Worcester Health Board Chair Will Step Down After Rocky Months

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester Board of Health Chair Edith Claros will not seek reappointment at the end of her term this year, a decision that follows a months-long dispute with other members of the board over issues surrounding race and policing.

Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus announced that Claros would not remain on the board during a Monday night meeting before a discussion over race issues in the city.

"I have enjoyed being part of this group and identifying issues that affect the community and trying to come to some sort of resolution on things that have affected the community," Claros said before excusing herself from the meeting.

Following George Floyd's killing this summer, Board of Health member David Fort sought to address issues like police brutality as a public health matter. He brought to the board a slate of suggested changes for Worcester police to undertake, which Claros opposed.

That led to several contentious meetings over the summer, including one where Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent suggested there was no racism in the department to address. Fort has called that comment a "slap in the face" to Black Worcester residents.

In September, Fort directly asked Claros to step down — and the Worcester NAACP followed with the same request in late October. The board held a vote of no-confidence in her leadership in October.

Claros was initially appointed to the Board of Health in 2015, and was the first woman to chair the body, Augustus said Monday. Claros also said Monday that she was happy to have worked with the board on the city's community health improvement plan.