SPOKANE, Wash. — A petition calling for the removal of Spokane Regional Health District Administrative Officer Amelia Clark has gained over 3,000 signatures on Change.org. The petition was posted on Saturday night.
Last Thursday, Clark asked Spokane County Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz for his resignation due to "performance issues," according to a statement from SRHD. Dr. Lutz later released a statement saying he doesn't intend to resign and has hired a lawyer.
The petition accuses Clark of "recklessly abus[ing] her power in calling for the resignation of the County's Public Health Officer amidst the current pandemic."
SRHD released a statement Saturday night saying that the health district "acknowledges that this is difficult timing for such a transition," and that Clark "would not have sought the employment separation of Dr. Lutz during the COVID-19 pandemic if other viable options were available."
The Health District previously said the Health Board had already voted to approve Clark's request that Dr. Lutz is terminated if he doesn't resign, but later said no vote was actually held.
There will be a public meeting where the Health Board will vote on whether to terminate Dr. Lutz as health officer, but a date has not been set yet, according to a statement from SRHD.