The Montrose Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held a special meeting June 10 at the Nucla Community Center. The majority of the meeting was focused on the Basin Clinic’s critical access hospital (CAH) service plan.
Basin Clinic’s Executive Director, Christina Pierce, presented the plan to the BOCC. Pierce offered key information from the service plan, which is available to the public on the Basin Clinic’s website. She stressed that approval of the service plan by the BOCC is not an immediate approval of debt, but rather an approval to allow voters to make the decision for themselves this November.
Montrose County Commissioner Sue Hansen acknowledged that approval of the plan from the BOCC is not an immediate approval of debt, but wanted to hear from the public.
“This is a very heavy lift for the people sitting in front of you now … I’m interested in what the public has to say, because they’re the ones bearing the brunt of this,” said Hansen.
Many locals shared their thoughts on the proposal.
John Bockrath serves as Chief of Norwood Fire Protection District, which covers a large portion of Montrose County. He acknowledged a “dire need” for health care in the area, but shared his concerns about whether or not the area’s infrastructure could support a hospital. He spoke of the Low Energy and Carbon Code (LECC), which he said will go into effect statewide June 30. Bockrath explained that due to the LECC, the proposed hospital will be required to have expensive solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.
Chuck Porth, CEO of Norwood’s Uncompahgre Medical Center (UMC), is opposed to the proposal. He thinks the service plan misrepresents what Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are able to do, adding that some of the services UMC doesn’t provide, other FQHCs do. Porth also feels it's a shame that the two clinics couldn’t collaborate on a plan for the hospital. He wants the West End and San Miguel County to have the opportunity to do so.
“Maybe reach out to San Miguel County … look at the whole area, and come up with a plan that wasn't developed by one organization,” said Porth.
Deb Stueber supports the proposal, and said she feels locals have to seek permission from the county too often.
“I feel like we’re thwarted, that our initiatives die. People want to live here if they have medical care. I’ve been here 23 years. I want to stay here. I want to age in my own home. I think this is an opportunity for that to happen,” said Stueber.
Carla Reams is a former member of the Basin Clinic board of directors. Of her time on the board, she remembered how busy the Basin Clinic was with after-hours care, which Reams said led to expenses that caused hospitals that previously worked with the clinic to pull away. Through her current work with Skilfull-West End, Reams knows local high schoolers who have earned their nursing assistant licensure. She wondered about the opportunities a CAH could bring to local students.
Aimee Tooker voiced her support, but raised concerns about the potential tax increase. “I fully support the clinic. What I am concerned about is the mill levy amount. I think we need to think about the people in our community who are on a fixed or low income,” said Tooker.
James Pierce is in favor of the CAH, which would have multiple beds for long-term care. He’s a local who lives “in the same house (they) moved into in 1958.” When his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he spent three years taking her to treatments outside of the community. He recalled long rides in the ambulance with her, and spoke of friends who had to spend their final days in places other than their home.
The BOCC went into an executive session to further discuss the service plan. If they approve the service plan, petitions will circulate to get the proposal on the ballot this November.
