Category Archives: Letters

2018, Letters

Clinic Treasurer Letter and a Response

Clinic Treasurer Letter to the Editor 4-30-18

(Editor/GG: The Treasurer of the West Custer County Hospital District (the “Clinic”) responded to some points made at last week’s Liberty Rocks Forum on rural health care. It is too long to print so we placed it here on our website for our readers. Facebookers have seen it posted by others in multiple community groups.)
There are a few points in her letter that need to be addressed.
1. Transparency: The Board meeting dates are not printed in the two local papers. Posting notices in the courthouse and town halls doesn’t cut it. For the last four years, the Clinic Board has never advertised vacant board positions in either paper. They have been filling the vacancies with their buddies. No transparency there.
2. The mill levy passed in 2014 for EMS was sold to us as funding to provide for a second ambulance. Period. EMS grosses around $600k to $700k a year from their billings which should be enough for the first crew. Even with the new $280,000 mill levy, we still don’t have a reliably available second ambulance. There have been numerous times lately when Flight for Life or an outside-the-county ambulance had to be called. There was no second crew available. This is a disgrace. Just talk to the Sheriff’s Office or listen to the scanner. A major reason a second crew is not available is that the majority of EMS live OUTSIDE the county. Why? All the local EMS employees left or were fired over the last six years or so, mostly due to management issues.
3. By any reasonable measure, the Clinic has way too much administrative overhead for an entity of around 18 people. Not even close. We need doctors, not bureaucrats.
4. The Treasurer stated that somebody made a comment that “The clinic will not suture a patient.” We have had multiple people come to the Sentinel who have been denied sutures for simple cuts because they did not have an appointment.
5. There are no doctors. The Treasurer attempts to use a doctor from up north who comes here THREE DAYS A MONTH to say they have a doctor! Give us a break.
Time for a change, folks. Doctors Mohr and Bliss are willing to come back if a new board is elected. And that’s a good start for a new, patient centered clinic.

2018, Letters

Patient In Pain Left Alone at Clinic

Editor;
I’d like to discuss a recent problem that I encountered at the Westcliffe Clinic.
First let me say that I’ve been seen there periodically since about 2006. I have a variety of physical problems which make it difficult for me to get “out and around” much.
I am 67, and my back has been broken in at least [five] 5 places, I had an acute attack of Peritonitis at age 27, which has caused many internal and hormonal issues. And regrettably, I have many other health issues. Continue reading Patient In Pain Left Alone at Clinic →

2018, Letters

Open Letter to Taxpayers…

An open letter to the Taxpayers and Patients of the Custer County Community Clinic
We have practiced medicine in the Clinic in Westcliffe for many years. We have treated patients with injuries both major and minor, and managed chronic illnesses for years at a time. We have struggled with unwieldy computers, politics, finances and unreasonable policies.
We both love the people who come in to the Clinic. But several years ago management of the Clinic provoked us to leave. It was a difficult decision for both of us. Both of us would love to return.
We think that if a new transparent board is in place, we have a chance to re-create the Clinic.
We believe in a practice that is based on patient care; everything else is secondary to that sacred goal.
We believe that this can be accomplished through a model known as the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Look it up on the internet, it is a national program for excellence in patient care. The patient-centered medical home is a model of care that emphasizes care coordination and communication to transform primary care into “what patients want it to be.” Once certified as a PCMH, the Clinic may qualify for higher reimbursement rates.
On May 8, take the time to vote for the Patients First slate of candidates for the board of the Clinic. These bright talented people are volunteering to make the Clinic a source of community pride, the way it was years ago.
To make it a place to teach and recruit medical students and medical residents, who might one day chose to live and practice here in this beautiful valley.
To make it a place that you would choose first for your primary medical needs.
To make it a place that respects your confidentiality
Please, vote for the Patients First Team: Mike Haga, Mike Kienbusch, David Brothers, Ann Barthrop and Larry Luikart.
Thank you.
Gary Alan Mohr, M.D.
Robert Bliss, M.D.
Family Physicians

2018, BOCC

BOCC April 30: Clinic Board Chair Defends Clinic Performance

BOCC: Clinic Board Chair
Defends Clinic Performance
Update: Accused of Illegal Electioneering
Tourism Board Members Issue?
Kerfuffle Ensues

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)

—April 30, 2018
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.

by Jackie Bubis
The Board agreed to cancel the Executive session scheduled for 2 p.m. They approved the minutes of the April 18th meeting.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda reported on attending the Justice Center committee meeting. At the E-911 meeting there was a discussion on the IGA for sharing costs on the towers used by emergency services. He stated that the Road & Bridge department may be able to do more than anticipated this year because of lack of snow plowing. Mr. Canda had a conversation with Armstrong Engineering regarding some of the upgrades at the airport that the new owners of the south part of Wolf Springs Ranch are wanting – and are willing to pay for. There will need to be a study – funded by these new owners – of the load capacity of the existing runway. He also confirmed that he is registered for the Mountain Connect conference in Vail later this year. Continue reading BOCC April 30: Clinic Board Chair Defends Clinic Performance →

2018

Rural Healthcare Forum

Rural Healthcare Forum Packed
by Concerned Citizens
Which Is More Important:
Doctors or Bureaucracy?

by Fred Hernandez
By all accounts and measures it was an overflow attendance at Tony’s Pizza on Thursday evening, April 26th, for the monthly Liberty Rocks public forum hosted by Dan and Jackie Bubis. At 6 p.m., just before the meeting was called to order, the room was full to capacity with over 100 guests. The crowd was energetic and in good spirits as the Master of Ceremonies, Dan Bubis, got the meeting started with his ROE (Rules of Engagement); there would be two short power point presentations by Mr. Malin Jones and Dr. Gary Mohr to offer basic information and statistics on rural healthcare, followed by a question and answer period at which time the five PATIENTS FIRST candidates running for the Clinic Board would speak about their backgrounds and be available for questions and answers from the audience. Jax Bubis would be the official time keeper and keep everyone on schedule in order to have an orderly meeting and conclude on time. Continue reading Rural Healthcare Forum →

2018, Uncategorized

Sheepdog Explanations

The New Subscriber’s Guide
to Reading and Loving
the  ‘A Sheepdog Barks!’ Column

We constantly get questions from new readers about the strange “sounds” and “abbreviations” in my column. This column was inspired by an article I read many years ago called “On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs.” New readers can always find it on our web site at SangreDeCristoSentinel.com. Today you can read a condensed version on page 19. Please read it; it will help you understand.
Today I’m reprinting excerpts from several of my previous columns. I’m calling this one “The New Subscriber’s Guide to Reading and Loving the ‘A Sheepdog Barks!’ Column.” Continue reading Sheepdog Explanations →

2018, BOCC

BOCC April 18 2018: BOCC: Cleanup Day Scheduled, Land Acquisition, Tower Electric Bills, Possible Weed Manager Share

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)

—April 18, 2018
WETMORE, Colo.

by Jackie Bubis

The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Chairman Tom Flower began with Attorney Items:
Attorney Roger Smith reported giving legal advice to Sheriff Shannon Byerly, attending the Justice Center Committee Meeting (see below for discussion of name change.) He also went to the Fire Ban Workshop, and drafted a letter to Tom Redmond regarding airport hangar space. Continue reading BOCC April 18 2018: BOCC: Cleanup Day Scheduled, Land Acquisition, Tower Electric Bills, Possible Weed Manager Share →

2018, Uncategorized

The Naked Communist

The LPSCD Manifesto

Cleon Skousen (1913-2006) was a conservative constitutionalist and author. He was an FBI Special Agent and the Police Chief of Salt Lake City, UT. Skousen was a controversial author and speaker, extremely anti-communist and opposed all federal regulatory agencies and argued for the abolition of everything from the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He also wanted to repeal the minimum wage, eliminate unions, nullify anti-discrimination laws, sell off public lands and national parks, end the direct election of senators, eliminate the federal income tax and estate taxes, remove the walls separating church and state, and end the Federal Reserve System.  His book, The Naked Communist, was first published in 1958 and exposed the dangers of the Communists trying to destroy America from within.  In his book he printed the strategic Communist Goals of that time to accomplish that task.  We are alarmed at how many of them seem to be the current goals (bolded) of the Liberal Progressives and the Democrat Party in America today.  Please review these (at the link below)  and judge for yourself.  We believe they have already accomplished many of them.   The LPSCD Manifesto

 

2018, Letters

Discovery of Hospital District Board Position Openings—Almost by Accident

Dear friends;
You may or may not have heard that there is an election coming up at the local Hospital District (Clinic). Almost by accident, some in our group found out about it.
In the past, we, the general public, were not usually privy to such information. The Board of Directors were merely and routinely appointed and confirmed with the barest minimum of information to the citizenry. It is because of this lack of transparency that the clinic continued to operate at what many feel was, and continues to be, subpar performance. Despite a total tax payer mil levy contribution of around $850,000 A YEAR, the clinic continues its sub par performance especially with respect of having doctors on staff. In fact, there are again, currently no medical doctors on staff at the clinic. In the coming months we have a golden opportunity to change that status quo. We can take back the management of our clinic and turn it into a healthcare service that can benefit each and every one of the county residents. Continue reading Discovery of Hospital District Board Position Openings—Almost by Accident →

2018, Custer County Kids

Awards Banquet Closes Bobcat Basketball Season

Press Release
by CCSD-1 Staff

Last week, the Custer County Boy’s Basketball team had their end of season banquet. Coach Prins talked about the successful things that happen this year, the 18-game JV schedule, having 16 players to finish the season, the team improving each week, never quitting and the 22 points scored in the second
quarter at Del Norte.
Each player was introduced and received an award.Participation awards went to Wyatt Aldrich, Matthew Kienbusch, Dillon Kinsey, James Koester, JD Morris, Hunter Speer, and Elias Zeller.
Letters went to William (Billy) Berry, Wesley Curtis, David Kinsey, Chad Lewenkamp, Kobe Lewsader, Jakob Morris, Patrick Post, Eero Prusti, and Cash Rowley.
Assistant Coaches Cole McCollum and Scott Thomas handed out the team awards. These awards were voted on by the players. Coach Thomas handed out the “Hustle Award” to Patrick Post and
“Defensive Player of the Year” to
David Kinsey. Coach McCollum handed out the “Most Improved Player” to Eero Prusti and the “Most Valuable Player” to William (Billy) Berry.
Coach Prins thanked the parents, Joy Parrish, Jack Christensen and the players for their support. The program ended with a slide show of pictures and music put together by Deanna Woods.