New hospital is needed, maintenance of facility is key

My yes vote comes reluctantly… Anger over past political decisions at the board level and the bickering that almost brought our hospital to an end, is still very much on my mind. It appeared to be personality conflicts that brought on bad decisions concerning the doctors, too many roosters in a small hen house.

Our hospital was profitable and it had a large “war” chest ready for an upgrade, or a new facility. Fast forward… after losing much of the war chest and still not in the black, I am asked to spend hundreds every year for 30 years.

I have decided I have little choice; I feel the hospital is necessary for Ritzville and I am heavily vested in our town. I cannot stand by and allow any business or employer to fail without doing my best to avoid that. I truly wish the personalities that were butting heads back then, would have woke up to the consequences they were imposing on us. If the hospital was profitable and had not lost that money, our bond would likely be millions less.

The location of the hospital should be where it helps our businesses the most, which is not across the freeway.

The idea that a hospital needs freeway visibility is ridiculous. Weber Road, or First Avenue are better choices. These areas of business need our foresight to help bring traffic to them; a hospital can do that (at least some). Weber Rd. and First Ave. both have freeway access and would be easy for a helicopter to see. Some have pointed out that Love’s may cause congestion at the freeway entrances and exits; if this ends up the case, do we want our ambulances stuck in that traffic?

A lower location would have access to multiple freeway ramps (better access). It also would put employees, suppliers, contractors, patients and their families closer to our First Ave. and downtown businesses (including the pharmacy and fire station). Increasing traffic to those areas of Ritzville will help our community move forward into the next decades. It may even help draw new business to the downtown. The dollars spent on infrastructure with the hospital should be used in a manner that will help offset cost that the city or other taxing entities would have to spend anyway (Weber Rd. and First Ave. may have these opportunities.) Even if it cost the hospital a little more, the taxpayer should save overall. There is no foreseeable benefit to the city across the freeway.

The old facility MUST be removed; we do not need another high school building hanging around. Concerning the current hospital; my decision comes in spite of the sky is falling mentality that I have heard. Buildings last as long as the owners maintain them…. This building obviously was not maintained to the extent needed to continue as a hospital (likely because the decision was made to build new). I do understand that sometimes it is more cost effective to build new versus remodel, and I am in agreement that this is one of those instances.

The board needs to keep its act together (I think progress has been made). Ritzville does not have the room for further power plays; we cannot afford it.

The “roosters” need to think about the entire community, not just their little piece of the hen house.

Dennis Chamberlain, Ritzville