Facility needs assessment underway
Dear Editor:
In last week’s (Feb. 9, 2012) “Letters to the Editor,” Mrs. Whiteman asked a valid question, one that deserves a straight and direct answer.
Pioneers Medical Center is in the middle of completing a facility needs assessment. The PMC Board of Directors is weighing all of the “pros and cons” to remodeling the existing facility or building a new facility on a vacant lot. In this process, we are being very diligent in our fact finding. Although, we do not have an answer on the location; what we do know and can say with confidence is that:
a) A major hospital improvement or even a total hospital replacement will be done using existing revenues and PMC will not be going to the voters for any new tax dollars.
b) As PMC implements this process we will be transparent, allow for community involvement, and share our key findings and decisions.
Thank you for your awareness and involvement. I encourage and welcome any questions or suggestions about this process, or ideas to strengthen healthcare in our community.
Sincerely,
Ken Harman
Pioneers Medical Center
CEO
Republican Precinct 3 Caucus
Dear Editor:
Last week at the Republican Precinct 3 Caucus the following resolution was introduced and passed: “Be it resolved that the Precinct 3 Republican caucus supports the passage of an amendment to the Colorado constitution to guarantee that the right to life applies equally to all innocent persons at every stage of development.”
I am very happy to report that the resolution did pass, if only by two votes. Later that week an acquaintance of ours, who had also attended the caucus, commented on the small margin saying that he had seen similar resolutions passed by much wider ones in other precincts.
Undoubtedly, there are many reasons folks are reluctant to pass these kinds of resolutions or to vote for things like the Colorado Personhood Amendment. Here, I would like to take a moment to examine two of the most common ones that I run across.
First objection: “We simply cannot tell if life begins at conception.” Now think about what this statement is actually saying. It is really saying two things: life might begin at conception or it might not. That this sort of agnosticism is very problematic and can be seen by the following illustration. Suppose for a moment you were involved in the demolition of a high-rise building, and that you were going to use high explosives to accomplish most of the work. Suppose also that at just the moment you are about to press the button and implode the structure a coworker runs in and says, “I think there might be someone left in the building!” So what do you do? Do you proceed, or do you wait until you find out if the building is occupied or not? I think most folks will agree that the only safe and ethical thing to do is to wait. The same logic applies to the objection presented above. Allowing for abortion because we cannot tell when life begins is also allowing that we might be killing someone by it. By our own admission, we simply do not know.
Second objection: “A woman is free to do what she wants with her own body.” At first, this seems like a very reasonable objection, but on reflection, it is clear that even society does not allow that a person is free to do anything they like with ‘their own body.’ For instance, sanctions against suicide are commonplace in most cultures. However, in light of the rebuttal of objection one (above) it should be clear that, at least in theory (if not in fact), we are talking about the bodies of two persons. While it may be argued that mom can do what she likes with her body, no one that I know of would allow that she can do what she likes with someone else’s.
We are all very concerned about our personal freedoms. Yet how can we decry the violation or removal of our own personal freedoms if we are not willing to extend to the most helpless that which we want for ourselves? In good conscience, we simply cannot.
Rogers Meredith
Meeker
To serve and protect?
Dear Editor:
This is the motto of countless law enforcement agencies across this great land of ours. How do these people serve and protect us? Well, by enforcing the laws that our elected officials have placed into being, is one way. Another way is to drive around “keeping the peace.” In my opinion that means to watch over people, their places and their things, and to stop crimes that are being committed against us. For most of us “law-abiding citizens” that brings a certain amount of peace and security.
Fire marshals and fire inspectors not only look at fires’ aftermath, but also go to buildings housing multiple families, hospitals, retirement homes, hotels, motels, etc., to see if the structures are meeting the fire codes that have been established by professional fire fighting people along with engineers who are trained in this area. These people are enforcing fire prevention laws that if followed can save countless lives, and millions of dollars of damages.
Only those people who really don’t care about anyone other than themselves, short-sighted, greedy, selfish, heartless people, are those who rise up in anger against professionals who are just doing their jobs in serving and protecting us. These people only care about cost, time and the “all American ideal” of NOBODY TELLS ME WHAT TO DO!
Well, folks, we need to get over this idea, because there are people trained in areas that most of us aren’t trained in that need to TELL US WHAT TO DO so that what we are doing won’t be a danger to us or anyone else.
Now, the point. The Rio Blanco County Building Department is one of those agencies that is charged with serving and protecting us, from ourselves and from others. The building codes are for our protection. Building inspectors look at what we want to do and from this rule book, which all of America has to go by, allow us to do what we want or have us make changes to protect us from ourselves. This is not rocket science! The building code is not just for us, but for those who come after us, who buy our houses, buildings, etc. if we sell or if we die, who might live in them after we are gone.
These officials, when approached in a calm manner, bend over backwards to try to help us do what we want. The building officials look at things that could fall on us if not done properly, like roofs, drywall on ceilings, walls not fastened, things that we might trip on and fall, like steps that are too high and too low, handrails that aren’t the right height, things that buildings sit on i.e., foundations, etc, that might move causing lots of damage and monetary loss among other things. They look at plumbing and heating to see if all the connections are made properly and with the proper material so that the chance of failure is less, thereby saving us money from water damage or gas leaks that could cause explosions that could take lives, or carbon monoxide leaks that lead to loss of life. They look at building systems and how they go together and look to see if we are following the manufacturer’s directions. They also look at engineered drawings to see if the drawings meet the established codes for Rio Blanco County. Another job that they have is to make sure that the interests of Rio Blanco County are protected from being run over by people who are used to getting their own way.
I have nearly 35 years in the drywall business. When I was in Denver, the inspectors that inspected the drywall nailing patterns followed the rule book, set down by the drywall manufacturers and incorporated in the building code. The inspector’s job was to inspect to see if the job was done properly and if it was, then sign off and if it wasn’t, fail me until corrections had been made. This was their job! If I chose to get mad at them for doing their job, then who was the fool?
To those who want to change the regulations, consider why you want to change them. Is it for the good of all the people or is it just so you don’t have to do what you are supposed to do or what is best for you. More than one time the chief building official, Jeff Kummer, has expressed to me that if I wanted to have the code changed and Rio Blanco County changed the code, he would be more than happy to enforce the change.
It’s funny, but all the years that I have lived in Meeker, people have complained more to me about the Rio Blanco County building inspectors, who are doing their job of serving and protecting, than the Sheriff’s Department, Meeker Police Department and the State Patrol combined. Just something to ponder.
One last thing, if we do away with the building department, will banks loan us money on our construction projects when there is no certificate of occupancy? Will insurance companies insure our homes and businesses without a certificate of occupancy? And guess who issues the certificates of occupancy?
Jack Ball
Meeker
Crab Crack success
Dear Editor:
would like to take this opportunity to thank all who participated and helped out to make this year’s 2012 Crab Crack a huge success. We had 300-plus people attend this year’s event and 600 pounds of crab was consumed.
The following people and groups need a big thank you!
CNCC President Russell George, CNCC maintenance staff for setup and take down of tables and chairs, CNCC’s Denise Wade, for making the tickets and fliers and table tents, SODEXO Services, James, Robert and the entire cooking staff for cooking a wonderful meal, setup of the dinner tables and take down, CNCC Aero Club for serving the crab, waiting tables and clean-up, Silver Sage for donating a door prize, First National Bank of the Rockies for donating a door prize, True Value Hardware for donating a a door prize, Western Rio Blanco Recreation and Park District for donating a door prize
The following individuals assisted with setup, ticket sales and alcohol sales: Peggy Rector, Ryan and Camilla Kennedy, Jason and Natalie Kurrasch, Bethany Green, Kirstin Cushman, Brooke Loshe, Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce director, ticket sales.
The following individuals were also recognized for their community service by the Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce:
Business of the year, True Value Hardware, Roger and Deb Polley; industry of the year, Alliance Energy, Sam Tolley; community service award, Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the employees and the board of directors of the Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District for all of their hard work and support in making Rangely, Colo., a great place to live and work!
Sincerely,
Timothy J. Webber
WRBM executive director
Rangely
Thanks Meeker PO
Dear Editor:
The Meeker Preschool would like to say thank you to the Meeker Post Office for our Valentine’s Day treat and your hospitality. We appreciate it.
The Meeker Preschool staff
