LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Health Services department will coordinate town hall-style meetings on public health in each supervisory district from late April through May, said Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy Tuesday.
Presenting to the board of supervisors, Pomeroy said these meetings will open the county up to grant funding for health-related issues. She added that the meetings are beneficial because they “engage with the public to hear their voice, to listen to them on what they feel is important on this topic.”
The town hall meetings will feature “a variety of panelists” including hospital representatives and county health professionals.
One meeting will be held in each supervisory district.
Pomeroy noted that the meetings could lead to improvements in Lake County’s public health rankings. In a recent annual report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Lake County was ranked 58th of 58 counties in overall health statistics.
Following Pomeroy’s report, county supervisors discussed the meaning of health reports like the recent one and considered the potential impact of the planned town hall meetings to improve health locally.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown described Lake County as “a good place to live” whether or not that fact is reflected in health rankings from outsider organizations.
“I don’t believe the statistics,” Brown said. He noted later that “things aren’t that bad in Lake County. Lake County is a good place to live, it’s a good place to raise a family.”
Brown cast the planned town hall meetings as a repetition of a timeworn discussion that has not had much impact on the health of the public in Lake County, asking: “What is this board looking for other than just another town hall meeting where we’ve met a grant requirement?”
District 4 Supervisor and Board Chair Tina Scott argued that the health-focused town halls are needed to promote better health in Lake County.
“I think this is important to get the word out that we are doing things,” she said. Scott agreed with Brown that health rankings don’t necessarily reflect the reality, noting that “we also need to become proud of who we are. We’re a great place to live and if we all start believing that ourselves, I think we will see our health ranking jump.”
District 1 Supervisor and Vice Chair Moke Simon said he was interested in fighting back against the story being told by “those reports.”
“I know there’s another story to tell,” he said.
The five health and wellness town hall meetings will be held at the following locations:
District 1: Monday, April 22, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Twin Pine Event Center, 22223 Highway 29 Rancheria Road, Middletown.
District 2: Tuesday, May 14, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake.
District 3: Wednesday, May 15, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Community Center, 9470 Main St., Upper Lake.
District 4: Thursday May 16, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Soper Reese Theater, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.
District 5: Thursday May 30, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5340 3rd St., Kelseyville.
