Johnson County, Kansas Board of County Commissioners Vice Chair Mike Brown is not prioritizing protecting the health and welfare of the community and should be removed from the position of Vice Chair.  Commissioner Brown has been playing politics with public health by attempting to undermine the authority of Johnson County Public Health Officer Dr. Joseph LeMaster.

While Brown was serving as a member of the Board of Public Health on May 1, 2020, he made a motion that insinuated that the members of Board of Public Health (ie. Johnson County Commissioners) have equal power to the county's appointed public health officer, Dr. Joseph LeMaster.  Even after the county's in-house legal counsel corrected him & explained why this is not the case (in statute), Brown doubled down, insisting that the Board of County Commissioners vote to overrule their public health officer.  Brown was attempting to create two conflicting orders.  The purpose of Brown's motion was to create confusion for the public, putting the public at even greater risk.  The Johnson County Medical Director was given his authority by state statute. Increasingly Commissioner Brown has expressed frustration with public health officials unwillingness to re-open businesses at a rapid pace.  Brown tried to circumvent the legal authority of the medical director by forcing the county to file a frivolous lawsuit undermining the legal authority of the public health official wasting taxpayer dollars in an attempted power grab.

The Board of Public Health is charged with ensuring the general health of the public and broad welfare of the community.  Serving the public is not serving what is popular. Serving the public is doing what is best for the overall good. Commissioner Brown has failed in the very basics of that mission & as a result of his actions, Chairman Ed Eilert should immediately remove him from the Vice Chair position.