After all, the doctor is inside.
Dr. Matt Strauss will begin his tenure as Acting Medical Officer in Haldimand-Norfolk on Tuesday after a tumultuous few days in which initially some members of the local board of health withdraw your support for the noticed skeptical of the confinement.
Whatever Strauss detractors overheard behind closed doors Monday night during a nearly two-hour session with an anonymous attorney changed their mind, as the board subsequently voted 8-1 to confirm the appointment.
Norfolk County Councilor Kim Huffman, who last Tuesday publicly revoked her support for Strauss after outrage over some of his remarks, such as questioning public health measures like vaccine passports and masking, or when she tweeted that she would give them earlier. COVID to your children. 19 that fast food was one of those that changed its tune.
“At this time I will support the appointment,” Huffman said, adding that she was guided by legal advice and was “being very careful in terms of not being a hindrance to the board of health and Haldimand and Norfolk counties.”
Mayor of Haldimand Ken hewitt He said his council had “significant concerns … from a financial perspective” in the event that the doctor’s appointment was revoked.
“An offer has been made,” Hewitt said. “There have been many comments that could be misinterpreted and lead to several million dollars in lawsuits. We share that concern and that weighs heavily on where we are today. “
Hewitt is not a voting member of the board, but he was present at Monday’s special meeting to share his council’s support for Strauss.
Hewitt acknowledged that Strauss has made “nervous” comments on social media regarding COVID-19, but noted that the board also had “lively conversations” about how former medical health officer Dr. Shanker Nesathurai handled the pandemic, including his Section 22 orders regarding how to safely quarantine migrant farm workers – rules that Hewitt called “exaggerated” and damaging to the local economy.
Coun. Amy Martin was the only vote against. At last week’s board of health meeting, he called Strauss’s public comments on the pandemic “insensitive” and “a danger to our community,” and said his August 29 “Live free or die” tweet. he showed a lack of leadership.
The board had previously voted against a motion for Strauss to speak at Monday’s meeting, but Coun. Mike Columbus referenced a letter the doctor sent to the board in which he offered what Columbus called “a reasonable explanation for his social media posts.”
“I wish we had that explanation from the beginning, because that letter we received today certainly clarified much of the reason I was making such a comment,” Columbus said.
Strauss’s letter was not made public prior to the meeting and it is unclear which of Strauss’s tweets was referenced.
Columbus added that Strauss “does believe in COVID-19 vaccines, contrary to some emails I received.”
“I don’t feel like spending taxpayer money on a liability lawsuit of something of that nature,” Columbus said. “He has a signed agreement at the moment, and I hope to see him ready for work tomorrow.”
Before casting his vote, Huffman addressed “misinformation” among the general public about what Strauss would have the power to do in his new role.
“I got quite a few emails (from residents) saying, ‘We don’t want any more masks. No more social distancing. We don’t want any more locks. We want Dr. Strauss, ‘”Huffman said.
“I just want to make it clear to the public that that is not the case. Those are provincial mandated laws … and those things will continue to apply in Haldimand-Norfolk. “
Councilors Linda Vandendriessche and Tom Masschaele also reversed their objections to Strauss’s hiring, and Vandendriessche maintained that their investigative process was flawed.
“I still have concerns, but I will support doing what we have to do,” he said.
Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp, who chairs the board of health, said she looked forward to Strauss’ arrival to address COVID-19 and other public health issues, such as the opioid crisis.
“Public health should never be political,” Chopp said after the vote. “I really want to congratulate the majority of the members here today for basing their decision on facts.”
Chopp said it was important not to squash opposing views on closures and other public health measures, noting that she herself has problem taken publicly with the province’s COVID-19 response.
“This is how we keep the conversation going,” he said. “I don’t think that someone with a difference of opinion should be silenced in any way.”
Strauss is expected to appear before Tuesday’s Norfolk County council meeting to make a public appearance.
JP Antonacci’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Funding allows you to report stories about the Haldimand and Norfolk regions.
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