Schenectady County Democrats were on edge Tuesday evening after the sudden departure of Public Health Director Lisa Ayers was compounded by a train-wreck interview on the topic given by County Legislature Health Committee Chair Michelle Ostrelich.
No public announcement of Ayers's departure was made, and rumors began to circulate widely after employees received correspondence signed by a new "interim public health director." This led to the Daily Gazette's Pete DeMola contacting Ostrelich, the county health department's chief oversight officer, for comment, to which she "seemed unaware" of the situation
Ostrelich's grasp of her job's duties was thrown further into doubt when she told DeMola that she was "unclear on the process for hiring a new director". So not only was she unaware that the director of the largest department she oversees had left their vital position during the deadliest pandemic in a century, she also has no idea how to replace them...
In her capacity as health committee chair, Ostrelich oversees the county's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had already been derided by The Daily Gazette as "unacceptable", due to its minimalist approach, saying that "local leaders haven’t shown them how to wear a mask, or discussed the need for social distancing or even offered public condolences to the families of those who have died. "
We really shouldn’t be shocked at incompetence from Ostrelich, an ex-Bush Republican who did not vote in the 2016 presidential election, according to Board of Elections records, but the lack of surprise doesn't make the situation any less concerning. As Bob Herbert of the New York Times said about Michelle's favorite 21st Century president, George W., "There are few things more dangerous than a mixture of power, arrogance and incompetence"....
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