Once again, it appears that our feckless Routt County commissioners, acting as our de facto board of health, are going to kick the can down the road, rather than being precautious, in light of our nearly 30% positivity rate and extremely high COVID-19 case count each and every day.

Why not pass a 10-day public health order on New Year’s Eve rather than “wait to see what happens”? I’m fed up with these “leaders” — derisive quotes intentional.

I believe Dr. Brian Harrington, Tim Redmond, Mo DeMorat, Roberta Smith and Dr. Fritha Morrison are truly looking out for the best public health interests of our citizens and visitors, our health care providers and support workers, our first responders, our ever-important essential workers and our vulnerable children and elderly populations, plus the community at large.

However, with commissioners Beth Melton and Tim Corrigan and their skepticism about mask mandates and mitigation efforts, it appears to me they’re failing in their duties and responsibilities to protect Routt County in their elected roles. We likely need to find challengers to remove them both in the next election. Maybe I’ll throw my hat in the proverbial ring.

We need an indoor mask mandate. This includes restaurants, bars, stores and shops, and the gondola at Steamboat Resort.

We need capacity restrictions on businesses, especially places where people eat or drink or congregate in significant numbers greater than four or more persons.

We need county commissioners that actually give a (poop emoji). But that won’t happen anytime soon.

David Elrod

Steamboat Springs