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Missoula Health Board Cancels Emergency Meeting, Ends Illegal Orders, Says “Rescinding” Just Happened to be “simultaneous” to HB 257 Signing

The Missoula County Board of Health called an emergency meeting last Friday after Governor Greg Gianforte signed HB 257 into law, rebuking the health officers authority and retroactively ending illegal health orders against businesses to mask their customers.

The meeting, scheduled for 12:30 today, was cancelled when Julie Mohr, Health Department Support Administrator, came onto the Microsoft Teams video chat at the beginning of the meeting to announce the cancellation.

Mohr was evasive about the reasoning the meeting was cancelled when asked by a meeting participant referring them to the MissoulaInfo.com website for a forthcoming press release.

Mohr said the meeting will be held at their regularly scheduled meeting date, May 20th.

On the website, the guidance from the health department now reads boldly, “Masks Now Strongly Recommended.” This is despite the county boasting of having vaccinated 60% of Missoula County citizens with at least one dose.

Interestingly, the website goes on to say that the Health Board planned to rescind the orders all along, but that the timing with the Governor happened to be “simultaneous”.

“The Governor’s signing of HB 257 occurred simultaneous to Missoula County meeting it’s goals and rescinding mask rule as planned by the Health Board.”

MissoulaInfo.com. May 10, 2021.
Screen Capture from the MissoulaInfo.com website. May 10, 2021.

UPDATE (5:22pm): Missoula County Health Department Lead Public Information Officer Hayley Devlin provided Missoula County Tyranny with Ellen Leahy’s sham resolution rescinding an order already made illegal by the governor last Friday. Read the “resolution” here:

Signed-Face-Covering-Mask-Recommendations-May-10-2021

UPDATE (1:45pm): The health board has updated the agenda and minutes page on the county website in the upcoming meeting description area with the following:

Screen capture of agenda and minutes page for Missoula County Board of Health. May 10, 2021.

May 10, 2021 – Board of Health Special Meeting: 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. – CANCELED

Masks Now Strongly Recommended – May 10, 2021 (www.missoulainfo.com; 11:52 a.m.)

Missoula County has met its intermediate vaccination goal of 60% eligible having received at least one dose.  The Health Board in April directed the Health Officer to rescind the mandate and issue recommendations upon meeting this goal.  Those recommendations are issued in the attached document and effective immediately as of May 10, 2021. 

Missoula County is among the top in the state for vaccination progress.  The Board and Health Officer commend its many vaccinating partners and citizens’ cooperation with masks and the progress with vaccinations that have brought Missoula to this place of low COVID transmission and high vaccination rates. 

The Governor’s signing of HB 257 occurred simultaneous to Missoula County meeting it’s goals and rescinding mask rule as planned by the Health Board. 

Missoula County Board of Health agenda and minutes page. May 10, 2021.
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By Roy McKenzie

Roy McKenzie is a former elected Montana Democrat who moved to Montana in 2017. Roy is the Publisher of Western Montana News. Get in touch with him on Truth Social (@royalton) or Telegram (@royaltonpatrick).
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