We asked Boise-area officials if they got the COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what they said
The surge in COVID-19 cases nationwide has led to highly charged debates on the efficacy of vaccines and whether they should be required in certain social settings.
The Idaho Statesman reached out to almost 70 elected county and city officials around the Treasure Valley to ask if they had gotten the vaccine, and why or why not. Twenty-five responded.
The respondents include mayors, city councilors, county commissioners and others. Many of them differed in background, political party and position. Most said they chose to get the vaccine, while one chose not to.
Just one said he was unvaccinated: Darl Bruner, a Nampa city councilman. He said he got COVID-19 along with his close family members and is confident they have developed “natural immunity.”
Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation. Only 48.7% of eligible Idahoans — those 12 and older — are fully vaccinated, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Here’s what we found:
Ada County
Ada County Commissioner Rod Beck was among the first to get a vaccine. Beck said he received his shot last November during an AstraZeneca study. Some participants received a placebo, while others, like Beck, received the actual vaccine. He said he didn’t learn that he received it until months later.
“I wanted to contribute to the research on a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus,” Beck said, adding he believed people should consult with their doctor before getting vaccinated.
Commissioner Kendra Kenyon also received the vaccine.
So did County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts.
Sheriff Matt Clifford did too, saying he thought getting the vaccine was the best way to protect himself and his family. Assessor Robert McQuade gave similar reasons.
“While I won’t make recommendations, I don’t understand why others are not protecting themselves against this deadly virus,” McQuade said.
Clerk Phil McGrane said his wife is a pediatric nurse, and their frequent contact with medical personnel persuaded them to get vaccinated.
Boise
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said one reason her family got vaccinated was so her children could have more protection before returning to school.
“It meant that they had a layer of protection when in the classroom that they hadn’t had until then,” McLean said.
City Councilor Lisa Sanchez, who has Type 2 diabetes, said she got the vaccine for more protection, since her health background puts her at greater risk for the worst effects of the virus.
In total, four Boise councilors — Sanchez, TJ Thomson, Patrick Bageant and Elaine Clegg — replied, all saying they were vaccinated.
Meridian
Meridian Mayor Robert Simison said conversations with health care providers got him thinking that getting vaccinated was the right move.
“People need to take personal responsibility and weigh their choice and options, practicing the safety precautions we have all experienced over the last year, while understanding that our individual decisions have potential implications on our health system and our community, not just ourselves,” Simison said in an email.
As a mother of young children, Meridian City Councilwoman Liz Strader said it was important for her to get the vaccine as soon as she was eligible.
“I am a mother with young children counting on me, and my worst fear is not being here for them,” she said in an email.
Strader said she recommended that constituents get the vaccine.
“My message to them is I care about each one of you, including those who have decided not to get vaccinated at this time,” she said. I will respect your health choices, but I hope you decide to get it when you feel comfortable so that you will be safe.”
She also asked Meridian residents to think about health care providers.
“They are overwhelmed by this surge, so we all need to roll up our sleeves to make a difference,” she said.
Eagle
Eagle City Councilman Charlie Baun said he is vaccinated, along with his family. He said he recommends people get vaccinated, but says he is also an advocate for personal choice. He is not in favor of vaccine mandates, he said.
“While some are comfortable with the level of risk with existing vaccines, others are not,” Baun said in an email. “It should be the individual’s choice what happens to their body; however, you should also keep in mind that your choices can impact the health of others.”
Councilman Kenny Pittman replied but declined to answer the Statesman’s questions, saying his health choices are “not open for public discussion.”
Pittman also provided a statement saying: “Our Federal and State Government has overstepped their powers given by the people that have elected them. Some of our Constitutional Rights and Freedom of choice have been taken away. Our only choice now is to prepare to defend our God given rights as Americans and uphold the Oath of office we all took when we were elected.”
Star
Star City Councilman Kevin Nielsen has been vaccinated. He said vaccines have played an important role in protecting people from serious diseases for over 200 years and in some cases have been solely responsible for completely eradicating diseases, like polio.
“My father was a biochemist and microbiologist who worked in immunodiagnostics and developed methods for medicine delivery such as insulin and vaccines,” Nielsen said in an email. “My grandfather was a boy in a town where typhoid fever killed more than 70% of its residents, and became a pioneer in research of methods such as hand washing, pasteurization and public water sanitation as a means of controlling the spread of disease or bacterial infection.
“His research was met with suspicion and intense resistance at that time, yet those methods are commonly known for their efficacy today. Thanks to vaccines, my family hasn’t had to deal with the chicken pox, typhoid, polio, tetanus and many other diseases that still ravage communities and individuals in places like India and Africa. “
Nielsen said his opinion doesn’t matter in other people’s choices whether or not to get vaccinated. “Do what you think is best without judging others for their choices,” he said.
“In general, I hope we learned during this pandemic that the most important things in life center around our family and friends,” he said. “It’s how we treat each other, even those who we disagree with, that is in large part the measure of our civil society and individual character.”
Councilman Michael Keyes said he was on the fence about the vaccine for “quite a while” since it had not been fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration until earlier this month.
“Then a dear friend contracted COVID,” Keyes said in an email. “While he did not require hospitalization, he did end up being on disability for five and a half months. By the time my age group came around for vaccination eligibility, millions had received the vaccine and there were not widespread reports of deleterious side effects.”
He then decided to get the vaccine, he said.
Keyes also said he believes it is not the role of government to protect people’s health but to protect their liberty.
“I believe my constituents should manage their own health and make their own decisions,” he said. “I believe they should then enjoy the rewards, or own the consequences, of those decisions. Having said that, on a personal level, I do recommend that people include vaccination as a viable and effective option in their decision-making process.”
Canyon County
Canyon County Treasurer Tracie Lloyd was the only elected county official to respond to the Statesman’s request. Like Simison, she believes the vaccine was right for her, but she encourages others to make the best decision for themselves.
“While I would like to see a more unified consensus on the subject, I believe each individual has the personal choice to vaccinate or not,” Lloyd said in an email. “I am saddened to see that personal freedoms and public health have become so contentious and convoluted. With that said, however, I believe everyone has the right to their own personal beliefs and opinions on the subject.”
Nampa
Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said she has been vaccinated.
“After spending months away from family and with the number of people I’m in contact with, my husband and I decided we wanted to get on with our lives,” Kling said in an email. “I do not typically get a flu shot but made the decision to get the vaccine.”
Kling has consistently said she does not support mask mandates, and the City Council recently passed an ordinance prohibiting vaccine mandates.
“I highly recommend we are careful to protect each other from the virus and respect others’ decisions,” Kling said. “This is a serious virus, and we all need to do our part.”
Caldwell
Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas said he is vaccinated. He said visiting with local, trusted health care officials helped determine that it was the best thing for him and his family.
Nancolas said by email that he respects individual choice but encourages the vaccination to protect the public.
Caldwell City Councilman Mike Pollard said he is fully vaccinated and added that for him and his wife, “it makes sense.”
“While I hope citizens will get vaccinated, I recognize and respect their right to choose what they feel is right,” he said in an email
Middleton
Middleton Mayor Steve Rule received the shot because he wanted to travel to see his grandchildren, he said in an email.
“Each individual and family needs to make decisions on their own personal and family health,” Rule said.
Middleton City Councilman Tim O’Meara is also vaccinated. He said his age was the reason he decided to get vaccinated. He also said the best way people can protect themselves from the virus is by getting the shot.
Councilman Jeff Garner declined to say whether he was vaccinated. “This information is between my doctor and I,” he said.
Where officials get vaccine information
The Statesman asked officials where they get information about the vaccine and COVID-19.
Many said they talked to their health care providers and listened during meetings with local agencies. Others mentioned local news outlets and guidance issued from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Bruner said one his sources is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a government-maintained database where anyone can submit information about adverse reactions to the vaccines. The database has often been cited by those who claim falsely that the vaccine has killed thousands, although its website says the data it collects cannot be used to determine if that’s the case.
Nielsen, the Star councilman, said he got his information from his doctor and from friends and family in the medical field. He has stayed away from reading the news and listening to elected officials talk about vaccines.
“I recommend that people get informed through reputable sources who, to the best of their knowledge, are not influenced by any political position,” Nielsen said.
Strader, the Meridian councilwoman, said she, too, obtained information from her doctor. She also has relied on information from Dr. David Pate, the former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System, and Dr. Jim Souza, St. Luke’s chief physician executive.
Garner, the Middleton councilman, said a lot of information “isn’t being covered by the main news sources.” He said he prefers to get his information from Dr. Ryan Cole, Ada County’s controversial nominee to the Central District Health board. Cole has incorrectly said that the vaccine has killed thousands of people and promoted alternative COVID-19 treatments such as ivermectin, an anti-paracitic drug.
How we asked, and who did not reply
The Statesman emailed at least one request to each elected city and county official in Ada and western Canyon counties, including some through mayors or city or county spokespeople who were asked to relay the requests to council members or county officials. We sent follow-up requests in cases where it wasn’t clear that the first request had been relayed.
These officials did not respond:
Ada County: Commissioner Ryan Davidson and Coroner Dotti Owens.
Boise: Councilors Jimmy Hallyburton and Holli Woodings.
Meridian: Councilors Joe Borton, Brad Hoaglun, Treg Bernt, Jessica Perreault and Luke Cavener.
Eagle: Mayor Jason Pierce and Councilors Melissa Gindlesperger and Brad Pike.
Star: Mayor Trevor Chadwick and Councilors Jennifer Salmonsen and David Hershey.
Kuna: Mayor Joe Stear and Councilors Greg McPherson, Richard Cardoza, Warren Christensen and John B. Laraway.
Garden City: Mayor John Evans and Councilors Pam Beaumont, Teresa Jorgenson, James Page. Councilor Jeff Souza replied but declined to answer the Statesman’s questions, saying they were “outside the scope and purview of a sitting council member.”
Canyon County: Assessor Brian Stender, Clerk Chris Yamamoto, Commissioners Keri Smith, Leslie Van Beek and Pam White, Prosecuting Attorney Brian Taylor and Sheriff Kieran Donahue.
Nampa: Councilors Victor Rodriguez, Jean Mutchie, Sandi Levi, Randy Haverfield and Jacob Bower.
Caldwell: Councilors Dennis Callsen, Rob Hopper, Jarom Wagoner, Chris Allgood and John McGee.
Middleton: Councilors Carrie Huggins and Rob Kiser.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 11:59 AM.
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