[Vision2020] why I'm voting yes (was:Kicking them out)

Sat Feb 3 11:19:12 PST 2007

I can't imagine anything better for the elderly poor in our area than 
allowing an established, financially solid, community-oriented hospital 
board to take control of facilities that will serve them now and will serve 
them better when expanded.

I can't imagine anything worse for the elderly poor in our area, and 
everyone else, than to let this property and the land it sits on slip away 
to be sold to the highest commercial-use buyer.  I've heard that possible 
replacements, if that happens, will be a car dealership or, perhaps, a 
clothing retailer.

It seems clear to me upon examining both sides of this debate that the move 
that makes the most sense for patients, their families, and the community is 
the one that allows Gritman to buy the property and overturn the 
reversionary clause.  It makes sense from a "people perspective," and it 
makes sense from a business perspective.

What doesn't make sense is that somehow my enthusiastic "yes" vote on 
Tuesday will result in anyone's being kicked to the curb, but if it thusly 
disables bad arguments and scare tactics, it'll accomplish even more than I 
intend.

keely

From: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
To: nickgier at adelphia.net, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] You Kick Them Outta Town by Voting Yes on Feb. 6
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2007 00:02:27 -0800 (PST)

It is unfortunate that Mr. Gier and others want to kick the elderly and 
disabled out of town for good by stealing their home away for $1 when they 
are in financial trouble.

   It is easier to give the problem to someone else then it is to make an 
attempt to save the home of the most vulnerable people.

   I thought Mr. Gier was a caring liberal. Nobody seems to give a shit that 
several of this people forced to move out of town died. I see now that he 
just wants to do what benefits his friends even over that of providing the 
basic needs of the elderly and disabled.

   If you vote yes to get rid of their home now, you kick the indigent 
disabled and elderly out of Moscow forever.

   The liberals in this town should be fighting for new sources of revenue 
to keep the place open, not kicking them out of town.

   People in Moscow are going to have to drive 60 miles to see their loved 
ones now, how sad. And even more sad is the elderly that will be placed in 
an even further isolated location away from their lifelong family and 
friends.

   What is the City, County, and State elected officials doing to fix this 
problem? It appears nothing. If they are waiting for a time to demonstrate 
leadership and that they are effective legislators and administrators, that 
time is NOW.

   Giving away the home of 50 former residents of Moscow to another 
corporation is not a solution, it is coward's way of avoiding the problem. 
Giving it to Gritman is only to help ease the guilt of the lazy that don't 
want to fight for the elderly and disabled in our community. It allows their 
conscious to say, "Yes, we took advantage of the elderly, but it also helped 
someone with a bad kidney".

   That might help the self centered sleep at night, but it doesn't me. I 
feel a great loss for all of Latah, and I still grieve for those individuals 
that died right after they were forced to leave LHS. The sadist thing of all 
is that most the people with the "Final Solution" of what to do with the LHS 
building and the fate of the current and future elderly in our community do 
not even know what they truly lost in that building because they never even 
went in the building.

   Best,

   Donovan J Arnold
   CNA
   Former LHS Employee

nickgier at adelphia.net wrote:
   Greetings:

This was my radio commentary on KRFP (FM 92.5) this morning. I'm gratified 
to see all the support on this list for this wise move. My partner has 
worked very hard to get out the vote on this issue.

I'm grateful to B. J. Swanson and Greg Mann for looking at this piece before 
I posted it.

Nick Gier

This is Nick Gier, the Palouse Pundit, urging you to vote Yes on February 6, 
regarding the sale of Latah Health Services (LHS) to Gritman Medical Center.

When I did my review of 2006 on this program, I mentioned a number of issues 
on which our government was failing. On a positive note, I praised the 
grassroots civic activism that has always made this country great.

I've had first hand experience with the leaders of the Grassroots Group for 
Gritman, who have been organizing a Yes vote to sell LHS to Gritman. They 
embody every good quality that makes our democracy work. They are genuinely 
committed to informing county residents about the relevant issues and 
getting out the vote.

As the first nursing home in Idaho, LHS offered wonderful service to the 
people of Latah County for 50 years. It is the legacy of Grace Wicks, county 
commissioner and the Grand Lady of the Palouse for many years.

With its policy of accepting every applicant, something that more and more 
for-profit facilities cannot do, LHS started running a deficit. Over the 
years basic maintenance and upgrading of the facility were also neglected.

In 2005 the LHS Board hired Valley Vista to operate assisted living and 
skill nursing, but, because of mounting debt, Valley Vista closed the skill 
nursing section in September of last year. Next, Infinity Rehab pulled out 
of physical therapy and closed the therapy pool.

The pool users quickly and effectively organized and insisted that the pool 
remain open. Greg Mann, chair of the LHS board, worked diligently to find 
someone to take over the pool. Gritman graciously stepped in, addressed the 
most pressing problems quickly, and significantly improved the operation of 
this essential county health service.

When the LHS board reluctantly decided to dissolve its corporation, the 
County Commissioners went to Gritman and asked them to take over the 
facility. Gritman responded that it would, but only if the reversionary 
clause was removed, something that requires a vote of the county's citizens.

Gritman has grand plans for a county wellness center on the property. 
Examples of additional programs include a cancer resource room, a kidney 
dialysis center, and a clinic for indigent health care.

Gritman will also use the space to expand Hospice of the Palouse and extend 
its very popular Adult Day Health, a new concept for seniors and others who 
need help to stay at home rather than enter a nursing facility.

Gritman has also committed itself to bringing back assisted living if it can 
find a reliable operator to do so. Furthermore, it might be possible to 
offer the county office much needed space in the complex's west wing.

In a letter to the Daily News (Jan. 25), Greg Mann, in his argument for a 
Yes vote, made two important points. First, he reminds us that the property 
will not actually leave our hands, as it transfers from the county to a 
publicly owned nonprofit hospital with 100 years of service to the 
community.

Second, the people of the county will not lose 50 years of taxpayer 
investment, and, even though Gritman will pay only $1, it will have to put 
up over $1 million to upgrade the facility and then finance all the new 
services.

Some say that the property is worth a lot of money and that the county 
should sell it to the highest bidder. I believe that this is wrong and 
short-sighted. The value of a wellness center with no taxpayer obligations 
is far greater than a small one-time infusion into the county budget.

This election is both off year and off month, so I encourage you to vote Yes 
and vote early at the Auditor's Office in the County Courthouse.

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  List services made available by First Step Internet,
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