Tell county officials YES to COVID-19 prevention!

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Speak up for public health and public safety

Yes, we asked you to contact local officials last weekend, and we're going to keep asking you to keep at it. We need more emails to the Board of Health by 9am on Monday, November 2 before their emergency meeting regarding COVID-19 prevention. Read more here.

We know that anti-mask, anti-government extremists like Annie Bukacek are pushing hard to convince local officials that their disinformation is just as credible as advice from epidemiologists, public health experts, and our hospitals. We need to speak up for the well-being of our entire community.

If we don't keep writing, the extremists will keep getting louder, and it will be harder for local officials to say no to their agenda. 

If we don't speak up and insist on masks, social distancing, and small gatherings, schools and businesses will be forced to close, and our children and economy will suffer. 

Talking points for county officials
We need letters to the Board of Health ASAP, but we'd also like you to reach out to other county officials this week to let them know that you support COVID-19 prevention. Here are the talking points we're suggesting for letters to the Flathead County Commissioners, the Flathead County Sheriff, and the Flathead County Attorney.

Remember that your letter does not need to be long. Just a few sentences is good enough to let them know that you support masks.


It’s totally fine to write a letter that has some of the main talking points in it, and then change a sentence or two to customize it for the different officials.

Board of Health

  • We want businesses and stores to remain open. As cases and hospitalizations climb, the best way we can do that is to wear masks, meet in small groups, and maintain social distancing as recommended by the Health Department.

  • We also trust the recommendations of local epidemiologists, hospitals, and public health experts to guide policy, not anti-mask activists.

  • We are very concerned that larger events that have been happening at the county fairgrounds are increasing the chances that we’ll have more COVID-19 cases in the valley. We ask that these events be scaled down or postponed.

County Commissioners

  • We want businesses and stores to remain open. As cases and hospitalizations climb, the best way we can do that is to wear masks, meet in small groups, and maintain social distancing.

  • We need the county commissioners to lead by bringing the community together. Their recent statement made mask wearing seem optional, and that is making it harder for businesses to operate.

  • Much of the anti-mask misinformation is coming from Dr. Annie Bukacek, who they placed on the Flathead City-County Board of Health. Her opinions do not represent the local medical community, and she is actively undermining the work of the Health Department, which is causing an unsafe situation for county employees on many levels.

  • People who are choosing not to wear masks are not a protected class of citizen, so they cannot claim special exemption under the law.

  • Also, the Department of Justice says, “The ADA does not provide a blanket exemption to people with disabilities from complying with legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations.” We're adding this point because one of the commissioners is trying to use the Human Rights Act as a justification for mask exemptions -- and the ACA has said that’s not acceptable. 

Contact info for Flathead County Commissioners

County attorney 

  • We want businesses and stores to remain open. As cases and hospitalizations climb, the best way we can do that is to wear masks, meet in small groups, and maintain social distancing.

  • Not every statement or recommendation from the county commissioners, the county attorney or the Board of Health has to meet the standard of being “enforceable.” There are many statements the government entities make in order to help bring citizens together for the common good.

  • Confrontations about mask wearing are increasing at schools and businesses, and we need leaders to support public health and public safety.

  • Contact Travis Ahner at tahner@flathead.mt.gov or click here and select “County Attorney” from the dropdown menu.

County sheriff

  • We want businesses and stores to remain open. As cases and hospitalizations climb, the best way we can do that is to wear masks, meet in small groups, and maintain social distancing.

  • We are aware that anti-mask activists are claiming that law enforcement agencies, and specifically the sheriff, is on their side by refusing to enforce the mask mandate.

  • We understand law enforcement’s actual position, but the misinformation being broadcast by anti-mask, anti-government groups is very dangerous. Dr. Annie Bukacek, who is leading the anti-mask movement, was named in this report on violent extremist Ammon Bundy, who is organizing people to protest mask mandates.

  • Confrontations about mask wearing are increasing at schools and businesses, and we need leaders to support public health and public safety. It would help if the sheriff’s department made a clear statement saying that they believe masks are a good way to help maintain public health and public safety.

  • Contact Sheriff Brian Heino at bheino@flathead.mt.gov or click here and select “Sheriff’s Office” from the dropdown menu.

Thank you for raising your voice and making sure that extremists don’t dominate the community discussion about COVID-19!

Cherilyn DeVries