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Swenson, Fraser re-elected to West Park Hospital board

By Anthony McConnell


This document was published online on Thursday, November 06, 2008

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Incumbents Alan Swenson and Melissa Fraser have been re-elected to the West Park Hospital board.

Swenson edged challenger Dr. Adair Bowlby, M.D., 3,450 to 3,208, for his second four-year term in Cody District No. 2.

“I feel humbled,” Swenson said Wednesday morning. “I want to congratulate Dr. Bowlby on a well-run campaign and a close race.”

Fraser earned her second term, defeating Ronald Spomer, 3,796 to 3,247, for the four-year at-large seat. (Linda Seaton also was re-elected to the four-year Meeteetse District No. 1 seat. She was unopposed.)

“I had to stay up last night till the end just to make sure I wasn't imagining it,” Fraser said. “I'm excited to be back on the board.”

Fraser and Swenson said they were sad that Charles Moore would be leaving the board, but added the high rate of retention on the board was a sign the community believes they are doing a good job.

“For the most part, it appears the general public thinks that we're doing a good job,” Fraser said. “Otherwise Dr. Christopher Lowther's (negative) advertisements would have been more effective.”

“What I'm really thankful for is that we'll have some continuity on the board,” Swenson said. “In the last year, we've lost three people from the board for various reasons, and it will be nice to have that consistency again.

“We have a board with the best interests of the hospital and patients at heart,” he added. “I'll be at my post taking care of business, thinking about the situations and trying to make the best decisions for the community.”

The hospital is currently in the first stages of its strategic plan, which includes construction of the Cathcart Health Center and the construction of a new emergency room.

“The strategic plan was set into motion by regulation,” Swenson said. “And given the current financial environment, we need to move carefully as we grow and plan to meet the needs of the community for the next 25 years.”

“I'm looking forward to the continuation of our strategic plan,” Fraser said. “We'll be expanding the ER so it better serves the needs of the community. (Once complete) it's going to make the hospital's services more accessible.”

Another “high priority” project the board is planning is the expansion of the hospital's Seedling Center day care.

“We have nine nurses months away form having babies,” Fraser said. “If they don't have a place for infant care when they are ready to return to work, they may not come back.”
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Reader Comments

MR wrote on Nov 10, 2008 3:59 PM:

" RM and JD are obviously upset that the results of the election did not go in their favor. Doug McMillan wrote a nice article addressing the many mistruths about the radio ads of Dr Lowther which was wonderful and many including myself thought what Mr McMillan did was necessary and very well done. He addressed in his article that he was not going to get involved in election issues. Not once did he address whom to vote for. How obsurd that the CEO could cherry pick trustees as this is a board responsibility. Cherry Picked and Nasty sounds like a physician trying to run for the board. Get over it. We have a great hospital excellent leadership, and a good board. We are very fortunate to have an excellent board vs Dr Lowther whom ran for the board "reluctantly". "

AD wrote on Nov 7, 2008 4:12 PM:

" It not realy Doug McMillian fault that the financial officer is not reporting back to him what is really going on in the hospital. It is Pat McConnell fault, all he sees is dollar signs. He is bringing in traveling employees (consultants) who operate differntly, there is no consistancy in the finanical end of the hospital. He does this for a quik fix. "

RM wrote on Nov 7, 2008 12:25 PM:

" I agree totally with JD ... from more than one personal experience with the hospital. And, I've dealt with other hospitals and KNOW how it should be - West Park does not come close to what they could & should. And, I too was totally frustrated that a hospital administrator could use hospital funds to advertise for a board that HE wanted - shouldn't he be required to stay neutral? (Not to mention how incredibly nasty he got during the election!) The board that was elected were all "cherry picked" by McMillan. He selected who he wanted on the board for appointed positions whenever there were openings. And, regardless of what his campaign suggested, there are plenty of doctors & nurses who are fed up as well! So, unfortunately, the people of Cody will ultimately be the ones to suffer. "

JD wrote on Nov 6, 2008 1:33 PM:

" It's to bad that the people of Cody were to lazy to check out for themselves who to vote for. We have Doug McMillen using hospital (also county) money to run a ad defending the current hospital Trustees. Folks this is why it costs so much to walk in the door of the hospital. It was 100% true that if you can't afford a needed service you will have to get a loan from Wells Fargo Bank. We are at the mercy of the hospital, they never tell you what a service will cost, you will just get a bill anywhere from 1 month to 2 years later. They will not break down the bill for you, it will be one lump sum. NO COMPETITION so they can charge what they want. Instead of trying to keep prices low they build on and on and on, costing millions. This is what you get for keeping the same old trustees in place (alot more of the same) higher prices. "

 

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