News Flash

Public Notices

Posted on: November 4, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

St. Michael Employees Raise Concerns to Mayor Wheeler about COVID-19 Safety Protocols at Bremerton Hospital. St. Michael Administration Invited to Attend Future City Council Meeting to Give Update to Public

The following message was sent by Mayor Wheeler to St. Michael Medical Center administration yesterday in response to a letter from UFCW 21 hospital employees regarding health and safety protocols at St. Michael (formerly Harrison hospital). 

To St. Michael Medical Center, 

First, I want to recognize St. Michael Medical Center’s collaboration with state and local health officials to respond to a large COVID-19 outbreak at the Bremerton hospital in mid-August. By working with state and local health officials and agencies, St. Michael responded to the crisis, provided updates to the public and contained the outbreak. Through its response, St. Michael maintained community trust in our local hospital and vital healthcare services. 

Today, I’m writing to bring your attention to a troubling letter my office received from UFCW 21 union employees of St. Michael. Bremerton hospital staff express their concerns about current conditions at the hospital and a change in response by St. Michael to health and safety protocols after containing this summer’s COVID-19 outbreak. In the letter, they assert that nurses and other healthcare workers have seen a decline in available PPE and a lack of rapid COVID-19 testing for frontline staff, among other issues, after the initial actions St. Michael had taken to combat the spread of the virus. The employee letter raises troubling questions about the health and safety measures currently in place to protect the public. 

I’m not sure of the validity of the claims as St. Michael has not publicly addressed the letter by employees. However, as you know, protective equipment and rapid COVID-19 tests for hospital staff remain crucial tools for limiting the spread of COVID-19 among employees, patients and visitors and are outlined in the state’s joint hazard alert for healthcare employers and a recent letter by Kitsap Public Health on access to testing for healthcare workers and others. Without sufficient tools in place at St. Michael, I am concerned about the potential for future outbreaks and the impacts on our citizens. 

Our population depends on safe and accessible healthcare. It’s imperative that precautions are taken at every level of St. Michael to reduce opportunities for transmission of the coronavirus among workers and those seeking treatment and care. Residents must be able to trust that health and safety protocols are in place at the Bremerton hospital, and that administrators and employees as well as patients and visitors are precisely following them. 

In response to the employee letter, I urge St. Michael’s administration to publicly communicate about its COVID-19 health and safety practices to create transparency with the community. The Bremerton City Council is open to having St. Michael’s administration attend an upcoming meeting to brief members of the Council and the public about the hospital’s current health protocols and answer questions. I invite you to contact the City Council office at 360-473-5280 or city.council@ci.bremerton.wa.us for information on setting up a briefing at a future meeting.  

St. Michael Medical Center is an important partner in maintaining the community’s trust. Communicating to the public about the steps St. Michael is taking to reduce outbreaks and what the hospital is doing to make access and care as safe as possible would help provide assurances to the citizens of Bremerton.  

Sincerely,

Greg Wheeler
Mayor

Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in Public Notices

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 14, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 28, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 26, 2023

West Kitsap Way Planning Study

Posted on: June 15, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 3, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 7, 2023

Water Main Flushing

Posted on: March 9, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: February 8, 2023

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: January 26, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 22, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 21, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 20, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 19, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 8, 2022

West Kitsap Way Planning Study

Posted on: December 6, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: November 29, 2022

Joint Compatibility Transportation Plan

Posted on: November 2, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 20, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 3, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 19, 2022

Proposed Zoning Code Amendments

Posted on: September 2, 2022

Wayfinding Survey

Posted on: August 29, 2022

July Fourth in the City of Bremerton

Posted on: June 28, 2022

Notice of Public Hearing

Posted on: May 17, 2022

Kitsap Lake Closure

Posted on: May 10, 2022

Broadband, Internet and Cable Survey

Posted on: April 25, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 3, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: February 28, 2022

Eastside Village Subarea Plan Revisions

Posted on: February 17, 2022

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 31, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 30, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 28, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 27, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 23, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 14, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: November 19, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 25, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 16, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 8, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 10, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 2, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 19, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 25, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 25, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 16, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 9, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 8, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 26, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 24, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 4, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 30, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 27, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 19, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 6, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 2, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 29, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 23, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 15, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 13, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: February 12, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: February 16, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: February 4, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: January 28, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: January 25, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: January 11, 2021

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 17, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 11, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 10, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 7, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: December 4, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: November 18, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 29, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 27, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 26, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 23, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: October 9, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 18, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: September 8, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 26, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 14, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 11, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 6, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: August 6, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 29, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 29, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 17, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 15, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 14, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 13, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 6, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: July 1, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 18, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 17, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 16, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 15, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 12, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 11, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 5, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 5, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: June 3, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 29, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 28, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 8, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 5, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 1, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: May 1, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 30, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 27, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 24, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 23, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 17, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 14, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 13, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 10, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 9, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 6, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: April 6, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 31, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 30, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 27, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 26, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 25, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 24, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 23, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 19, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 18, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 17, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 16, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 12, 2020

Message from Mayor Wheeler

Posted on: March 11, 2020