Let Me Explain

To the Editor:

There is no finer example of small town politics than Wrangell. Mistrust, rumors, false accusations, lies, and some truths all blended together. Today I received an email from a former resident who lamented on all the negativity posted by Wrangell residents to Facebook. This person lived here over forty years and follows local news. He would like to blame weather, rain, and dark dreary days as the cause but it is his observation that no other community in all of SE Alaska acts like this. It is sad.

I received my Wrangell Sentinel for March 22 and then followed up online to see April 5. There is so much distortion of facts and truths that it is no wonder people are mistrustful. I would like to address some of the issues raised by Gary Allen Sr., and others on their recall petitions. But first I want to comment on Dorothy Hunt Sweat’s publicly speaking out on the decision by WMC’s board to deny Dr. Salard privileges at the hospital. I believe I read in the Sentinel previously that she was out of town when the hearing was held so she did not vote nor does she know what testimony was heard. And her statement shows she was not open to hearing and evaluating testimony as she had already formed an opinion. That should not be how a decision is reached.

Now back to the WMC alleged violations of Wrangell Municipal Code:

August 17, 2011 the board prohibited the Borough Assembly Liaison from participating in an executive session. I was still on the board for that meeting and participated by conference phone. My recollection is that it was agreed when the liaison attended WMC meeting he would only be invited into executive sessions pertaining to new hospital construction. That was a change from the past when a liaison simply attended meetings and had input. The executive session was to discuss possible action regarding a letter from Innovative Capital, LLC. Innovative is also the company WMC is alleged to have contacted with illegally.

At the time of the meeting Innovative was pursuing charges against WMC and the City for nonpayment of services and breaking the contract. WMC had been told by the City to have no contact with Innovative or any other company with whom contracts were signed. Innovative is the only contract the City did not retain but ultimately gave permission for WMC to continue under contract with them and pay for their services out of revenue, not construction monies. Why would anyone invite opposition on a subject into executive session?

The charge that WMC’s board (of which I was president) allegedly violated municipal code when it authorized our administrator to enter into contract with a financer and developer for construction of a borough owned building is apparently true. However, in defense of our actions, no one told us that we did not have authority to take that action. Other hospitals do and Innovative believed we could also. In hindsight we should have looked into it but on the other hand we were communicating almost daily with the mayor and city manager.

Why did no one point out to us that we could not sign contracts? There was never an attempt to take any action we did not believe we had the authority to take. Mayor Maxand was employed by WMC for a period of six months and was well aware of all dealings. He was on the Assembly at the time but never spoke up.

The third reason given for recall is an accusation that WMC’s board “knowingly allowed a member of the board whose ‘immediate family member’ has a substantial financial interest in the outcome of legal action this immediate family member is taking against a particular physician, to participate in discussions and actions pertaining to approving the privileging of said physician at WMC.” This is a totally false accusation that again I can testify to because I was WMC board president. Prior to us being told the board member in question should be recused from any and all discussion of said physician, that board member had recused herself.

Most likely you know each or most of the people sitting on the Wrangell Medical Center’s board. They have been elected by you, the voters. Do any of you honestly believe that all or even one of those board members would jeopardize the hospital or the city by doing something they knew to be dishonest or not in the best interest of the hospital? Or, would they collectively make a decision that could bring about a lawsuit against the hospital?

Members of hospital boards are liable as individuals if something occurs within the hospital that they had any knowledge of its possibility. In other words, if they were made aware of a potential problem but chose to ignore it and then a problem arose, the liability insurance, which covers board members, would not be valid. Board members cannot say, “we didn’t think it would happen” or any such excuse. They are supposed to take action to prevent incidences. They need to be vigilant so they do not need to defend themselves against something done by another party within the hospital.

I was proud of my board members. I know that it is tough to make the kinds of decisions they have had to make and tougher still to listen to the criticism being thrown at them.

Board members cannot publicly defend themselves or share their reasons for why a particular decision was made. Disgruntled employees and others can talk all they like without repercussion. Board and staff have to let the talk and false information continue because they could be sued for divulging information that has to be kept confidential. It is not a fair playing field.

I am proud of the many years I was on WMC’s board. I believe in the leadership that Noel Rea has brought to the staff and board. It has not been an easy job. Wrangell is very resistant to change. But this is the 21st century and life is going to change whether we embrace it with open arms or try to slam the door. Were it not for Noel Rea, Wrangell would not be on the verge of building a new hospital.

I am deeply bothered by the ordinance changes being proposed by Assembly member Dave Jack. The hospital has historically operated without interference from the city.

Under the guidance of the current AD the hospital has increased revenues, equipment and services. Mr. Jack has state before that the Assembly has no idea “what revenues are there.” I hope they are all not admitting to apparently not reading information that is provided on a monthly basis by Olinda White. She has offered to discuss and explain any information that is not understood. Meeting minutes are also provided to the City to be given to each Assembly member. Those tell what has been done and what is planned. Any lack of information has to be caused by not reading or asking.

The reports done by three separate entities on the ability of the hospital to pay off the construction debt is also available for anyone to see. There were requirements for an application to get loan monies. It is not a secret and is based on projected revenues, which are determined by past performance.

Why should WMC employees be subject to borough personnel policies and grievance procedures? The school district is not. Neither are they being put under a microscope.

The Medical Chief of Staff, which is one of the local physicians, attends board meetings and has input on decisions that affect the doctors. Having a physician, nurse, or any other employee from the hospital on the WMC board could be very disruptive. Are there any employees of the City on the Assembly or City employees on the Port Commission? Mr. Jack concluded his proposed changes by saying “the hospital board should be treated as everybody else, they’re not special.” Well, no one ever tried to say they are but they have a far greater responsibility to the community than another other board in the city. They oversee a very large business that cares for patients and saves lives. They have been doing this for years and without any financial help from or conflict with the city.

Is it coincidence that all the problems began when a new administration took over local government? The hospital administration and board didn’t change. A consultant paid for by WMC was brought to Wrangell last fall and interviewed WMC staff as well as the mayor and assembly members. He called the relationship between the two entities “a crisis.” Noel Rea called the report fair and said he “fully recognized that I have much to improve in my job and the relationship with the city.”

The consultant also wrote, “a positive and professional partnership between the city leadership and WMC leadership is not in play, and there is a lack of trust between the two entities.”

This report is available to the public. Quotes from Selle-Rea in the March 22 edition of the Sentinel show a willingness and desire to improve the situation. Mayor Maxand’s quotes are negative and he disagrees with some of the consultant’s comments and recommendations in the report. He believes “the problem is how the public hospital is being run. This is not a spat between individuals, this is an issue that goes to the fundamentals of how our community hospital is being managed and being led.” I strongly disagree with this statement by the Mayor.

Certainly laws and procedures, procurement codes and ordinances need to be followed. I have addressed the mayor and assembly more than once and asked that they “fix whatever was inadvertently not done correctly so the new hospital construction could move forward.” All we (WMC) got were more directives to stop all actions, don’t take to anyone, and what the public got from this is the same plans for the building but delayed now by two years and costing millions more. And the city expects the hospital to pay for the additional costs at the same time it has suggested scrutinizing revenues and placing excess revenue in an account for unanticipated expenses. What do they think WMC has been doing for years? How do they think WMC was able to have $3M, which allowed the procurement of funding of a new facility?

The new $30M hospital, if built, is not being paid for by “community money” as Maxand said. It will have been built with federal and state monies as well as grants and donations. I say, “if built” because I have heard (but not verified) that USDA loan monies will be pulled if construction has not begun by June 1. Who’s to blame if this happens? It is past time for all Wrangellites to say enough already.

Everyone at WMC and everyone involved at the city need to sit down, smoke a piece pipe, and get the hospital built. The city has made their point.

WMC, for its part has kept a low-key approach to trying to resolve all issues with the city. I am the pot stirrer. I want to live in a community that is supportive of one another, one that strives to improve its environment, encourages existing business and invites new ones.

Wrangell is the only town in SE Alaska that has not recovered economically from the demise of the timber industry. New ideas are mistrusted; old feuds resurrected and put into play to not support a new venture. This has to stop.

Please Wrangell. Enough has been said, studied etc. Let’s get together and build our community a new hospital before so much damage is done that it will never happen.

Lynne Campbell