Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

Wrangell, many of you have prayed for and with us this past year since our son’s massive stroke, then aneurysm, craniotomy, cranioplasty and nine months later ruptured appendix. Many Wrangellites contributed financially to their need. This past Sunday their church, Mountainside Bible Chapel in New York, celebrated the one year mark of the stroke. It was a grand day, all of his current therapists and their families were there and upon being introduced the crowd gave them a standing ovation - they were touched and saw first hand how loved our kids are by their church body.

We know it is important to share one another’s burdens and prayer requests. However, it is most important to share praises, because truly we were created to worship and praise a holy and just God relentlessly and not dependent on circumstance. That being said, we wanted to share with you a video clip of Nathan’s brief greeting and his precious wife’s gentle words. Truly we are blessed and praise God for this Glory Story: http://youtu.be/T3xiKQV28KQ

Further we want to thank so many of you who have been such a source of encouragement to both of us. To try to remember and thank each of you individually would be impossible. We are very grateful to our employers here, both Bible Baptist Church and City Market for being so patient and understanding with our extended absences and often preoccupied minds.

Truly Christmas 2011 was gut wrenching at the least as we watched our son lying in ICU fighting for his life, not knowing if he would live and little hope from a medical perspective. Our hearts were truly broken, though oddly at peace—-the Peace of Christmas, Jesus.

Tis Christmas 2012, regardless of losses, there are always things to be thankful for. Merry Christmas, Wrangell.

Doug and Nedra Shoultz

To the Editor:

Why is the City of Wrangell negotiating with a fired hospital administrator to have the hospital’s computer and iPad returned? These items belong to Wrangell Medical Center (WMC)! They were provided for his use while employed by the hospital. He took the iPad without permission when he left Wrangell and “his” attorney arranged for the computer to be shipped to Anchorage without the city’s permission. Instead of negotiating with Noel Rea, why hasn’t the city filed theft charges against the man?

Noel Rea is arguing that his “personal” data must be purged from the computer and iPad before WMC gets these items returned. It really makes one wonder exactly what Noel Rea is trying to hide. In spite of what he did to our hospital and city, we know that some city and hospital personnel are still in contact with him. Who is he trying to protect? Are there other past and present elected officials involved? We may never know if the data is deleted.

Numerous cases have revolved around who owns and has access to information on a company computer; it is well-entrenched in case law that the company (in this case WMC) owns the data that an employee puts onto its computer. I am sorry, but if someone is stupid enough to use a company computer and iPad in that way then I have no sympathy for them.

Additionally, there will be a lot of citizens disappointed if the city settles with the recalled WMC Board members and fired administrator over the $520,000 golden parachute Rea received when he was fired. As it stands, they are considering an offer where the hospital insurance company gives the city $250,000 and then everyone drops everything. I assume after legal fees are deducted that WMC will only get about $150,000 of our money back (only 28% of what Rea got).

If this settlement is ratified, then Rea gets to keep all of our money and the recalled board is cleared of all responsibility. Yes, Rea has to live with the fact that he was fired and the board members are forever shamed in our small community because they were recalled for their misdeeds, but what about criminal charges? I hope that the city does not include immunity from criminal activity in any settlement they may sign.

Although Rea’s attorney says the city will save money by settling with him, we must remember that this whole fiasco isn’t just about money. Sometimes you spend money to make sure justice is done. Sometimes you spend money to right a wrong. Sometimes you spend money to make someone pay for their illegal deeds.

Remember, Rea wants his personal (i.e., potentially incriminating) information purged and then offers to “allow” the city to destroy the computer. If he were to agree to the settlement as is, he gets to keep $520,000 and the city can never pursue the matter again. One must ask, what is on that computer and iPad that is so important that Rea will risk over a ½-million dollars?

Wayne Spencer