOCC also accept such a conclusion?
Or has the HDIC thus far failed to solve the two most pressing public health policy issues? Namely:
1. Lower costs for septic systems in Archuleta County; and
2. Better control, by the BOCC, over mask mandates and business lockdowns, going forward?
We note, in the Daily Post article by SJBPH Communications Director Chandler Griffin posted yesterday, SJBPH is urging Governor Jared Polis to impose a state-wide mask mandate.
“The entire state of Colorado has been formally declared a high-risk, high-transmission area, therefore SJBPH calls on the State of Colorado to enact a statewide mask order to help flatten the curve and save lives. A mask order can be rapidly deployed to reduce transmission and complement ongoing efforts with vaccine, testing, and COVID-19 treatments…”
In the absence of such a mandate, SJBPH is offering a ‘health advisory’, advising us that we ought to consider wearing a mask indoors in public spaces.
Advice. Not a mandate.
And no mandated business closures. Yet.
Just an ‘advisory’.