|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Embattled Sonoma County health officer Dr. Sundari Mase addressed the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday after revelations about her past history of drinking and driving came to light last month.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that Mase was convicted last year for a December 2020 arrest for driving under the influence in Alameda County with a prior offense that occurred in 2014 in San Diego.
Mase is an infectious disease expert who has led the county’s COVID-19 response.
Mase told the Board of Supervisors that she “deeply regrets what’s occurred” and that she was “not more forthcoming” about her 2014 arrest, which she said she believed had been expunged from her record.
Mase has said that she notified her employer about the 2020 arrest on suspicion of DUI and that fact was not challenged at the board meeting. The Board of Supervisors was not aware of her history until it made the news.
“I admit I made a serious lapse in judgement,” she said, adding later that “I want to assure you that I have done all that is required and more to address these situations and it will not happen again.”
Supervisors appeared to be behind Mase though they don’t condone her actions.
On Feb. 23, Supervisor Lynda Hopkins took to her Facebook page and addressed the case.
“I fully support Dr. Mase’s exceptional work as our Public Health Officer, the county’s leader through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the person who has saved the lives of countless Sonoma County residents by making incredibly tough policy decisions. FULL STOP,” Hopkins wrote.
Hopkins expressed “compassion” for “someone who is having one of the worst moments of her life replayed endlessly in the news and community conversations.”
Like all other supervisors who spoke on Tuesday, Hopkins said she didn’t condone driving inebriated but wanted to move forward to learn from this experience.
Supervisor Susan Gorin praised Mase’s “professionalism, leadership, and knowledge.” and said her faith in the health officer continues “to this day.”
Supervisor Chris Coursey expressed his concern with driving while drinking.
“We all know it’s wrong. The decision to do it isn’t a mistake, it’s a choice and it’s always the wrong choice,” he said. “She’s lucky she was stopped by the police. She was arrested, she informed her boss, she admitted her guilt and she accepted the consequences. As far as I can tell, this has not affected her work. And that’s my primary concern.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, several people expressed support for Mase, including colleagues that worked with her regarding the county’s COVID-19 strategy.
Steven Herrington, the county’s superintendent of schools, said that “she has been one of the best and most exemplary” public health facilitators that he has worked with.
Lucinda Gardner, a Sonoma County epidemiologist, said “we have been so fortunate to have her strong leadership.”
Not everyone was as supportive. A speaker broke into tears as she described her sister’s death that she says was caused by a drunk driver. She said that she is now raising her sister’s children.
“You have a problem, please get help,” she said, as Mase cast her eyes downward.
Another speaker said she was “concerned about the “whole situation.”
“I do hope that she’s getting the help that she needs and is being medically assessed,” she said.
A few public speakers and members of the board brought up rethinking background checks for county hires and questioned the process. It was pointed out, however, that though the board appoints people like Mase, once in her position, she answers only to the public health director, Tina Rivera.
A Change.org petition that is going around entitled “Termination of Dr. Sundari Mase” had gotten more than 1,000 signatures as of Sunday.
Some posters said they found it hypocritical that a public health leader would drink and drive, others attacked her response to COVID-19 as being “unscientific” or decried her mask recommendations.