Tatom launches bid for Deschutes County Commission, says DeBone ‘blew it’ on COVID-19
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oliver Tatom announced Thursday his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Deschutes County Board of Commissioners Position 1, the seat currently held by Republican Tony DeBone, whom he said "blew it" on efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
A registered nurse and paramedic, Tatom is now the operations manager of a medical clinic. He serves on the Central Oregon Community College board of directors and the Deschutes Rural Fire District #2 board of directors.
Tatom grew up in rural Deschutes County, graduating from Bend High before going on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from the University of Southern California. He returned home in 2014 with his wife, Amy, to raise their kids on the same property where he grew up (the original house southeast of Bend burned in the 1996 Skeleton Fire).
“As a nurse leading an urgent care in La Pine for the past year, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact of this pandemic, and I know what it will take to lead us out of it.” Tatom said in a news release announcing his candidacy, which continues in full below:
“Last month, Commissioner DeBone had the chance to slow the COVID surge and save lives. He blew it. Now we’re experiencing the worst surge of the pandemic.”
On August 4, the county’s COVID-19 response and recovery supervisor, Emily Freeland, warned the board of commissioners that community spread was then at a substantial level. “We would really encourage community leaders like yourselves,” Freeland said, “to encourage vaccination and masking to help prevent further outbreaks, especially while we have substantial transmission.”
DeBone dismissed the warning. “If there’s zero deaths, or minimal deaths,” said DeBone, “with people with underlying conditions, do we panic because of that, or do we say, 'Oh, it’s a shame somebody passed away, they had underlying conditions and they tested positive for COVID'?”
Tatom pointed to DeBone’s refusal to recommend masks and vaccines as the reason we now have a refrigerated truck at St. Charles Bend: “The mobile morgue represents a profound failure by the elected leaders entrusted to lead our public health authority.”
“Beyond COVID,” said Tatom, “the county faces several overlapping crises: Poor access to behavioral health services, dangerously unhealthy air quality, and an exploding population of unhoused neighbors. These problems require compassion and vision. As commissioner, I will lead Deschutes County toward a brighter future of healthy families and safe communities.”
For more information, visit www.olivertatom.com or email oliver@olivertatom.com.
DeBone, asked by NewsChannel 21 about Tatom's candidacy and statements, confirmed his re-election bid and said, "It's going to be a long election season. There's going to be a lot of topics coming up."
He also noted that the primary election comes first, in May, and that the League of Women Voters of Deschutes County is going through the petition process to place before voters a proposal to change the county commission seats to non-partisan positions.
DeBone, a county commissioner since 2011, said he supports the effort to put the issue on the ballot, possibly in May.
"There's a great conversation to be had in the community," he said. "We do not set state law like legislators. We have to follow the law of the land."
As for his personal view on such a change, DeBone said that at this point, he does not feel "real strong either way" on a move to non-partisan seats, though he also noted that most of Oregon county commissioners are non-partisan.
