A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
The hospital’s
$1.8 million
question
A
s Blue Mountain
Hospital welcomes
Derek Daly as its new
chief executive officer, we
encourage him to improve
communications with county
residents. It would be an
important and necessary move
forward for the hospital.
Between the hospital
district’s permanent property
tax rate and the temporary
bond, the hospital is
anticipated to receive more
than $1.8 million from county
residents in the current fiscal
year.
That is more than 23
percent of total property taxes
collected in the county and
more than any other district
except for Grant County
Education Service District.
For this ample payment,
residents deserve
honesty, transparency and
accountability.
The interim CEO Daly
replaces did not appear to
think these were priorities.
When asked about ambulance
volunteers leaving the
organization, Steve
Erixon said a decline in
volunteerism and an increase
in certification requirements
were driving a nation-
wide decline in ambulance
volunteers. That’s true — to
an extent.
When asked if volunteers
could still join, Erixon told
the Eagle yes, as long as they
were qualified. When asked
if any volunteers had been
turned away, he said no.
When asked about a
specific qualified volunteer
from Monument who had
been turned away, he quickly
changed his tune and said:
“That’s a personnel issue.”
For $1.8 million in annual
property taxes, county
residents deserve a better
answer.
Hospital board chair Amy
Kreger, who was also present
during the Eagle’s interview
with Erixon, appeared
exasperated to have to answer
such a question — as though
she had already answered it
many times before. This was
the first time the Eagle had
posed this question, and our
readers deserve to know how
their property taxes are being
spent.
Worse, the county rumor
mill started churning after
the Monument volunteer
who requested to rejoin the
ambulance crew was told:
“We currently do not have
an opening available.” That
sounds a little different than a
“personnel issue.”
While there may have been
a reasonable issue preventing
the return of the Monument
volunteer after she retired,
she is not the only volunteer
from the area to leave the
ambulance crew.
Since then, other employees
— from ambulance volunteers
to department heads — have
either left voluntarily or have
been forced out. The hospital,
for whatever reason, has
undoubtedly lost valuable
personnel.
With the reduction in the
Monument ambulance crew,
people in the northern part
of Grant County have valid
concerns about response times
that could mean the difference
between life and death.
These are serious issues.
People have a right to be
concerned. We hope new
CEO Daly recognizes this and
is willing to communicate
honestly with the people he
serves. His job will not be
easy, even though he inherited
these problems and was not
the cause.
We believe he has the
opportunity to bring many
positive changes to the
hospital and the community.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
‘Some kind of
special stupid’
To the Editor:
The democratic process in this
republic has elected a president.
However, the choice did not suit the
liberals, and they are protesting by
burning American fl ags in the cities.
They must be some kind of spe-
cial stupid.
Louis Crabtree
John Day
‘Rural America
has spoken’
To the Editor:
As the fi nal votes were tallied
Tuesday night, the rejection of Hil-
lary’s deceitful and corrupt life was
readily apparent across a red-col-
ored map of the United States. The
only blue showing on this map was
the cities. “City folks” predomi-
nately accepted what the Democrats
advocate: big government, more
control and higher taxes.
Hillary was their choice to con-
tinue this tradition. Rural Amer-
ica chose Trump in a bid to bring
government under control and cut
regulations so Americans can be
free to work again. By shedding the
shackles Obama has imposed on us,
we can make America great again in
the vision our forefathers had.
The liberals living comfort-
ably in the cities must understand
this. The food they eat, energy and
fuel consumed on a daily basis
and the resources for their indus-
tries all come from rural Ameri-
ca. They cannot survive without
us! Wake up! Rural America has
spoken.
Tom Baum
John Day
‘Safe rooms’
versus foxholes
W HERE TO W RITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
To the Editor:
How far have we fallen? I heard
today that several of our nation’s
colleges and universities, some
here in Oregon, have set aside “safe
rooms” for students who are dis-
traught over the election.
The rooms come equipped
with counselors, warm beverag-
es and even play dough for the
students to soothe their troubled
psyche.
Contrast that to their grandfa-
thers, who at that age were in fox-
holes faced with kill or be killed
decisions in a far away place called
Vietnam, which many of us had
barely heard of.
A generation before, their
great-grandfathers were fi ghting
both Germany and Japan for the
very existence of our wonderful
country.
Most of them are gone now, but
I wonder what they would think of
their descendants after hearing this
news.
Ralph Goodwin
John Day
Stand up for veterans
To the Editor:
Elections are over; the people
have spoken. That’s the American
way. I have not always agreed on
the outcome of measures and candi-
dates, but we all have to live together
to make our country better. Better is
seen by some people different than
others, but there is always common
ground we all can work on together.
With that said, I was surprised over
one, Measure 96. The 1.5 percent
proceeds of state lottery to help sup-
port services for Oregon veterans. It
passed, but there was over a quarter
million Oregonians that voted no.
Was this a new tax? Would more
money come out of our pockets?
Where are our priorities?
I would have expected only a
few votes against, and most of those
would have been mistakes on their
ballot. If we don’t stand behind our
military and government, we won’t
have to worry about voting every
four years.
This may fall on deaf ears of the
majority of no voters, but we as a
county had 728 who voted no. Re-
member our men and women in uni-
form, and keep them in your prayers.
Ken Koser
Prairie City
‘Today is the
beginning of many,
many tomorrows’
To the Editor:
Obama and his puppet have been
defeated! Today is a great day for
those who love the simple rural
life of liberty and independence.
Ranchers will be free to graze the
forest, loggers will be free to mill
the trees and our guns will be safe
in our homes unless we choose to
take them where we wish. It’s a
shame there isn’t a Starbucks to
hold a Second Amendment parade!
Every victory is bought with a
loser’s defeat. You can hear the ri-
ots in Portland over the Ochocos. It
serves them right, though. The lib-
erals never listened when they were
in power. They never listened when
we couldn’t afford Obamacare.
They never listened when they pro-
tected birds over our livelihoods.
They just don’t listen. We have a
way of life here, and that is some-
thing they just don’t understand.
We have felt the bitterness of
our complaints falling on deaf ears.
We have taken upon ourselves the
burdens given by federal regula-
tors on our lands because we have
no choice. We have watched our
neighbors leave because the jobs
have vanished. Communities from
Coos Bay to White City, Roseburg
to Burns, Klamath Falls to Verno-
nia, along with many others, have
been dying for decades. Very little
compassion was given by “those
people” living in the valley as
these towns disappeared. You know
“those people.” Today is a terrible
day for “those people.” It probably
feels good to watch them squirm for
a change. Righteous vindication is
everywhere at this moment.
That’s unfortunate because to-
day isn’t only great. Today is the be-
ginning of many, many tomorrows.
Starting Jan. 21, the Republicans
inherit the responsibility of govern-
ing a nation to ensure the liberty of
all American citizens. I only hope
that God blesses us with the wis-
dom to not be blinded by self-righ-
teousness, but instead guides us to
turn the other cheek and listen to
those who need compassion, even
if they haven’t treated us fairly. We
have felt pain; perhaps because of
this we will know how to govern
with benevolence and justice.
Christopher Parker
John Day
Three cheers for
re-election of
Glenn Palmer
To the Editor:
In spite of rumors, assumptions
and outright lies — some by the
ownership and management of the
Blue Mountain Eagle — Glenn has
rightfully retained his offi ce. As a re-
tired production manager of one of
California’s leading medium-sized
daily newspapers directly responsi-
ble for 32 employees, I occasionally
had to deal with disgruntled and mal-
content employees. If direct one-on-
one counseling proved ineffective, it
was strongly suggested the malcon-
tent fi nd other employment. If that
didn’t work, we made the decision
for them! Any operation of any size
will at times have to deal with un-
enthusiastic and disruptive workers,
and that cannot be allowed to in-
defi nitely exist and spread to other
workers who represent the business,
and are responsible for expensive
equipment. Hopefully, there will be
several employees within purview of
Glenn Palmer who will soon be en-
couraged to seek employment some-
where distant to Grant County. And
hopefully, the local paper will spend
more time accurately reporting the
news, and less time trying to man-
ufacture it!
Gary Davidson
Canyon City
Bizarre election
To the Editor:
Amazing. America has elected
an inexperienced but inspirational
black man two times running to the
presidency; but when an exception-
ally qualifi ed woman runs she gets
rejected, and we elect an outrageous
man with no past public service.
And on the local level, we re-
elect a sheriff that has nothing
going for him but the Christmas
dinners he provides each year and
turn down his opponent who had
everything going for him. I love de-
mocracy, but sometimes it gives us
pretty strange results.
Terry Steele
Ritter
L
etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is
good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters.
Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must be original
and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We
must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle,
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM
E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM
A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ J ACKIE O SBORNE , JACKIE @ BMEAGLE . COM
R EPORTER ............................... R YLAN B OGGS , RYLAN @ BMEAGLE . COM
C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM
O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM
1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES
(including online access)
Grant County .....................................$40
Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51
Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60
Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery
MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Email: www.MyEagleNews.com Phone: 541-575-0710
Periodicals Postage Paid at John
Day and additional mailing offi ces.
POSTMASTER
send address changes to:
Blue Mountain Eagle
195 N. Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845-1187
USPS 226-340
Copyright © 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication covered by the copyright
hereon may be reproduced or
copied in any form or by any means
— graphic, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, taping or
information storage and retrieval
systems — without written
permission of the publisher.
www.facebook.com/MyEagleNews
@MyEagleNews