4/13/2000

Governor Schafer listened carefully to Brian Gale, DPM for
35 minutes today, revealing that he was compelled to meet
Dr. Gale and learn more about his side of the controversy,
because of the hundreds of email testimonials solicited by
Podiatry Online on his behalf. Podiatry Online members...
your efforts worked ! Your letters spoke the language that
Governors understand...testimonials measuring the tide of
public opinion. The State Board of Podiatric Medicine, with it's
4 Podiatrists and 1 MD, can't and won't refute the opinions of
hundreds of supporters. Great job...on behalf of Brian, thanks.
And incidentally, thanks for giving me more evidence of the great
usefulness of our Podiatry Online virtual community.

Governor Schafer said, during the meeting, that management
of the many professional regulatory boards was the biggest headache
for him, and there were many problems with them. In a state
with the sparse population of North Dakota, one of the biggest
problems has been finding enough talented and interested people
in each profession to serve. The law, therefore, has been lax in
demanding member rotation, and consequently, the podiatry
board has had the same 4 members for years and years, even
though there are 15 actively practicing podiatrists in the state,
some of whom are willing to serve. This Governor may just do
what it takes to get the dead wood out, and give Dr. Gale back
the freedom to practice his considerable skills, as hundreds of
his patients have requested.

What Brian has on his side, besides hundreds of supporters
(the patient letters are unbelievable. This man is loved and admired
as a doctor) is that the Governor is finishing his 8th and final year
of office in November. What better time to do the righteous thing,
even if political pressure comes to bear from the opposition ?

Alan Sherman, D.P.M.
Editor - Podiatry Online, Inc.