Letters: Bofinger clarifies PMC board resignation, Rector supports Moyer, Freedom

Bofinger clarifies PMC board resignation

Dear Editor:

I have had the privilege of serving on the board of directors, for Pioneers Medical Center. Pioneers is a unique part of our community in that it is one of the counties larger employers with an amazing and committed staff. The entire staff is committed to the health and care of our community! I am very proud and honored to have been a part of such an organization.

Regrettably, I have decided to resign my position on the board for a number of reasons. Since resigning, I have heard some remarkable rumors as to why I have resigned and felt I owed it to Pioneers and the community to clarify my reasons for resigning.

The first and foremost reason is trust. During a recent board meeting, a board member wrongfully violated another board member’s request for confidentiality regarding a senior staff member’s concern. That confidential information was shared with the hospital’s CEO, minutes after multiple board members voiced concerns regarding maintaining confidentiality during executive board sessions. These concerns have been brought up numerous times over the last few months. Other members of the board have not voiced concerns from staff due to the lack of trust throughout the board. The staff member requested autonomy due to fear of reprisal if the executive branch of the hospital were to find out. This board member violated this trust. When this action was pointed out by myself to all the board as being wrong, nothing happened. This board member did not apologize for breaking that trust nor did the board chair take any corrective actions or express concern. A third board member voiced that the board member’s behavior was appropriate and had no concerns with the violation of the confidentiality.

I am unable to participate in a group where I can not trust the people in the organization.

The second reason is that if I am unable to help improve an organization for whatever the reason, personality conflicts, or in the minority of how an organization should move forward, then I need to allow someone else to bring their voice to the table and help move the hospital forward.

Pioneers Medical Center is an amazing organization made up of mostly local people who do a superb job of taking care of our community. I don’t know that I have ever met a more compassionate and committed group of people. It is unfortunate we have lost a large number of our locals for a variety of reasons.

I strongly encourage anyone with the time to attend the board meetings. They are very informative and this is where you, the community, get to voice your desires for your hospital and its future.

Very respectfully,
Brian Bofinger
Meeker

Rector supports Moyer

Dear Editor:

The recall petition should have not have been approved nor validated, based on the fact that the reasons listed on the petition are based on false statements. Commissioner Moyer has a very strong conservative opinion, no doubt, and our board has had to make several very difficult budget decisions with more to come for 2022, but there has been no valid reason for a recall. I would encourage everyone to please get the facts and realize that we are making decisions as a board, one person alone can not be blamed. I’m happy to answer any questions any citizens have on this or any other county matter.

Thank you,
Jeff Rector
RBC Commissioner

Freedom

Dear Editor:

This year “freedom” is a battle cry. It is a battle cry today as much as it was in 1776. In the early days of our republic our leaders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the pursuit of freedom.

Our military service members, past and present, have long lived by the refrain, “Freedom is not free.” In between those words, is a long pause to give us understanding deeper than the belief that we can do anything we want. At some time, in some place, payment will be exacted. Further, it is the selfless act by some that gives the gift of freedom to us all both military and civilian.

When patriots tossed tea into Boston Harbor the shout, “No taxation without representation!” was not a rejection of taxes, it was a demand that those paying the tax have a voice in how much would be paid to whom and for what reasons. Hence a government of elected representatives who would give voice to the will of the people. This is the transformative concept that government is to serve the people who are governed. The historic position that the people serve the will of the elite who hold the power is turned upside down. Might for right is the seed of democracy. Might makes right is the club of the oppressor.

As a citizen of America, I hold the traditions of America’s West sacred. I believe in the Cowboy traditions of doing my share and more, helping my neighbors, standing up for what is right, speaking truth from the platform of our first amendment and defending the truth of our collective rights with the second amendment.

Louis L’Amour is one of my favorite story tellers chronicling the settling of the West. In his novels of the Sackett family building America, he speaks of the law of the gun. In his stories he clearly states that the mantra of might makes right is the opposite of civilization. In fact, it is anarchy breeding chaos where force serves the interests of the few in opposition to what is right. L’Amour is a champion of law enforced by good men who use might for the common good. From good men and women working cooperatively together comes order.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob attacked our nation’s capital. NBC News reported that a dozen guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found on seven people arrested before and after the capitol riot. NBC also reported a Colorado man drove to Washington with an assault-style Tavor X95 rifle, a Glock 9mm, and more than 2,500 rounds of ammunition along with 320 rounds of armor-piercing bullets. People were killed in this insurrectionist attack on our institutions. When asking the question of, “Why?” some said it was to keep Joe Biden from being certified as the next president and to keep Donald Trump in office.

There is potentially a much more sinister purpose in play. Some media outlets have claimed that extremist groups have planned this attack on our police forces and fire departments to create such chaos that they can, with impunity, kill anyone they don’t like, black, brown, white, politician or just anyone they disagree with.

During Spring Break 2021 on the CU Boulder Colorado Campus university students rioted. They attacked police. They damaged police cars and fire trucks. They said it was their right.

Are you kidding me?

Is this what Jan. 6, 2021 taught them?

What happened to Louis L’Amour’s ordered society?

Can you honestly tell me that you believe that beating, shooting and killing anyone who disagrees with you is good for sustaining our democracy? Do you believe that the rule of anarchy through chaos is better than the rule of law and order? Are your arguments so weak your only recourse is violence?

Freedom is not free. There is a price to be paid for the opportunity to make the choices that are best for us individually and collectively. We can not think that what is good for the individual is where we stop thinking. We must think deeper than skin color. We must think deeper than my way or the highway. We must value our collective consciousness for what diversity brings us. It is not what others take away from us but rather what we gain together by sharing. Stop counting your votes and reach across the aisle. The price of democracy is shared decision making.

Our battle cry is freedom because our lives depend on it. Our battle cry is freedom because our prosperity depends on it. Our battle cry is freedom because our honor demands it. This is our truth.

J.B. Sullivan
Meeker