Community Hospital
Dear Editor: Did YOU know if the Assembly votes to accept the SEARHC proposal to buy our hospital operations on Aug. 28, the citizens of Sitka:
– Will owe about $1.6 MILLION a year for 22 years? (This unfunded pension liability is currently paid by our hospital operations.)
– Will owe CERNER $1.4 million to terminate the contract the city signed for a new electronic medical records system.
– Will give up all local control of health care. The proposed advisory board will have NO control.
– Will have no guarantee that jobs will not be lost and careers disrupted And no recourse if this does happen.
– Will have no assurance that their electricity bills will go down 15-30 percent. There will be the loss of power usage from the current SCH and MEH and a new substation will need to be built on the island paid for by taxpayers.
What can you do? The Assembly has not allowed a public vote and they continue to try and take away the voice of Sitka citizens so we must take it back. Let all of your Assembly members and the mayor KNOW (early and often by e-mail, phone calls, conversations and attendance at meetings) that you do not want your hospital given away. The economics don’t add up. Show up, Speak up. Be heard.
Assembly meetings: work session 6 p.m. Aug. 13.
Town Hall meeting: 6 p.m. Aug. 20.
FINAL vote: 6 p.m. Aug. 28.
Catherine Burton, Cheryl Call, Dr. Marilyn Coruzzi, M.D.,
Nancy Davis, Cynthia Dennis,
Michelle Fleming,
Bryanna Graham,
Roger and Ce Higley, John Holst, Travis Hudson, Tone Jackson,
Brenda Janik, Judy Lewis,
Lois Rhodes, Kateri Richards, Mary Soltis, Roman Sorokin,
Joann Torgeson, Mike Wise
