County Board of Supervisors speakers contentious over Coronavirus restrictions and mandates

Julie Reeder

Publisher

SAN DIEGO – In a heated hours long public comment period during the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, Aug. 17, at least 120 people addressed the supervisors. 

The speakers, including some doctors, nurses and professionals, were making their objections known regarding coronavirus pandemic restrictions and mandates. Most of the speakers very passionately stated their reasons for not supporting mandates regarding vaccines, masks (especially for children), businesses monitoring employees or customers for vaccine participation or a vaccine passport, and business lockdowns.

Oceanside Metroflex owner Louis Uridel told the supervisors, "I will never submit to any request or requirement to wear masks or vaccine mandates. I will never submit to rules that segregate... people and pit them against each other."

Wearing a "Everyone is Essential" T-shirt, Re-Open San Diego co-organizer Amy Reichert said, "I actually work for a big corporation, and my CEO has a message for you, he's not going to do it. Go pound sand @NathanFletcher."

Audra Morgan, who spoke on nearly every topic that night and has spoken against the county's COVID policies at previous meetings, accused supervisors of violating their oaths. "We're coming after every single (expletive) one of you,'' she told the board.

Many of the commenters specifically addressed board Chair Nathan Fletcher, who during most of the public comment period didn't look up at the speakers and appeared to be looking down, possibly at his phone. 

At one point Fletcher used Instagram to send a derogatory message including the "f" word to those speaking against the mandates. 

At various times during the meeting, Fletcher reminded people not to be disruptive. "We have a lot of folks who want to be heard today, and we want you to be heard,'' Fletcher said. "But you don't have the right to interrupt the comments of other individuals.''

One man, who said he was part of the crew for the film "Plandemic'' said he was filming the board members for a sequel.

A couple of speakers called for board members to be arrested or resign or screamed at them.

A few speakers also called on county public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten to resign after accusing her of using numbers and charts that weren't accurate.

Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Nora Vargas left the chamber at some point and participated remotely during certain periods of the meeting.

According to his spokesman, Fletcher left the dais "to help make sure people who felt like they were left off the speaker list were signed-up and allowed to speak.''

Lawson-Remer's spokesman said she had to leave the meeting for a certain period to care for her toddler.

Eli Komai, a San Diego resident, credited county staff members with doing a good job listening to what he and others had to say. "We're not doing this for ourselves, we're doing this for our community,'' he added.

Escondido resident Kevin Stevenson called in upset and said he had listened for nearly four hours to "unhinged death cultists.''  Stevenson thanked Fletcher, Vargas and Lawson-Remer for their efforts to protect the residents.

Supervisor Joel Anderson said it was important to hear people's voices on both sides of the issue. "We had a lively debate today, and people came from long distances and waited a long time,'' he added.

Supervisor Jim Desmond, who has been critical of certain county restrictions, thanked Fletcher for leading the discussion.

Desmond encourages people to get the COVID-19 vaccine but will also stand up for those who don't want it.

"I'm completely against a mandated workplace vaccination. COVID is here to stay,'' said Desmond, adding that residents will have to learn to live with the coronavirus, and that the county needs to allow children to return to school, let businesses open and let people get back to work.

Lawson-Remer said she was grateful for the process that allows everyone's voice to be heard. "This is why we have open government,'' she added.

City News Service contributed to this story.