First things first

The Crook County Medical Services District Board of Trustees is gearing up to revitalize the Hulett Clinic, potentially in a new building with additional space to allow a more diverse offering of services. In the meantime, the board discussed the role of the Crook County Memorial Hospital Foundation in fundraising for the project.

“I want to make sure it’s a clear goal that we have and that [the foundation] understands it and the community understands it,” said Trustee Joey Kanode, referring to the fact that the project is still in its early planning stages.

The board must consider, for example, what features would be important for a modernized clinic in Hulett. On Thursday, the idea of a walk-in clinic like the one available at the hospital was posited.

“It used to be very busy,” said Trustee Connie Lindmier of the walk-in clinic that used to be available.

Other potential services could include a neuro program or memory care program, trustees noted, and the size of the clinic is also part of the discussion. The current building, while structurally sound and still serviceable, has no room for growth and is limiting what the district can offer the Hulett community.

Trustees commented that the new clinic will potentially need more rooms if it is to provide such services as physical therapy. Careful thought is necessary to ensure it meets the needs of the community, the board agreed.

A planning session is scheduled for March 9 for the board to consider its long term plans and the clinic will certainly be an important part of that discussion. But in the meantime, questioned Trustee Mark Erickson, what could or should the foundation tell supporters in the community?

“How are they presenting their fundraising when we don’t have a plan to go forward?” asked Erickson, adding that, “I think it’s great that they are fundraising and I don’t want to step on toes.”

CEO Nathan Hough agreed that this is a valid concern and asked for advice from the board’s attorney, Kyle Ridgeway.

“If we have a hospital fundraising foundation, how important is it that we are on the same page as a board here as to what that fundraising foundation is telling the communities? Does that direction need to come from us?” Hough asked.

Hough stated that he believes it’s important that the board supports what the foundation is asking for. Ridgeway agreed that it’s “vitally important” as people like to see what their money is going to and they like to see it used in a timely manner.

“The only way these models work is if the hospital board and the foundation are on the same page because you have certain priorities as a board and then the foundation is going out into the community to seek money and ideally they would be seeking money for things that this particular board has on its priority list,” said Ridgeway.

“If they’re raising money for something that’s not in the board’s plan or priority, you lose credibility in the community with the folks you’re asking for checks from.”

Erickson noted that the timeline of the project is also uncertain and expressed concern that supporters may come to mistakenly believe that it can be completed in a span of months, rather than years.

“One of the concerns that I have is that I think it’s great that there’s fundraising going on for a new clinic to set aside for it, but we haven’t come up with a plan and there’s a whole process for permitting that we have to do, so realistically we’re looking at three to four years,” said Erickson.

“I just want to make sure that we’re not getting dates out there that we’re going to build a clinic next year when we’re not.”

Asked what the foundation is currently doing, Trustee Connie Lindmier shared that, “Judy Hutchinson is working on the details of that and they are scheduling some things this spring and summer to do some fundraising and contact people, so it is ongoing.”

At present, said both Lindmier and Trustee Sandy Neiman, no actual fundraising is taking place. Lindmier explained that the foundation is currently “getting their ducks in a row” and preparing its plans and will likely provide an update at the next board meeting.

“In actuality, I don’t think they are doing anything. I think what they are doing is trying to find out where the money was,” said Sandy Neiman, explaining that the foundation has hired a CPA to clear up its accounts. “They are trying to find out how much money they actually, truly have so that they can tell us and then we all move forward together.”

The board agreed that the foundation should have a clear plan in hand so that when they fundraise in the community, people are hearing the correct information and have the option to donate for specific items on the list.