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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2013)
HeppnerGazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon HEALTH DISTRICT LEVY •Continuedfrom PAGE ONE business loan agreement for $200,000 from the Bank o f Eastern Oregon for equipment. The loan is to mature on Nov. 25, 2018, and has a 3.75 percent interest rate. -received the district’s financial report for October showing a $42,380 loss for the month. MCHD had $624,384 in gross patient revenue for the month, less $27,153 for bad debts and $15,054 in contractual and other adjustments, plus $ 106,839 in ta x r e v e n u e a n d $32,912 in other operating revenue for $721,928 in total operating revenue; $775,279 in total operating expenses, plus $ 10,970 for a non-operating gain for the loss. -discussed a revised CEO e v a lu a tio n form and, in executive session, conducted a b rie f six- month review o f Grigg’s p e r f o r m a n c e . G r ig g received very p o sitiv e com m ents from board m e m b e rs on h is jo b performance. -approved an agreem ent with Im pact C om m unications for a “community engagement and team transformation series.” Impact C o m m u n ic a tio n s w ill provide consulting services to basically improve the district’s performance. The process involves strategic p la n n in g , le a d e r s h ip retreats, workshops and other planning sessions at a cost of $35,250, plus additional costs for extras and travel. The process is to begin with the initial sessions on January 28-29 and March 11-13, with an additional session in April to be determined. -learned from G rig g th a t all d is tric t employees were presented a 12-question voluntary survey adm inistered by Gallup to measure employee engagement. Eighty percent of employees completed the survey, he said. -learned from Grigg that each district manager has been asked to read the book, “The 4 Disciplines o f Execution-A chieving your W ildly Im portant G oals,” and then have a dialogue with their staff to set goals and “metrics (measurements) that will impact our goals.” -learned that Dr. Betsy A nderson has agreed to be the clinician leader for “Patient Centered Primary Care Home” for the district. Grigg said that the goal is to apply for PCPCH certification by March 1. -learned that a position for clinic manager has been posted. Grigg said that the executive director-primary care position has already received seven resumes, all from applicants with master’s degrees. -set a tentative date of Feb. 28 for an employee a w a r d s b a n q u e t to recognize employees who reach milestones of service. P rev io u sly the aw ards have been presented at a Christm as potluck for south county employees and handed out individually for north county employees. -received the following report: Pioneer Memorial Hospital had one admission for the month, four swing bed a d m issio n s, eig h t admitted for observation, 473 to ta l o u tp a tie n ts , 69 e m e r g e n c y ro o m encounters, 1,629 lab tests, 100 x-ray procedures, 21 CT scans, 48 EKG tests, two treadmill procedures, six colonoscopy procedures, two endoscopy procedures, 42 resp irato ry th erap y p r o c e d u r e s ; P io n e e r Memorial Clinic had 450 patient visits with 13 new patients, 114 seen by a nurse and four no-shows; Irrigon Medical Clinic had 197 patient visits with 35 new patients, 85 seen by a nurse and seven no-shows; Home Health had 85 patient visits; Hospice had two ad m issio n s; P harm acy had 1,183 drug d o ses for $99,871 in revenue; Heppner Ambulance had 23 total page-outs with 18 transports for $26,181 in rev en u e; B oardm an Ambulance had 28 page outs with 15 transports for $21,221 in revenue; Irrigon ambulance had 29 page outs with 15 transports for $19,258 in revenue; there was one flight. -agreed to cancel the December board meeting because of conflicts with the holidays, since it would fall between Christmas and New Year’s. -received the following board meeting calendar for 2014: January 27-Irrigon Medical Clinic, February 24-Ione Community Church, March 31-Hospice meeting room, Heppner, April 28-Lexington Town H all, May 19-H ospice m e e t i n g r o o m; J u n e 30-Irrigon Medical Clinic, July 28-Ione Community Church, August 25-Hospice meeting room, September 29-Sand Hollow Room, Port of Morrow, Boardman, O cto b er 2 7 -L ex in g to n Town H all, N ovem ber 24-Hospice meeting room, D e c e m b e r 2 9 -Irrig o n Medical Clinic. All meetings start at 7 p.m. Heppner merchants offer chance to ‘shop ‘til you drop’ On T hursday, Dec. 5, local m erchants will have special cu sto m er appreciation activities and will offer extended hours to kick off the Christmas holiday season. The m erch an ts are planning activities to thank custom ers for shopping local. Some of the specials being planned are: A & M ’s K i t c h e n will have sugar cookies for the children to frost and decorate, starting at 4 p.m., children must be accompanied by an adult. Bank of Eastern Oregon will be having a drawing for a sm all d eco ra ted Christmas tree and serving refreshments from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community Bank will also put out some great refreshments. Heppner Family Foods will offer free Home Town coffee for their customers all day and will have Santa set up in the store from 6-7 p.m., so bring a camera and take pictures. Murray’s Drug will be having hourly door prizes, the wish-list treasure hunt will start (with the winner being announced during the 12/19 Christmas event) and from 5-7 p.m. there will be a mini wine tasting, as well as cookies and punch available throughout the day. Make sure you stop by and check out Sew On Et Cetera and check out her new location in the previous Heritage Land Co. space at 178 N. Main Street, and see what Christmas items she will have available for sale. Sw eet P ro d u ctio n s will hold a Gingerbread House Workshop from 4-7 p.m., all ages welcome, reservations required (adult kit is $15 and kids kit is $5), and stop by and check out the annual gingerbread structure on display. Check out all o f the Nativities on loan by people in the community that will be put on display in the window s o f the form er Quilter’s Round-Up. They will be on display Dec. 4-10. M ake sure to be at the tree outside the post office at 5:30 p.m. so you can watch the H eppner Day Care and H eppner Elementary School children hang th e ir hom em ade Christmas ornaments on the tree. P l a n on s t a y i n g downtown to eat; shop at all of our local merchants and enjoy the sounds and sig h ts o f C h ris tm a s ... and remember to ask for a rewards card with every purchase. Wednesday, November27,2013 -S E V E N A View from the Hill By Doris Brosnan witness the patriotism of made ornam ents on the Willow Creek Terrace’s the younger generation and C h ristm a s tree in the celebration o f Halloween to hear their appreciation commons area. The 4-to- w ith the H eppner Pre- o f the freedoms afforded 6 p.m. event will include School children had to be A m erican citizens was caroling and end with a postponed because several rew arding. On Veterans soup supper for residents students were suffering Day, the Terrace showed and volunteers. fro m flu bugs . Tha t its red, w hite and blue On Dec. 9, volunteers disappointment was offset colors and residents offered will have an opportunity on Tuesday this week by special thanks to their to assist residents with a visit from the little ones neighbors who served in the the addressing o f their who sang for and visited military. One remnant of the Christmas cards. On Dec. with the residents, resulting aftermath of a hard-fought 12, the plan might include in a p re-T h an k sg iv in g war remained until 1989, the making of at least two celebration. That event was and on Nov. 9, residents gingerbread houses, so to be followed with another remembered the opening up interested housebuilders pre-Thanksgiving gift, for of the Berlin Wall. will want to call the Terrace interested residents to be On Nov. 13, som e before the 12lh, 541-676- treated to free manicures. residents and staff could be 0004. V isitors w ill be “Celebration” remains heard and seen carrying out welcomed on Dec. 16 and a key word in life on the their day’s assignment, for 20 to the piano recitals by Hill, so the com munity the morning conversation students of Alaina Lemmon, has celebrated several of centered on World Kindness occasions always looked N o v em b er’s nationally Day, and everyone was forward to by residents and recognized days in small, challenged to carry out a staff. And interested fans of medium, and large ways. random act o f kindness. It’s a Wonderful Life might Since November contains There were several. want to check to find out so many special days, only Participants enjoyed when the Terrace residents highlights of some will fit t hat as mu c h as they will be viewing the movie into this column: enjoyed their conversation that celebrates on Dec. 19 A quiet conversation in on the 18th, which was the its 67th birthday.. .and bring the commons area on Nov. birthday of the push-button the popcorn. 1 ’s Authors Day focused phone. The history of the Christmas Eve will be on individuals’ favorite telephone during these past a peaceful, more private a u th o rs, new a u th o rs, 80 and 90 years brought time for the Community on and genres o f literature. back many memories: the the Hill. After their evening Westerns and m ysteries crank-style phones, the filled with holiday music, seem to be most popular operators who connected residents must scurry off with this generation o f the caller to the callee (new to beds early enough to readers, though their tastes word?), the party lines and allow Santa to complete do tend to be eclectic. those neighbors who would his rounds as he places Volunteer Ed S truthers “rubberneck” (listen to his small gifts in each and works weekly to bring to another person’s calls) or every stocking hung with the Terrace books from the interrupt another person’s care down the halls and local library that will appeal call, and the advancement tucks another gift under to the resident readers. Ed from that to the rotary dial the tree for every resident. also makes sure that the and then to the push-button- The staff makes sure that variety he selects contains style phone. Santa doesn’t miss anyone, some large-print books, A nother opportunity whether naughty or nice. especially appreciated by to reminisce was on Nov. Christmas morning will several residents. 21, the Great American begin around the tree, with Two days later, the Smokeout. Some residents oohs and aahs and many T errace S ta ff b ecam e shared their stories about words o f thanks, and the especially busy because their smoking days, some day’s festive breakfast and that was when Daylight com ical experiences as lunch will make fora perfect Savings Time ended. It smokers, even the fact that holiday with neighbors. was the day to make sure some were “closet smokers” Wh e t h e r re s id e n ts that everyone’s clock was who didn’t think anyone becom e rowdy and see reset to the new time and— knew they smoked, and the the Old Year out and the because this is an easy way more serious reasons they New Year in is yet to be to remember—to change all quit smoking. seen, but they will surely the batteries in everyone’s Thanksgiving on the not be any happier then battery-operated devices. Hill has been eagerly than they will have been On Nov. 4, residents anticipated. Several guests while celebrating a couple were alerted to the 134th were expected to swell o f Decem ber birthdays. anniversary o f the First the num ber at lunch to On Dec. 3. Royce Fulleton Mechanical Cash Register. over thirty. Some residents will be 96 years old but still This was an opportunity w ere also planning to younger than Bud Batty, for a walk down Memory attend family gatherings who will celebrate his 97th Lane, as they recalled their elsewhere. birthday on Dec. 9 ...two experiences as employees De c e mb e r wi l l be celebrations the residents or business owners who had an o th er a c tiv ity -fille d and staff view as important to work with cash registers. month, and a month of enough to be included in The re sid e n ts who opportunities for visitors the month’s Days of Special attended the Nov. 7 Heppner and volunteers, beginning Events. High School program in w ith Dec. 1, when the Two apartm ents are honor o f U.S. M ilitary Terrace residents and staff available at Willow Creek Veterans again appreciated invite visitors to help deck Terrace, so anyone curious the sincerity of the school the halls. A great time will for more information about students and staff and were be had by all who help put this place o f camaraderie particularly impressed by out the holiday decorations and celebrations should call the student speakers. To and put the many resident- 541-676-0004. Boardman adopts truancy ordinance A t t h e i r Nov. 18 m eeting, the Boardm an Ci t y Counci l ad o p ted an ordinance creating a truancy curfew for anyone between the ages of seven and 18 who is required to attend school. Councilors u n a n i mo u s l y voted to adopt the ordinance after concerns about school- aged children around the community during school hours were brought to the attention o f B oardm an Police Chief Rick Stokoe. The city consulted with the school district about the truancy ordinance prior to its adoption. The ordinance gives law enforcem ent a tool to support the school in truancy policies. The next meeting of the council will be Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. Have a safe w & happy U Thanksgiving ffo v H S r From all of us at Heppner Les Schwab 124 N. M A IN ST R E E T HEPPNER OR 97836 I
