TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma City Council voted to approve Resolution 40710 on Tuesday, which invites the Pierce County Council to join a discussion on providing public health services to the region.
The Pierce County Council is considering a proposal to disband the Tacoma-Pierce County Public Health Department.
But during the chaotic coronavirus pandemic, doctors say the proposal has become a distraction.
If passed, the ordinance would terminate the agreement entered into nearly 50 years ago to create the county-city health department.
Pierce County Councilmember Pam Roach wants that termination to happen.
"Nobody's dissolving the health department as we know it. No one's going to be losing jobs,” said Roach.
What the ordinance would do is require the health director to report directly to the county executive and county council instead of an eight-member board of elected leaders and community leaders.
The proposal has strong opposition with Tacoma’s mayor, Victoria Woodards, expressing deep disappointment in the way it has moved forward.
“This is not the right time. All the energy that's being used around this particular ordinance should be being used to fight COVID,” said Woodards.
During the public comment section of a Rules and Operations Committee meeting on Monday, physicians said they were blindsided by the proposal.
Community members also spoke directly to council members.
“You have gravely misjudged many things here. You thought we weren't paying attention. You thought we were too exhausted at the end of this exhausting year to care,” said Kristy Gledhill.
There were nearly 30 comments made during the meeting. All of the comments, with the exception of what Roach had to say, were in opposition of the proposal with some describing it as "reckless" and "hasty."
"This is a significant disillusion and reorganization of half a century old partnership. It deserves more than one week of discussion,” said a Pierce County resident.
Councilmember Marty Campbell said, “we don't need our frontline people being distracted by this."
Campbell said it is the wrong time for this ordinance, but Roach wants to act now.
"My reason for support, it has to do with governance. It has to do with allowing the people to have a greater voice in their government,” said Roach.