Upcoming Hospital Events
Dear Editor: SEARHC’s offer to buy Sitka Community Hospital has a deadline for our Assembly’s decision of Aug. 1. At the same time, SCH is developing a plan for its stand-alone future. Here are the key upcoming events associated with these actions and how you can – or cannot – participate.
–July 7 or 12: the SCH board is planning a work session with the consultants developing the stand-alone plan (Stroudwater) on one of these dates. This work session will be open to the public. You can listen, but not otherwise participate.
–July 13: Stroudwater will present their report to the Assembly. This is also scheduled as a work session which allows you to listen but not otherwise participate.
–July 17: A town hall meeting is scheduled for this date. The Assembly is planning a specific format for this town hall – a panel of SEARHC and SCH management, a professional facilitator, and only written questions submitted by community members will be allowed.
–July 18: The Assembly meets to discuss and potentially decide their response to SEARHC’s offer to buy SCH. If this is conducted like a regular session you will have three minutes for any comment you would like to make.
Whew! Seem like a pretty short fuse? Seem like community input is minimized? Do you have concerns about any of this? There are many concerns – only a few were outlined by Travis Hudson in his letter to the editor on June 27.
–July 6: An open forum to share information and help each other better understand what is going on will take place at the Pioneers Home Chapel starting at 7 p.m. Please participate and bring your ideas and hopes for the future of health care in our community.
Joann Torgeson, Sitka
ALFA Grant
Dear Editor: For the second year in a row, the Sitka Assembly has awarded the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association’s, a lobbying organization for longline fishermen, a $10,000 grant from a portion of charter fish box tax designated for fisheries enhancement. The grant for ALFA came at the expense of the Sitka Sound Science Center’s hatchery program.
While I believe ALFA is a fine organization, I fail to see how they are ‘‘enhancing’’ any fishery except to their own internal best interests. This double precedent in granting ALFA a portion of the fish box tax for enhancement, at least in my mind, opens wide the door for other special interest groups, for example the Southeast Guides Organization, an advocate for the charter industry, or the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association, an advocate for Gulf of Alaska trawlers, to apply for and as easily convince our Assembly they should receive a portion of the charter fish box tax fund, based on their own interpretation of ‘‘enhancement.’’
It is obvious to me that SSSC’s hatchery program directly ‘‘enhances’’ the local fishery for us here in Sitka. I believe our Assembly has made a poor decision with $10,000 of our tax dollars. If you agree, take a moment and let them know.
Charles Wileman, Sitka
EV Group Photo
Dear Editor: Many thanks to the 26 electric vehicle owners who took time from their busy weekend to be part of last Saturday’s group photo. This photo will document the growing number of EVs in Sitka, and help advocate for issues such as local repairs, EV purchase and shipping options, charging stations, and continued tax rebates.
Also a big thank you to the Sitka Sentinel for including the photo on the June 28 paper.
There are now an estimated 35-40 EVs in Sitka, and they are making a big impact towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions while helping the city with their electricity purchases.
Please consider driving your EV in the July 4 parade (line-up is at 1:30 p.m. on Lake Street) – we hope to see you there.
Dave Nicholls, Doug Osborne, Sitka
