At the May 13 Kiowa City Council meeting, Kiowa resident Howard Lacy appeared on the agenda under new business. He voiced complaints about the Kiowa District Hospital (KDH) and Kiowa Police Chief.
Members present were President Brian Hill, Janet Robison, B.J.Duvall and Jason Thayer, with Tom Wells by speaker phone.
Lacy pointed out that Mayor Bill Watson and Police Chief Travis Peterson were not in attendance at this meeting, and they were in his discussion. He claimed that “last August the hospital refused so see me, my children or even my wife.” He said his plan was to be on the agenda and explain what was going on to the hospital board.
“Unfortunately, we were given a letter that said we were not permitted to speak or even possibly be at that meeting,” he said. So, he used the Open Meetings Act to show that would be a violation of the act itself and of his civil rights. He said he discussed it with the police chief. Once the chief checked it out, he allegedly told Lacy “You are not to be on the hospital grounds. If you take even one step on the hospital grounds, I will arrest you.”
Lacy claimed that when he contacted Mayor Watson, he told him there would be no arrests made.
Lacy also claims that he saw the police chief out taking care of a dog attack across the street from his (Lacy's) home at 320 S. 6th St and he “tried to give him a heads up” that the mayor had stopped the threat of arrest. Lacy alleged that’s when the police chief told him in front of the neighbors' family and his own (including children), “Our mayor Bill does not know his head from his ass.”
“That showed his disrespect to the council and the mayor,” Lacy said. He ultimately requested that the council take away the police chief's gun and badge.
Mayor Watson arrived at the meeting directly after those comments.
Lacy had spread numerous documents around to the media and other entities involved. Councilmember Jason Thayer asked him specifically for the letter “documentation” KDH sent to Lacy telling him he could not attend a hospital board meeting. He did not provide that alleged letter at the meeting, nor had he provided a letter like that to the Newsgram.
Lacy had provided the Newsgram with several letters, such as one dated Aug. 22, 2023, from KDH to Lacy that said, "We find it necessary to terminate our patient relationship with you and will, therefore, be unable to offer your primary medical care. Thirty days from the mailing date of this letter will be the effective date of termination of our medical services." The letter stated, "Until then we will continue to be available to serve you should you have medical needs that require urgent emergency medical attention."
Lacy told the council, “We've been completely trespassed by the hospital.” When asked about the details of why his patient relationship was terminated with KDH, Lacy said he had his Patient Bill of Rights.
City Administrator Ty Piper wrote a letter to Lacy dated May 7, 2024, that said, “After review of records and communications with KDH personnel, you have not been 'trespassed' from the hospital grounds and are free to access the facility.”
In the last two weeks Lacy contacted KWCH-Channel 12 in Wichita about his complaints. They sent a photojournalist to do an interview at Lacy's home out in the yard, which this Newsgram reporter attended and recorded. Lacy told the Newsgram that Channel 12 agreed to attend the May 13 council meeting.
After Lacy made his presentation to the council, this Newsgram reporter passed him a note asking why Channel 12 was not present at the meeting. “They are awaiting to see if Travis will willingly resign or how the vote turns out in regards to Travis' job,” Lacy wrote. At press time, the KWCH website had nothing about Lacy's complaints.
Lacy told Channel 12, the Newsgram and Kiowa City Council that the Kansas attorney general is now involved, along with other state and federal agencies. The KWCH reporter asked Lacy his biggest worries. He said, “My heart condition – my kids, my wife – if anything were to happen and we were on our way to the emergency room and could get arrested before we could receive treatment. It scares the hell out of me.”
Lacy said he brought his family to Kiowa from Duluth, Minnesota, “where crime was so high. We love it here. People here are just amazing. Like a dream town – full of nice, friendly people.”
At the end of the meeting, the council held executive sessions, but took no action afterward.
In interviews about his complaints, Lacy said the issue started last August. He bought the house in May 2023 and moved his family to town. He describes himself as a disabled veteran on Medicare; his two minor sons have Medicaid. His wife has private pay with BCBS.
The KWCH journalist asked what Lacy wants to see happen.
“I'd like to see Travis replaced,” Lacy said. He said he would also like to see the hospital take his family as patients if needed. “We got a letter from them saying they would see the kids, but not if the parents are around. But then again, they can't see the kids unless the parents are around for insurance purposes.”
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