Carolyn Virtue: We have yielded our rights to what? Enough is enough

To The Daily Sun,

It did not use to work like this. But here we are, with the pandemic emergency as an excuse, state employees gone rogue and asserting authority over private businesses and citizens they do not otherwise possess and/or feel obligated to identify.

I have owned or operated licensed health care entities in N.H. since the late 1980s. I had previously known the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to operate within the authority granted to them by statute, administrative rule and/or federal regulations. Presently, the Sununu administration is making demands of private agencies and private citizens because “at a meeting” they decided it would be so. To be clear, not a meeting of a legislative body to promulgate law or rule, but a meeting held at the whim of certain state employees.

The DHHS is demanding that program evaluations be conducted “remotely,” This demand is being made with no reference to the authority by which they make the demand and the department has thus far refused to identify their authority. In fact, they have not put the remote demand in writing. The letter sent, dated October 2, offers an on-site alternative. It was only when my agency asked to exercise the on-site option, were we informed verbally on-site was no longer an option. I have been told it is too dangerous for the DHHS staff to meet me at my site or the state office. I am having great difficulty believing the Brown Building is more dangerous than a market or home improvement store.

Sununu claims he has delivered on his personal protection equipment (PPE). Sununu touts his PPE efforts as a huge success. But clearly his staff can’t access PPE to the extent they can conduct their duties in the normal course. If the PPE is available, perhaps one state employee could don it to meet in person at a state building.

All citizens of this great state have yielded their rights as government has demanded, myself included. Enough is enough. This has gone too far.

Carolyn Virtue

Canterbury