Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 26, 1999 - THREE
__________Letters to the Editor
Editor's note Letters to the Editor must be signed The Cazette-Times w ill not
publish unsigned letters Please include your address and phone number on all
letters for use by the C-T office The C-T reserves the right to edit.
Setting the record straight
Dr. Bumham signed a letter
which states, "May 5, 1999, To
Whom It May Concern: I hereby
resign my position as physician
for Morrow County Health
District. I have made poor
choices which I regret and which
provide the district good cause
to ask for my resignation. My
resignation is freely and
voluntarily given. Sincerely, /s/
Clyde Bumham, M.D."
On May 5, 1999, Clyde
Bumham also signed an
agreement
and
release
document. That agreement states
in part, "Bumham represents that
he has carefully read, knows the
contents of and fully understands
the terms of this Agreement and
Release. Bumham represents
that he signs this Agreement and
Release freely and voluntarily,
and accepts the terms of the
settlement evidenced hereby for
purposes of making a full
compromise and settlement of
all claims and potential claims.
Bumham acknowledges that he
has
been
afforded
the
opportunity to consult with an
attorney
of
his
choice
concerning this Agreement, and
has done so."
A separate paragraph of the
To the Editor:
The board of directors of the
Morrow County Health District
has asked me to set the record
straight. Under the headline:
"Dr. Burnham Responds," Clyde
Bumham wrote a lengthy
expression of his points of view.
His letter to the editor was not a
"response"; rather, he attempted
to disparage the board of
directors and discredit the
district and attempted to
convince the community that his
separation from employment
was other than voluntary.
Both Dr. Bumham and the
hospital are subject to the
statutory privilege of ORS
41.675. This Oregon law states
that information relating to peer
review and quality assurance
review of the professional
conduct of physicians is
privileged, is not admissible, is
not discoverable and is not
subject to public discourse.
The hospital district is a public
agency accountable to the voters
of our community. The public
does have a right to know what
is going on, subject to my legal
duty not to disclose information
which is privileged from
disclosure.
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Herb Wright ~ Bill Maclnnes ~ Bill Maclnnes, Jr
same
agreement
states,
"Pursuant to an unsatisfactory
em ployee
perform ance
evaluation, Bumham hereby
submits to the District his
re s ig n a tio n ,
e ffe c tiv e
immediately upon his signing of
this Agreement. The parties
agree that the District has not
initiated an investigation, to be
distinguished from an employee
performance evaluation, directed
at Bumham for services
Bumham has rendered as a
physician."
On May 5, 1999, a number of
issues which are and must
remain privileged and which 1
am not at liberty to disclose,
were discussed by me with the
board members and with the
district's attorneys. The district's
attorneys conferred with Dr.
Burnham's lawyer throughout
the day. The district's lawyers
strongly
encouraged
Dr.
Burnham's lawyer to accompany
them to the board meeting and I
authorized all lawyers involved
to come to Heppner for a face-
to-face discussion in order to
facilitate a resolution. He could
have flown to Heppner at no cost
to himself or Dr. Bumham.
(Incidentally, the aircraft was
chartered at the last minute
because Dr. Bumham was
unable to reach the decision he
later made and thereby caused
the district to incur this expense,
since the board needed to be
advised. The aircraft was not a
jet as Dr. Bumham erroneously
wrote, but rather a small
Cessna.) Dr. Bumham and his
lawyer made the choice that Dr.
Burnham's lawyer would not
come to Heppner. As Dr.
Bumham readily acknowledges
in his letter to the editor, he had
the advice of a lawyer he
accurately describes as "a
specialist"
experienced
in
medical law. (In fact, he chose a
lawyer and a law firm well
known throughout Oregon,
Southwest Washington and
Idaho for its expertise in matters
of this nature.) After spending
extensive amounts of time
throughout the day on the
telephone with his lawyer who
was meeting with the district's
lawyers throughout the day in
Portland, Dr Bumham chose to
attend a meeting of the board Pf
" djredtors Wilhbtlt^fhe assistance
bf'his lawye’r-dVen though he
had every opportunity for his
lawyer to be present.
In meetings before the board
of directors. Dr. Bumham did
not
ask
to
retain
his
employment. His sole purpose in
meeting with the board ot
directors was to seek more
money as party of a more
generous severance package
than the district's board of
directors and I were willing to
recommend.
Again,
Dr.
Burnham's purpose in meeting
with the board of directors was
not to retain employment, but
rather to obtain more money.
When the board of directors
declined to pay him more
money, Dr. Bumham signed the
voluntary resignation letter and
he
signed a contractual
document which constitutes an
"agreement" and "release." The
agreement, by its clear and
explicit terms, afforded Di.
Bumham 21 days to consider the
agreement before signing it; in
addition, the agreement afforded
Dr. Bumham a period of seven
‘ Y O U S T A R T OUT TO C H A N G E A
CHILD’S LIFE.
AND FI ND Y O U ’ VE
ALSO CHANGED YOUR OWN."
Lou Smith. kttmd Winonal Sain I 7| CASA \oiuntrrr
days in which to revoke the
agreement. Dr Bumham waived
the 21 day period by signing the
agreement promptly when it was
offered to him. Dr. Bumham did To the Editor:
An Open Letter to Mrs. Meg
not revoke the agreement within Murray
the seven day period allowed Dear Mrs. Murray
under the clear terms of that
In mid-July of last year my
agreement. Instead, he waited
wife
and I drove to Heppner,
and wrote a letter to the editor
unannounced,
and simply looked
which attempts to misinform the
at
the
town.
The
town was clean
community. Dr. Burnham's
and
well
kept.
The
people who
purported renunciation of the
lived here obviously cared about
agreement is without any legal
their town. The high school
effect; the agreement is final and
ballfield
had freshly painted
binding on him and the district.
signs bragging about past teams,
However,
Dr.
Burnham's
and there was a new swimming
continued disparagement of the
pool. The people who lived in
district is risky, because it may
Heppner obviously cared about
put Dr. Bumham in breach of
their kids. There was a nursing
the agreement. At the district's
home as part of the hospital, and
election, this could result in
an old hotel converted, at some
reports
to
the
National
cost
and effort, into senior
Practitioner Data Bank and the
citizen
housing. The people here
Oregon Board of Medical
obviously cared about their old
Examiners, and nonpayment of
folks. We both thought what a
any remaining amounts of
nice
little place, and although
payable under the agreement.
my
wife
had never lived in a
Although Dr. Burnham's
small town before, we agreed it
employment records at Morrow
I was offered a position here we
County Health District gave no
would
take it.
indication
of professional
I made an appointment with
problems in the past, the district
Mrs. Susan Brock, who at that
did discover a lawsuit filed by
time
was administrator, and we
Clyde L. Bumham v. Rogue
came over for interviews. Mrs.
Valley Serenity Lane, in the
Brock told us that she had been
Circuit Court of the State of
sent here to preside over the
Oregon for Jackson County, in
closing of the hospital. She
which the arbitrator, in resolving
stated that since her arrival she
the case in favor of Rogue
had
realized there was no need
Valley Serenity Lane, wrote
for the hospital to die and
concerning Dr. Bumham, "The
therefore she was now working
Plaintiff was not an entirely
very hard to get the health
credible witness, in that he
district back on its feet. She told
evaded direct questions which he
us how delighted she was to
appeared to feel would harm his
have
a Board Certified Family
position. He also selectively
Practitioner
available when the
remembered or integrated some
need was so great. Very shortly
of the terms of his agreement,
I was offered a contract which
notably that the retirement
was
soon reviewed and signed.
contribution was not fixed, but
I
was
puzzled that the medical
could only be increased, but not
staff had been so little involved
decreased. He also admitted
but pleased to have an
knowing about some of the
opportunity where I was needed
benefits found in the Personnel
in this nice little town away
Handbook,
but
denied
from big-city politics, corporate
knowledge of those which were
controlled
medicine and HMOs.
contrary to his "understanding"
I
was
also
puzzled why Dr. Ken
in the case. I also find it hard to
Wenburg
and
Ms. Wendy Haack
believe that he would not
seemed
to
view
me more like a
understand the nuances of
spy
than
a
colleague.
I would
retirement plans and vesting,
soon realize how wise they were
since his testimony indicated he to be suspicious of anything
was familiar with them from done by the administration.
previous employment." Thus, - Onlyweeks later Mrs. Brock
others have found Dri Burtiham disclofcbd1 the awful state of the
to be other than credible jn his
distndl^ finances and the need to
sworn testimony in the past.
shut it all down immediately. I
This response is written in was
outraged...
I
was
order to assure the community dumfounded... How could such
that Morrow County Health
fundamental information as
District continues to strive to failing finances not be known?
obtain the best medical care What kind of funny business had
possible for the citizens of the I been invited into? In what I
community. The board of believe was the second board
directors wants the community meeting thereafter I stated that,
to be assured that the district
in my opinion, the central
acted in the best interests of the problem was the board of
community in facilitating Dr.
directors and its failure to do its
Burnham's resignation. We are duty. I am quoted as saying the
moving aggressively to recruit board was piss poor and also
competent
and
qualified
saying you were the worst of the
practitioners and this recruitment
lot. I was half right and half
has my highest priority and the
very wrong. I apologize for the
highest priority of the board of choice of words about the board
directors. We have interviewed
but not at all for the meaning. I
four physicians who have
have long since realized that you
expressed an interest in rural
were then, and are now, the one
medicine and will interview two
bright light on the board. You
more in advance of making
alone on the board, in my
hiring recommendations to the
opinion, have been consistently
board of directors.
pointed in the right direction and
We look forward to a positive
have been asking the right
future and with this incident
questions. I took you as
behind us we will progress in a
ineffective when you were
manner favorable for the
simply outnumbered.
community and the district.
This letter is my open apology
(s) Cara Osmin
to you. You are a good and
Chair, MCHD Board
honorable woman who has
(s) Sheila Dahlman
worked with all the energy you
MCHD CEO
had for the good of Morrow
County. I deeply regret any
words or actions of mine which
have caused you distress.
A number of people have told
me, always with affection, "Meg
can be a loose cannon."
The Oregon
Wheat Speaking as one loose cannon to
Commission will hold an another, I hope I can always be
executive session at the offices pointed in the right direction and
of
the
Oregon
Wheat for the right reasons as well as
Commission, 1200 NW Naito you have. I wish you many
Parkway, Suite 520, Portland, on years to enjoy the esteem due
you for your good and honorable
Wednesday, June 2.
The session will consider service to Morrow County.
(s) Clyde M Bumham, MD
applicants for the position of
Heppner
administrator.
To Meg...
Commission to
select
administrator
Happy
50 t K
A vwÂA/e+'bcvry
Don't understand
motivation
To the Editor,
We appreciate you printing Dr
Burnham's response.
I had started to call Dr.
Bumham
concerning
a
prescription he had made when I
read the previous article. I
proceeded to call the clinic and
was told he wasn't seeing
patients. When I asked for his
home phone number the lady left
the phone to check with
someone. I was then told they
couldn't give me the number,
they could turn my records over
to someone else to return my
call. I declined. We have been
very satisfied with Dr Bumham.
We came to this area a little
over a year ago, have bought a
house an like the area and the
people.
We had heard the
hospital had troubles keeping
doctors and had been given the
excuse that they weren't happy
with the "small town". Well,
duh, — I am sure they were
aware it was a small town when
they came. Doctor Bumham and
his nice wife appeared to be
enjoying themselves while they
were at the St. Patrick's day
activities.
Of course all we know is w hat
we have read in your two
articles. But our thought is that
it would seem more logical for
the board to ask for Mrs.
Dahlman's resignation. Perhaps
then "the board" would have
more success in keeping good
doctors. We do not understand
her motivation.
We are, much to our regret,
now looking for a family
practice doctor in Hermiston.
(s) Thelma and Earl Jenks
Heppner
Erin Crowell
selected lone
Legion Girls
State rep.
Erin Crowell
Erin Crowell has been chosen
to represent the lone Legion Aux
iliary Unit #95 at Girls State, June
13-19.
Crowell is the daughter of Gene
and Kristy Crowell of lone. She
will be a senior at lone High
School (IHS) next year and was
recently elected as the 1999-2000
student body president of IHS.
She is a member of the National
Honor Society and OSSOM, serv
ing as secretary for both organi
zations. She also participates in
drama. International Club and
Knowledge Master Open. “Her
athletic skills shine when she is a
member of the volleyball and ten
nis teams," said a Legion spokes
person.
Girls State will be held at
Aldersgate Conference Center
near Salem this year. The center
encompasses 10 acres in a forest
setting. Since its opening 10 years
ago. Aldersgate has established
itself as one of the “premier con
ference centers in the Pacific
Northwest,” said a news release.
The American Legion Auxil
iary sponsors and finances Girls
State for junior girls throughout
Oregon annually for 55 years.
This program teaches the girls
about the democratic form of gov
ernment and hives them a re
newed "spirit of America.“
The Morrow County Grain
Growers, Inc. helps with financial
support for the Girls State each
year.
George £r Virginia Stillman
May 31, 1949 - 1999
Love* Y o u r KLdfr
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