Need Your Help, Please

[Tom Gonzales]

Dear Larimer County leaders,

 

For over 52 years the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment has worked tirelessly to provide everyone in Larimer County the opportunity for a healthy life.  A local public agency that has responded to the needs of the community during and after catastrophic floods and fire, West Nile Virus outbreaks, meningococcal outbreak, TB, waterborne outbreaks, polio, salmonella and many other public health emergencies.    

 

But now there is a group of people (small, yet vocal) intimidating our caring public health staff for our difficult work with suppressing COVID-19. This trailer and the horrible message is sitting next to your public health department in Fort Collins.  

 

I am asking for your help to get this removed and out of our compassionate County.  All we are trying to do is reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations on our all-ready overwhelmed hospitals.  Thus, freeing up beds for all urgent medical emergencies. 

 

Please.

 

Sincerely, -Tom 

          

[John Kefalas]

Tom,

This trailer has been located on farm land for a long time along Hwy 1 on the way to Wellington. Whose property is this on? Thank you.

	John Kefalas County Commissioner, District 1
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St | 2nd Floor PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190 W: (970) 498-7001 Cell:  (720) 254-7598 jkef...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org

[Sheriff Smith]

Tom,

This message has raised tremendous concerns with me. You must keep in mind that the 1st Amendment was adopted to protect the free speech rights of Americans. It wasn’t written to protect speech that government officials agree with, but speech that they may disagree with. 

Any efforts by government officials to silence a message that offends that, but that is not criminal in nature, is clearly a violation of the Constitutionally protected rights to free speech. 

Justin

On Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 5:40 PM Tom Gonzales <gonz...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

[William Karspeck]

Hi Tom,

I'm sorry this is happening. Definitely a demoralizing message to healthcare workers who are already stressed out. If this was in Berthoud I don't think we would or could do anything on private property. We do have some ordinances for junk and abandoned vehicles, but I don't know if they would apply to this or if yge County has similar ordinances.

What might be worth considering, if this is still an issue and concerning to the employees, would be temporary rentable fencing with a positive message located on the edge of that public (?) street. Exactly what construction contractors do when they erect a building. You could even put positive messages on it.

Thanks,

Will

---

From: Tom Gonzales <gonz...@co.larimer.co.us>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 5:40 PM
To: John Kefalas; Kristin Stephens; Jody Shadduck-McNally; Sheriff Smith; Jeni Arndt; Jacki Marsh - Mayor; Wendy Koenig; mso...@timnathgov.com; hamm...@wellingtoncolorado.gov; William Karspeck; gleb...@johnstownco.gov; prenn...@windsorgov.com
Cc: Frank Haug; Linda Hoffmann; Jeff Swoboda; Tony Van Goor; Bernard Birnbaum; Jennifer Lee; Lorenda Volker; Brian DelGrosso; Janna West Kowalski; Hunsaker Ryan - CDPHE, Jill; Lisa Kaufmann - GOVOffice
Subject: Need Your Help, Please

[Rob Woodward]

November 1, 2021

Larimer County Commissioners:

 

By now, you’ve certainly seen the email from Tom Gonzales, the County’s Public Health Director. And I trust you’ve seen the legitimate debate that has ensued.

 

It is clear that Mr. Gonzales attempted to use his government connections to quash the free speech rights of a local citizen. He clearly doesn’t understand the Constitutional limits that are placed on the government in order to protect the Natural Rights of the Citizens.

 

It is clear that Mr. Gonzales asked you to compromise your oath of office in order to bend the rules to remove the message on the trailer.

 

It is clear that Mr. Gonzales is unsuited for this office if he is so intimidated by the peaceful free speech of a private citizen.

 

The undersigned members of the Colorado General Assembly urge the County Commissioners to direct the Board of Health to immediately terminate Tom Gonzales as the Public Health Director. Larimer County deserves a thoughtful Director of Public Health that understands that the Rights of the Citizens do not end when his feelings are offended.

 

 

Senator Rob Woodward                     Minority Leader Hugh McKean

 

 

Senator Barb Kirkmeyer                     Representative Mike Lynch

 

cc: Larimer County Board of Health

Rob Woodward Colorado Senator, Senate District 15 Office: (303) 866-4853 | rob.woodw...@state.co.us Facebook | Twitter

IMPORTANT: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential. They are intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you have received this email by mistake, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to anyone or make copies thereof. 

On Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 5:52 PM Tom Gonzales <gonz...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tom Gonzales <gonz...@co.larimer.co.us>
Date: Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 5:40 PM
Subject: Need Your Help, Please

--

Tom Gonzales, MPH, REHS
Public Health Director
Health and Environment 
1525 Blue Spruce Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80524
W: (970) 498-6714 | M: (970) 278-6300
tgon...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org

[John Kefalas]

November 3, 2021

Good Morning Rob,

Please the attached letter from the three commissioners in response to your letter that we received yesterday from you and your fellow legislators. Thank you, and I hope you and your family are well these days.

	John Kefalas County Commissioner, District 1
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St | 2nd Floor PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190 W: (970) 498-7001 Cell:  (720) 254-7598 jkef...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org