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Hours after the surprise announcement of her resignation, Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich sat down for another media availability, which features questions mostly about her experiences in the position. 

We’ve listed the questions below, with links so you can skip to that part of the video.

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1. The North Coast Journal asks… You were the focus of some especially vitriolic public comments at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Can you speak to what role if any such comments from and exchanges with members of the public, as well as local appointed and elected officials, played in your decision to retire?

2. The North Coast Journal asks… Have you felt supported in your roll as health officer by county staff, the sheriff, local police chiefs and the Board of Supervisors?

3. The North Coast Journal asks… Can you describe the toll this job has taken on you and your family, both in so far as its demands on your time and the way it has thrust you into the spotlight as a public figure?

4. The North Coast Journal and North Coast News ask… Do you have anyone you would recommend the Board of Supervisors look toward to become Humboldt County’s next health officer?

5. The North Coast Journal asks… What advice would you give whoever succeeds you in the role?

6. The North Coast Journal asks… When long removed from your time as Humboldt County’s health officer, what do you think you will be most proud and regretful of during this period?

7. The North Coast Journal asks… Understanding you intend to remain on under the new health officer in some capacity, what are you most looking forward to doing after relinquishing the title and full time duties of the job?

8. The Redwood News asks… In your resignation, you mentioned that you plan to serve the county in a part time position under the new Health Officer and Dr. Ennis. For the time being, will Dr. Ennis be stepping in to a sort of acting health officer role? And can you give us a better idea of what this new part time position will look like for you?

9. The Redwood News asks… What is going to happen to the media availability slots? Dr. Frankovich is featured in a large number of those and with her resignation, will Public Health have someone else fill in? Will the number media availability videos each week decrease? Who will now be that driving voice informing the community coming from Public Health and the JIC now?

10. Reporter Daniel Mintz asks… Health officers in other parts of the state and the country have reported that they have been the targets of threats, including death threats. Some resentment about your orders has been expressed in Humboldt County, have you received threats and if so what types?

11. Reporter Daniel Mintz asks… You have, in your words, been subjected to “insinuations of racism,” did the public airing of your disagreement with HSU’s president and the subsequent controversy contribute to your decision to resign in any way?

12. The Times-Standard asks… What spurred this resignation? Can you provide an explanation for why you need to go part-time?

13. The Times-Standard asks… If a surge were to take place this fall, how would that be handled if there is no permanent head of county’s health department?

14. The North Coast News asks… You started this job shortly before the pandemic reached Humboldt with its first case. What were your expectations for the role and how different was it than expected?

15. The North Coast News asks… There has been so much support and also some criticism of how things have been handled. How much sleep have you lost trying to make decisions to keep our community safe?

16. The North Coast News asks… When will your resignation be effective, and what’s the first thing you plan to do once you move out of the full-time role?

17. The Lost Coast Outpost asks… During yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, regular public commenter Kent Sawatzky mocked your name, accused you of literally killing people and said he wished you’d leave. Can you talk about the personal impact of being the face of the county’s pandemic response? And did that pressure contribute to your decision to resign?

18. The HSU Lumberjack asks… As you know, a series of emails were released showing you and Tom Jackson going back and forth about whether HSU’s reopening to students was a good idea or not. Due to the attention received by said dispute, was there any relation from that to your resignation?

19. The Lost Coast Outpost says… Dr. Frankovich, thank you for your service to the county, and asks, local public health officers throughout the country have been subject to intense political pressure for their efforts to manage the pandemic. Have there been any times during this crisis when you felt as though you didn’t have support from elected officials, or from particular elected officials? From the public?