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Public commenters tell supervisors unpaid mental-health provider seeks $50,000 and vaccine-injury speakers renew claims
Summary
During public comment July 22, a county mental-health provider said she had not been paid for 104 days and faces $50,000 in unpaid claims; speakers also urged the board to halt COVID‑19 vaccine use, citing anecdotal injury claims.
VISALIA — During the public-comment period at the Tulare County Board of Supervisors’ July 22 meeting, several members of the public addressed county officials on two distinct issues: an unpaid mental‑health/provider billing complaint and testimony alleging injuries from COVID‑19 vaccines.
Barbara Mathis, who identified herself as a local behavioral‑health provider with long service in the county, told the board she had not been paid for her clients’ services for 104 days and estimated she would be owed about $50,000 as of the previous Saturday. Mathis said she submits bills monthly, that she supports 30 clients in board-and-care homes and described making personal withdrawals from retirement benefits and Social Security to buy food for clients while waiting for payment. When Supervisor Makari responded, he asked staff to have someone contact her.
A separate group of speakers used public comment to present claims they said showed vaccine harms. Ronald Ed Bowens Jr., identifying himself as a former California Department of Public Health public information officer, asserted that state officials had said the COVID‑19 vaccines were “killing people” and asked the board to direct the county health officer to stop promoting and administering the vaccines; he cited Health & Safety Code 101025 (as he referenced it) and said he had sent related materials to the county.
Julie Threet, who said she is vaccine-injured, described personal medical complications she attributes to Moderna doses and urged county officials to stop vaccine administration; she referenced advocacy organizations and federal testimony in support of her position. The board did not take immediate action on the vaccine pleas; supervisors thanked speakers for their comments and did not announce follow-up directives beyond the staff contact for the unpaid‑provider complaint.
Why it matters Public comment is the forum where residents raise problems and ask the board to act. In this meeting staff was asked to contact an unpaid provider, indicating the board will ensure the complaint reaches county staff; the vaccine speakers’ requests were recorded but no county action was taken during the session.
Speakers in this article are quoted only as shown in the meeting transcript.
