Cape County health board's COVID-19 recommendations questioned again

The stated agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center (CGCPHC) Board of Trusteees did not call for public comment, but just as the session was called to order, resident Mike Woelk read a prepared statement critical of the board.

A brief excerpt of Woelk's statement included the following: "We don't have to wait and see if you will end up on the wrong side of history. You have to humble yourselves, change your mind and begin to serve the biological welfare of our 80,000 constituents -- and begin to treat them like fellow citizens with the same constitutional liberties you enjoy," he said.

Board chairman John Freeze defended the PHC's continued COVID-19 recommendations saying they are "allowed" and within the health board's purview.

"There is no (mask) mandate in Cape County. The one and only mandate we had was removed last March. Recommendations are in no way a mandate, but they are allowed," Freeze said.

"The testing going on at the Osage Centre is not us; it's the (Missouri) Department of Health. We've been criticized for advising the public schools and SEMO but we're letting you know we have not done that since October."

The CGCPHC follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on face coverings and continues to offer the Moderna and Janssen (J&J) vaccine -- which are authorized for those ages 18 and older. The Pfizer vaccine is currently FDA approved and authorized for those ages 5 and older.

"Where does the madness end?" asked board member Eric Becking, elected in April, whose rhetorical question was met with applause by attendees.

"Is this for the rest of our lives? When do we get past this?"

Other business

The board heard a fiscal review prepared by the center's accountant, reviewed financial transactions and listened to reports about services, communicable diseases and environmental health -- in addition to discussion about possible renovations at PHC offices and the 2022 budget.

Jane Wernsman, PHC director, said she has been advised the cost of medical insurance for health department employees is going up, so she is estimating a 14% hike in premiums.

Additionally, Wernsman said the health department, as a countywide agency, has paid the county clerk's office $42,500 for its proportional share of the cost of the April 2021 municipal election.

The expenditure covers election judge pay, polling location rental, ballot printing, programming of election equipment, truck rental for delivery of election equipment and supplies, postage for absentee ballots, training material costs, among other expenses.

Staff and board members of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center gather a few minutes before the start of Tuesday's monthly meeting at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau. Left to right: Amy Morris, PHC environmental supervisor; Autumn Grim, interim assistant PHC director; Jane Wernsman, PHC director; John Freeze, PHC board chairman; Georganne Syler, board member; and Philip Taylor, board member.Jeff Long

Upcoming election

Three candidates have filed the necessary paperwork with Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers to run in the April 5 CGCPHC board election: Philip Taylor (incumbent), William Lewis and Nancy K. Johnson.

The deadline to file is 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Next meeting

The CGCPHC board will meet again at noon Jan. 25 and Freeze said public comments will be heard at that time.

Within a few minutes of the start of Tuesday's meeting, board chairman Freeze made the following announcement:

"The doors have been locked and no one is allowed to leave. We're told there has been a shooting," he said at the Shawnee Park Center, where a crowd of more than 40 had gathered to witness the proceedings.

Cape Girardeau police investigated a shooting elsewhere on Shawnee Park property while the PHC Board continued to meet without interruption.