Publisher’s Perspective
“What do we know about this guy that is just all over the health department … this Jeff Jellison? Or whatever? Do we have any idea where this is coming from? Is this guy just somebody to stir things up or what?”
Those questions were asked by Laurie Pylitt, a member of the Board of Directors for the Hamilton County Health Department on Thursday’s during the board’s quarterly meeting. The questions were in regards to a few columns I’ve published challenging the health department’s interpretation of HIPAA and its transparency in releasing local COVID-19 data.
As the publisher and owner of the only locally-owned newspaper in Hamilton County, my goal has been to publish accurate news, sports, obituaries and the opinions of a great stable of columnists.
Never have I made the newspaper about me.
Today, I’m going to divert from my goal for a moment and introduce myself and my newspaper to Pylitt.
The Reporter is the county’s largest distribution newspaper.
The Reporter produces more county news than any other publication published in Hamilton County.
The Reporter annually donates a portion of its subscription and advertising revenue to several county non-profits.
I am a person that until nearly eight years ago had no experience in the newspaper business; however, I did mentor under a great newspaper man, Don Jellison.
I have lived in Hamilton County my entire life.
I own a beautiful piece of property in another part of the state, but choose to reside in Hamilton County.
I’m a person that was fortunate enough to be impacted by some tremendous coaches through participation in athletics. People like Jim Belden, Dave Nicholson, Steve Dillinger and Don Dunker. Those people taught me the importance of never giving up. They taught me to be competitive. They taught me each touch of the ball, each play and each at-bat was equally important. I’ve carried their teachings into my personal and professional life.
I am the husband to a wonderful wife; an expanded duties dental assistant with 24 years of experience. She works for a dental practice that is closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
I am the father of two children. My son is an amazing young man. My daughter serves residents of this county as a police officer. She was on the frontline of COVID-19 daily. Now she is COVID-19 positive and quarantined.
I am the owner of a business that has been financially burdened by COVID-19. A business that has been tasked as a community watchdog by several thousand Hamilton County residents, my newspaper readers.
I am a person that has been given a constitutional right to question government and the decisions made by government officials. That includes the Hamilton County Health Department and its board of directors.
Ms. Pylitt, now that we have been properly introduced, I’ll say this: My reporting was never meant to “stir things up.” If my writings had agreed with your position, I doubt my name would have been mentioned in Thursday’s meeting.
But, because many of my newspaper’s readers and I disagree with you and your board, I’ll also say, if you don’t like it … get out of the kitchen while I’m standing next to the stove “stirring” the pot of Hamilton County news for my readers.