“The building did it” campaign failed for bond

The real grass roots Friends of EARH are the folks who faithfully supported the maintenance and operations levies, while the hospital commissioners who were elected to serve these citizen taxpayers, were quietly stashing cash and systematically neglecting maintenance.

“The building did it” campaign failed. Adult individuals in our community told strange tales claiming the hospital was 60 years old and the public was expected to stampede to the ballot box to reinforce the fiction that hospital buildings were not meant to last as long as 60 years. The building did it campaign means the hospital commissioners have contempt for those they serve.

So now we have a group of citizens claiming to be Friends of EARH. These folks have a dual purpose we learn from reading The Journal. They will work to “identify why voters defeated the measure in the August primary.” These folks do not know why the bond issue failed? Not a clue? They also intend to “develop better methods of educating voters…” This means the hospital bond failed not because the voters knew their own minds but because the proponents of a new hospital were unable to trick or frighten enough voters to win the vote.

The “reform candidates” we elected to the hospital board should resign their positions. Honesty suggests these commissioners resign. The CEO and the remaining commissioners can work with the community to come up with a fix that does not require building a temple across the freeway in New Ritzville.

Barry Boyer, Ritzville