Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health District Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners split 3-2 to approve health-district board appointment after contested debate
Summary
After lengthy discussion about process and candidate backgrounds, the county commission voted 3–2 to approve the consent package that included the health-district board appointment option favoring restaurant-industry representative Derek Bazziottis over Stephanie Courtney.
The Spokane County Board of County Commissioners voted 3–2 on March 3 to approve a consent motion that settled a disputed community-stakeholder appointment to the Spokane Regional Health District board.
The vote followed debate about whether the board should choose between two candidates the health district had forwarded. Commissioner French supported Derek Bazziottis, saying Bazziottis’ industry experience gives him greater contact with the health district’s work. "I supported him, because in my real life, I'm an architect and have done literally hundreds, if not thousands of restaurants," French said, adding his familiarity with food-service regulation informed his position.
Commissioner Jordan, by contrast, said he preferred Stephanie Courtney for the community-stakeholder seat and explained why he would vote against the consolidated motion. Jordan described Courtney’s nonprofit work leading Shades of Motherhood Network and her community-based maternal-child health work: "She actually gets in there and does something to make a difference," he said, citing her programs that provide peer support and services for parents.
Another commissioner who serves on the regional health board criticized the process that produced two candidates for the commission to choose from and urged updates to bylaws and the county’s resolution to avoid similar stalemates in the future. The board’s vice chair and two other commissioners ultimately voted in favor of the motion; two commissioners recorded opposition. The chair announced, "Motion passes 3 to 2."
The dispute centered on both candidate qualifications and how the health district and county implement a recent state law limiting the number of elected officials on local health boards. Commissioners referenced the need to clarify bylaws and possibly seek legislative fixes to prevent repeated governance conflicts.
Next steps: the commissioners approved the consent package that includes the appointment as presented; the record does not reflect an immediate, separate swearing-in or effective date for the appointee.
