Staff at the Ottawa County Department of Public Health claim they’ve been locked out of the department’s social media accounts including X and Facebook page by the county’s administration.
“In addition, we’ve lost access to GovDelivery which is the county’s mail subscription platform. So, we’re unable to send communication to subscribers.”
That’s Ottawa County Administrative Health Officer Adeline Hambley speaking during a news conference hosted by Employment and Civil Rights attorney Sarah Riley Howard. Hambley making residents aware information displayed is not posted on behalf of the Ottawa County Department of Public Health or the health officer.
“It’s important to the Ottawa County Health Officer for me to be able to have the powers and duties to inform and speak with the public as soon as possible if there is a threat to health. And that can be an outbreak, it can also be a threat to funding, for providing essential services to the community. So, that no longer is the case that we’re able to do that.”
Hambley says she and her staff will be looking to create new channels communicating credible information and updates to county residents.
WGVU reached out to Ottawa County Administrator John Gibbs and Board of Commissioners Chairman Joe Moss for comment. At the time of this report, our request has gone unanswered.
I’m Patrick Center.