LATEST UPDATE- 4/13/26 @ 11:10 a.m. – The commissioners have now taken this item completely off the agenda for their Tuesday, 4/14/26 public meeting, with no plan to put it back on in the future. According to BOCC Administrative Assistant Amy Russell, this means the Commissioners now intend to review this item and decide whether or not to re-appoint Stephen Daniels to the Board of Public Health. Given this, the best way to submit your comments on this item now is by emailing the commissioners. Their email addresses and phone numbers are at the bottom of this blog, or you can email all three commissioners at once by going to MesaCounty.us, then clicking on “Departments & Services,” then scrolling down to “Board of County Commissioners,” then scrolling down to “Connect with Us.” At to top of the Connect list is “Submit a comment.” Complete the web form and click “Submit.”
UPDATE- 4/11/26 @ 3:14 p.m. –Shortly after this blog was posted, JJ Fletcher, current Chair of the Board of Mesa County Commissioners, agreed to move this item off the consent agenda and would like to have some public comment on it. The meeting is Tuesday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. in the old courthouse on Rood Ave. (2nd floor). Please attend if you are able. You can read past blogs that discuss Stephen D. Daniels here.
At their public meeting on April 14, the Mesa County Commissioners will attempt to approve, with zero public discussion, the re-appointment of Stephen D. Daniels to another term on the Mesa County Board of Public Health (BOPH). The approval for his re-appointment is on the consent agenda for their meeting on 4/14/26, making it look as if it is harmless and inconsequential, since items on the consent agenda get gaveled-through (approved) without any public discussion.
This is wrong.
The re-appointment of Stephen D. Daniels is extremely consequential and inappropriate.
According to his past social media posts, Stephen D. Daniels — who was first appointed to the BOPH in 2023 by former County Commissioner Janet Rowland — is a strong supporter of anti-vax conspiracy theorist, highly damaging public health figure and now Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFKJr). RFK Jr. has been labelled as “dangerous,” “deceitful” and “Public Health Enemy #1” by public health experts across the country, and Daniels is a fan. RFK Jr.’s anti-vax views helped cause the biggest measles outbreak in the U.S in decades over the past year.
Daniels social media posts also show he is an anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-Disney climate change denier and political extremist who opposed Colorado’s new family and medical leave law, which gives workers paid time off to care for a new baby or a loved one who has a serious health condition.
Other equally alarming posts on Daniels’ social media accounts show Daniels is a die-hard Trump supporter who believes the lie that January 6 was a peaceful day at the Capitol. Daniels openly detests Democrats and doesn’t believe professionals like plumbers, barbers or realtors should be licensed. He has also claimed that the current ethically-plagued Supreme Court is functioning “exactly as it’s supposed to.”
Daniels’ conspiratorial views about Covid-19 and vaccines mirror those of former County Commissioner Janet Rowland, who promoted QAnon-linked conspiracy theories about Covid-19 while running for commissioner in 2020.
Daniels is a tax cheat
Daniels has owed the State of Colorado $10,200 in unpaid taxes since at least 2010. Court records accessed on 4/11/2026 reveal he still has an outstanding Distraint Warrant issued against him by the Colorado Department of Revenue and the debt is still listed as “UNSATISFIED.” A Distrain Warrant functions as a lien on all of the property Daniels owns in Eagle County:
At the time he was appointed to the BOPH, Daniels was supposed to have been chosen to help make the Board more fiscally responsible, but court documents show Daniels himself has long been cheating the state by refusing to pay his taxes like the rest of us. If that’s not the case for some reason, he’s failed to publicly explain why this distraint warrant exists against him.
Here are a few of Daniels’ social media posts:
A video Daniels posted in 2023:
Posts from 2026:
Rowland, who appointed Daniels, ran for re-election in 2024 but got drop-kicked out of office by Mesa County voters by an 11-point margin, in large part because of her actions to seize control of, and personally manipulate the Mesa County Department of Public Health and the Board of Public Health. But Stephen D. Daniels remains on the Mesa Count Board of Public Health as a relic of Rowland’s harmful tenure, and as perhaps the Board’s most inappropriate and harmful member, and he will continue there unless the public speaks up, and loudly.
Voice your views to the commissioners here about the re-appointment of Stephen D. Daniels:
Email Commissioner Cody Davis at Cody.Davis@mesacounty.us, phone 970-244-1605
Email Commissioner JJ Fletcher at JJ.Fletcher@mesacounty.us, phone 970-244-1606
Email Commissioner Bobbie Daniel at Bobbie.Daniel@mesacounty.us, phone 970-244-1604
Note: Since this blog was first published, County Commissioner JJ Fletcher has agreed to take this item OFF the Consent Agenda so the public can comment on it, so PLEASE come to the Commissioners’ public meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14 and voice your views about the Commissioners’ effort to re-appoint Stephen D. Daniels to the Mesa County Board of Public Health for another term!
Just like they hijacked the library board. These jackaxxes think they can do whatever they want.
They will ignore emails and phone calls and do whatever they want. That doesn’t mean don’t try. Thanks for the info Anne
He has no background in Public Health , we do not need another Robert Kennedy Jr. in office ! Measles are spreading because of Anti-vaccines, where would we be without the polio vaccine ??? I see that also owes the government $10,000 in back taxes ! He has no business in a public office , please do not appoint him to any position of authority!!
THANKS ANNE!
This is a great public service, wrote all 3 of these idiots!
Thanks for this as usual, Anne. Why does this somehow remind me about Greg Haitz’s qualifications as he is now running to become our County Treasurer? ;~)
I often try to avoid much of the news these days, but I always come back to your blog for updates. Even though I wish it were otherwise . . .
Keep up the great work.
What is his background that makes him qualified
He has no background in public health. His LinkedIn bio says; “Experienced Consultant, Executive and Investor with a demonstrated history of working in the multiple industries. Strong consulting professional that is skilled in Mergers/Acquisitions, Strategy, Negotiation, Banking, Real Estate, Economics, Insurance, and Financing. Experience on Boards of Directors, politics, broadcasting and writing. Industry background includes banking, insurance, telecommunications, construction, retail, hospitality and real estate (commercial & residential.)”