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I’m devastated by the resignations or Courtney Davis, interim director of Berrien County Public Health Department and Gillian Conrad, communications director of the Public Health Department. Their resignations weaken the public health leadership essential to our county particularly during the ongoing pandemic we are experiencing.   

These two public health professionals report that they’ve experienced hateful comments and opposition because they’ve been doing their jobs as guardians of the health and well-being of Berrien County residents. I’m aghast that the goals of saving lives and ensuring healthy communities has become mired in controversy- and that the professional integrity of public health officials and public health data has become suspect.

These two leaders have based their resignation decisions on professional ethics requiring them to uphold the science of public health.

Our team at Interfaith Action thanks them for their leadership,  We hope the health department will move amidst this toxic environment to recruit science based public health professionals. As communities of faith, we understand that our bodies are holy gifts from God, and we must invest in their health and wholeness. We also understand that our faith calls us to invest in the well-being of our neighbors so that we have healthy communities.

We call on county officials to do the same.

Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn

Director, Interfaith Action

of SW Michigan