Totem poles stand outside Ketchikan Indian Community’s clinic and office building at 2960 Tongass Avenue. (KRBD file photo)
A Bristol Bay health executive fired last year after suggesting the coronavirus was a political conspiracy is now running Ketchikan’s tribal health clinic. Tribal officials say they have full confidence in the seasoned executive.
A March 16 email from former COO Lecia Scotford to managers of the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation. Click or tap to enlarge. (via KDLG)
Lecia Scotford was chief operating officer for the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation until March 2020. That’s when the Dillingham-based executive emailed colleagues downplaying the pandemic and suggesting it was a political conspiracy.
The subject line read: “Do NOT PANIC.” The email said that prior health crises had taken place during even-numbered years, including Ebola, swine flu and Zika outbreaks.
“And now 2020 Corona! This is not political…….or is it????” the email continued.
Her views were swiftly condemned and she was fired soon after.
Earlier this year Lecia Scotford was hired to lead Ketchikan Indian Community’s Health Clinic. KIC’s Tribal Administrator Randy Williams says Scotford was hired by a previous administrator — Williams took over the job from Charles White last month. But he told KRBD he has confidence in her as the tribe’s health clinic administrator overseeing health care for Ketchikan’s Alaska Native community.
“Everybody’s attitude changed a little bit, right? I mean, I’ve got to admit, even mine changed a little bit. At first we’re thinking, ‘how grievous is this pandemic that’s happening?’ because it wasn’t really attacking us here in Ketchikan as much. And then all of a sudden, everybody knew what it meant. And I think Lecia now knows what it means and would have a significantly different opinion on COVID,” Williams said in a phone interview Friday.
Scotford did not return phone and email messages left Friday.
Williams says Scotford is an asset to the tribe’s 6,000-plus members.
“She’s such a qualified individual for the position that we have. And she’s so resourceful for us in the administration, that we’re going to gain and benefit from her being here with us and supporting our administration to improve the health care for our people,” he said.
The tribe’s elected leader referred most questions about Scotford’s employment to the tribal administrator. Tribal Council President Gloria Burns says the day-to-day running of tribal government is up to the administrator.
“Tribal Council was not involved in hiring that person,” Burns said by phone Friday. “The hiring of Lecia, who comes with a lot of experience … she was hired by administration.”
Burns added that Ketchikan’s federally-recognized tribe takes COVID-19 seriously and strictly enforces mitigation measures.
