Under Colorado law, each county must have its own local public health agency or participate in a district public health agency. La Plata County and Archuleta County are currently participating in a district public health agency known as San Juan Basin Public Health (“SJBPH”)…
— from Resolution 2022-24
At respective meetings on Tuesday, November 15, the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners and the La Plata Board of County Commissioners each voted to approve an orderly dissolution of the San Juan Basin Public Health district, which has been serving the two counties jointly for about 75 years.
The separate discussions that took place at the two separate meetings presented an interesting contrast, as we will hear in this editorial.
The La Plata Board of County Commissioners met at 10am on November 15, and had just a couple of decision items on their agenda.
- R-2022-24 : Consideration of Joint Resolution number 2022-24 with Archuleta County establishing a planned and orderly dissolution of the San Juan Basin Public Health District
- Consideration of an Intergovernmental Agreement establishing a planned and orderly process for dissolution of San Juan Basin Public Health and facilitating the smooth transition of public health services to the counties.
The discussion of Resolution 2022-24 began about 5 minutes into the La Plata County meeting, and lasted about 22 minutes, starting with a staff report by County Manager Chuck Stevens. Mr. Stevens began this way:
“Alright, so this has been a bit of a journey. So, let’s walk through it a little bit slowly…”
Although the two counties supported and enjoyed the services of SJBPH “for decades”, some “philosophical differences” showed up during the COVID crisis, Mr. Stevens noted, regarding public health.
During the COVID crisis, specifically, the two county boards found themselves with differing opinions regarding emergency public health policies such as business closures, mask wearing, quarantines, testing, and vaccinations.
But other “philosophical differences” also existed prior to COVID.
“Our communities are just different,” Mr. Stevens continued. “The pandemic response may have highlighted some of those differences, and in the fall of 2021, the Archuleta County commissioners appointed an investigative committee to take a look at the public health district, to determine its viability and to provide information about Archuleta’s desire to remain within the public health district.
“While the Archuleta commissioners never took formal action on the report that came out of that investigation, it did cause the La Plata County commissioners to also take a look at our role in San Juan Basin Public Health, and was the public health district meeting the needs of your residents, of your constituents, here in La Plata County — or was there a way to that, better…”
Certainly, the two communities are “different”. Especially, perhaps, politically. All three La Plata commissioners are Democrats, for example, and all three Archuleta commissioners are Republicans.
La Plata County’s county seat is the City of Durango, population about 19,000. Durango is home to Fort Lewis College with an enrollment of about 3,500. The county’s median age is 36 years.
Archuleta County’s county seat is Pagosa Springs, population about 1,600, with no higher education options. The county’s median age is 50 years.
Although home prices and rental rates are similar in the two communities (with Durango being slightly higher) the wages are rather different. Average weekly wage in Archuleta County is $845. Average weekly wage in La Plata County is about $1,200.
We will hear more of the 20-minute discussion at the La Plata commissioners’ meeting tomorrow, and consider what this transition is going to cost each county.
But first, let’s hear from the Archuleta Commissioners, at their afternoon meeting on November 15.
The discussion lasted all of 2 minutes.
The only substantive comment came from Commissioner Warren Brown.
“I know that there are some people in our community who are upset with how things have ended up. However, this is where we are. And I believe, if we work at this jointly, between the two counties, it will be more beneficial in the end result, for the members of our community, than if we were to oppose. Thank you.”
Commissioners Ronnie Maez and Alvin Schaaf concurred, and the vote to dissolve the public health district was approved. (As it had been in Durango, as well, four hours earlier.)
Actually, there was not much more to say about the issue. The Archuleta BOCC initiated an investigation in August, 2021, to explore the feasibility of dissolving SJBPJH. Apparently, that investigation — and also certain political activities during the COVID crisis — caused anxiety and hurt feelings at the SJBPH offices in Durango, and even caused SJBPH staff to fear for their safety. Here’s a quote from a June 7, 2022, letter issued by the governing body for the district — the seven-member Board of Health:
At a meeting scheduled on April 28, 2022, the San Juan Basin Board of Health made a recommendation to dissolve the Public Health District. That recommendation now goes, via this report, to both sets of County Commissioners to act upon. Each Board of County Commissioners can determine if it chooses to take this recommendation and vote to dissolve the District. Importantly, one County’s decision constitutes a dissolution…
In order to move forward as a combined county district, major changes would need to be undertaken to repair relationships, protect the safety of SJBPH staff and Board of Health at all times, and re-develop a partnership of trust…
…Lack of support for the Districts’ directions and programs, as well as public questions about financing for desired and undesired regulatory functions of public health has undermined the perception of the Public Health structure in both counties. Personnel who have worked tirelessly to protect the health of District communities feel demoralized and discouraged…
You can download that letter here.
Political activities that caused anxiety at SJBPH included a series of protest gatherings at the private home of SJBPH Executive Director Liane Jollon between January and March, 2021, although I have the impression most of the protesters were La Plata County residents.
The Board of Health letter concluded with a statement that “SJBPH staff and the Board of Health are committed to assisting both counties in a seamless transition.”
We know that most Colorado counties operate their own independent public health agencies — and, in some cases, also separate environmental health agencies — but what we don’t yet know, is what this dissolution is going to cost the Archuleta County taxpayers.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.