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Show - SERVING MOAB AHD . SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SINCE 1 Moab, Grand County, Utah 84532 896 tut 3 fowsB -- tnii Volume 88 Number 12 Thursday, March 25, 1982 Moab doctor highly critical of local hospital operation try creased from $129,614 in 1977 to $163,000 in 1978 and 1979. Prior to the contract signing with AHS in March of 1980, the county had expended $90,598, indicating an annual cost of $273,794, had the county maintained management Of the hospital the full year. By way of comparison; the two other largest items in the county budget for 1980 were the sheriff s department, $260,129, and the road department, Management of Allen Memorial Hospital by Advanced Health Systems was sharply criticized by Moab physician Jay P. Munsey at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 23. Dr. Munsey began by reviewing the history of medical services in the county, saying that the first hospital in Moab was started in about 1920 as a private venture. In 1925, he continued. Grand County purchased the hospital and continued to provide services until signing a contract with AHS about two years V Q y $210,384. ago. During the 1970s, he said, the hospital was no longer and the county began supporting the institution with tax money. News stories in The in the late 1930s and early 1940s indicate that the hospital was running deficits at the time, although no mention was made of how the deficits were covered. Dr. Munsey stated that auditors of the hospital recommended that prices be raised, a proposal which he said was objected to by members of the hospital board and staff. The county began picking up an increasing share of the load. According to county records, expenditures for the hospital in Times-Independe- tT-- - - ..''tv Tie Goblins are ready for Spring. .H rxt-- :. : . . The unusual formations found in Goblin Valley State Preserve give the appearance of a geologic Disneyland." The park is located approximately 100 miles from Moab on Highway 24, north of Hanksville. See story, Page B-- B.L.M. accepting comments on waste facility The Moab District of the BLM recently released a draft environmental assessment (EA) on a request by the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct temporary exploratory activities in the Gibson Dome area of San Juan County, related to a proposed high-lev- el waste repository. The BLM will accept public comments on the draft EA through Monday, April 12, on the impacts of the proposed activity. If permission is granted by the BLM, said District Manager Gene Nodine, .the DOE would be required to meet nuclear Cleanup Day Saturday ::v duct..,. : New sewer loan . . . On March 11, 1982, the Natural Resources Community Impact board, which is staffed by the Utah Division of Community Development, awarded to the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer Improvement loan of $110,000 for the development of the District an interest-fre- e sewer collection system. The board allocates funds generated by mineral lease royalties instate of which 32.5 percent is deposited into the Community Impact Account. The primary purpose of the account is to assist local governments in the state which are adversely affected by rapid growth caused from energy resources development. For further information, contact Roger The DOE has proposed drilling and coring a principal borehole at Gibson Dome to the depth of about 3,000 feet. The borehole is planned for one of three alterative locations in Davis or Lavender Canyons. The DOE also proposes doing limited coring and hydrogeologic testing at eight other boreholes, with a maximum depth of 8,000 feet. Five boreholes are hydrogeologic proposed in the Lockhart Basin vicinity, along with one along Shay Graben, one in Indian Creek and one in Beef Basin. The department also plans to reopen the Champlin borehole in Cottonwood Canyon. Drilling Schedule Drilling at all sites would be on a per day basis. Drilling on the principal borehole is expected to require about 150 days, and is proposed to begin in May of this year. Drilling at the other borehole sites is expected to take from 60 to 75 days, beginning in August. Only one site would be drilled at a time, according to existing plans. It is estimated that a workforce of about 30 employees would be required at each site. According to the draft EA,. the drilling would require about 5,544 gallons of water per day, to be trucked to the sites. Construction of new access roads would be required at six of the nine proposed drill sites. The new roads would range in length from f mile to 2.9 miles. According to the EA, all sites and access roads would be filled, leveled to the natural slope and reseeded. The BLM estimates that restoration of natural vegetation within 10 to 25 years would return each site to conditions. In addition to the boreholes, the DOE proposes constructing nine test pits, three test trenches, 13 tiltmeter stations, and towers for atmospheric testing. The trenches and pits are to be used to investigate shallow geologic profiles for content and faulting. A backhoe would be used for construction. The trenches would range from 15 to 300 feet in length, three feet in width, and from Saturdayrace. .will. be held on Satur n The 7th annual Moab March 27. runners are expected to participate in the Up to 400 day, race along the Colorado River. A race will also be held at the same time. Both races will end at City Park in Moab. The events will get underway promptly at 10 race will begin about 10 miles up Highway 128, while a.m The the race will begin near Negro Bill Canyon. Transportation will be provided from the Visitor Center on North at Main, with the last bus leaving at 8 a.m. Participants can e the Visitor Center Friday evening. Awards will be presented to the finishers in each class, with ribbons awarded to second through fifth place finishers. All runners who complete the race will be given a The event is sponsored by the Moab Chamber of certificate and Commerce. Randy Spencer is chairman of the race committee. Mv-Maratho- 13-mil- e five-mil- e 13-mi- le five-mil- e 24-ho- pre-regist- first-plac- . . . The Moab Museum will hold an open house this Saturday, March 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. On display, will be a collection of lithographs produced by a railroad survey of the West in 1853, along with the museums permanent collection of railroad memorabilia. The lithographs were drawn on stone, printed one at a time, and later hand colored. The railroad exhibit includes a model of a train hauling cars of potash from the potash plant at Cane Creek; a model of a 19th Century Rio Grande passenger train; and a model of the current Rio Grande Zephyr passenger train. - , i' U.S. 533-301- Museum open house , by the DOE are part of a program leading to identification of sites for exploratory shafts and detailed site characterization studies. Current plans call for construction of exshafts at Hanford, ploratory Test Site, the Nevada Washington, and in a salt formation. In addition to Gibson Dome, studies are also underway in salt sites in southern 259-753- 1 Mini-Maratho- n .. The location studies proposed Saturday, March 27, has been designated by Mayor Tom Stocks as Cleanup Day in Moab. City crews will provide curbside pickup service. Dave White, committee chairman, stated that persons wishing pickup before Friday and of trash should contact the Visitor Center at leave their name, address and type of material to be picked up. If enough requests are received, the pickup service will be continued next Saturday, April 3. at , stipulations minimizing temporary impacts and rehabilitation, once the work is completed. Nodine stated, This temporary exploration would not commit the area to future phases of DOE studies or to a repository. At this point, we are addressing onlv the impacts of temporary exploration which the DOE proposes to con- ISElUtalilSnotliqlitl Lee I bank opening . . . Blanding of The Board Directors and staff of First Western National Bank are pleased to announce the Charter Opening of the Blanding branch ofhas been appoinfice. James Dan Johnson, assistant ted manager of the new branch operation. He is a native of San Juan County and has been with the bank since 1976. A graduate of Utah State University, he is presently enrolled in the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado University. Dan, his wife Kathy, and their two children will make their home in the Blanding area. Dan and his staff, Shirley Ensle, Leslie Montgomery, and Liz Knight, are eager to begin business in their new facility. He stated, I am looking forward to working with the people of Blanding. The new branch will offer customers total banking service with a convenient locatioa Everyone is invited to visit the new solar design facility at 1 1 1 East Center, Blanding, on Saturday, March 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m I. D. Nightingale, president and chairman of the board, extends a personal invitation to the community, Please come by Saturday and see our building, meet our staff,, join us in refreshments, and register for door prizes. one-hal- t, near-origin- 4 Cont. on Page A-6- ) nt Dr. Munsey stated that elected officials expressed concern over the situation, stating that the costs had increased to the point where the hospital might have to be closed. At the time, the Grand County Comthe discussed also mission the of downgrading possibility hospital to a clinic. Special District Dr. Munsey stated that at the time the agreement with AHS was reached, he and a group of citizens were attempting to formulate a plan for alternative funding, through creation of a special taxing district for the hospital. He added that the at hospital was being the time. Such a district, he said, would require a levy of from three to four mills. Based on projected costs in 1980, the levy would have been well-manag- that year in a special taxing district. One mill will raise 5.48 mills for $50,000 in tax money. Dr. Munsey stated that, as far as he was aware, taxpayers did not appear to be overly concerned with funding for the hospital at the time the agreement with AHS was signed. At the time the special taxing district was being discussed, he said, AHS appeared like a knight in shining armor, carrying a stick with a big, juicy carrot Dr. Munsey said that AHS immediately raised fees upon taking over management of the hospital He commented that the basic emergency room fee was raised from $10 to $30, the fee for an injection rose from $5 to $20, and I.V. fees were raised from less than $25 to $75. In an interview with The March 18, 1980, Bill of Morton, executive AHS, said he expected costs to increase from 30 to 35 percent with the management change. Failures Charged Dr. Munsey stated that AHS has failed to provide services promised prioir to the signing of the contract. He went on to state that the company said they would increase the average daily census to (Cont on Pave ) Times-Independe- nt vice-preside- A-4- Local residents rated hospital services in Dan Jones survey At a meeting of the Allen Memorial Hospital Board on Wednesday, March 17, representatives of Dan Jones and Associates, Inc., of Salt Lake City, presented a summary of a survey conducted on medical services in Grand County, which was outlined in last weeks Times-Independen- t. A total of 304 local residents were contacted in the telephone survey, which was conducted January 29 and 30 of this year. Dan Jones and Associates a developed questionnaire including 63 items, with the assistance of Bob of Allen administrator Memorial Hospital. The survey was commissioned by the Hospital Board. Laden-burge- r, According to the summary, about 25 percent of the Moab residents interviewed reported that they or a family member had been admitted to Allen Memorial during the preceding year. A large majority, 81 percent, had not received hospital care outside of Moab during the year. The main reasons given by people who were hospitalized out of the area were that needed services were not available in Moab, or that their physicians referred them to other hospitals. Concerning evaluation of the hospital technicians received the highest average score. The summary stated that residents in general had positive perceptions about the hospitals quality of care and competency of the business office. Overall management, the summary continued, was rated as moderately good, although not as high as most other items measured. The survey strongly suggested that area residents do not have con- crete opinions the regarding hospital, as less than half were able to offer suggestions to improve services. Of the total number of respondents, 35 percent had visited, or a ' family member had visited, the hospital emergency room during the year. Those making use of the emergency room indicated general satisfaction with the care they received, the summary stated. Cost Concerns The summary said that costs appear to be one of the greatest concerns of citizens regarding the hospitaL Forty-thre- e percent of the felt that local hospital participants costs were higher than in other facilities m the surrounding area. Of the remaining (otal 35 percent felt that costs were about the same. while onlyT percent said costs were stated that those in the youngest lower. bracket were age When asked for their opinions more often, with 31 perhospitalized on what was the main reason for in- cent visiting Allen Memorial creasing health care costs in the times. Those earning from county, inflation was blamed by over were admitted less often, as a two to one margin (43 percent) over 83 responded none. Those percent other factors. Hospital management respondents earning $30,000 per was listed as a fairly high 21 perand over listed a high 31 percent of the respondents, the sum- year cent for visiting the hospital mary commented. times during the preceding year. While hospital costs were seen The highest figures showing no by residents as being high, a hospital stays outside of Moab were majority of survey participants, 66 derived from three groups, the percent, felt that physician fees were summary stated: those over age 65 about the same in Grand County as (88 percent), those living in the counin other areas. for two to five years (90 percent), ty According to Grand County and residents of from six to ten the summary stated, residents, years (89 percent). there is a rather urgent need for Concerning management of the additional pediatricians in their hospital the summary commented, county; 52 percent desired increased It is important to note that 34 perchild care specialists. cent of the Moab area populace inAbout 43 percent in each terviewed were unable to rate the category expressed the need for ad- management at Allen Memorial ditional obstetricians, gynecologists Hospital although those who were and physicians specializing in interthe about knowledgeable About nal medicine. adthe management perceived suggested more surgeons and ministration quite positively. A general practitioners. sizeable combined 35 percent of the Demographics adrated the respondents The survey summary also ministrations as performance high, reviewed significant demographic whereas a combined 10 of percent variances to each of the questions. It (Cont on Page ) (18-30-), 1-- 3 $15-$20,0- 1-- 3 one-thir- d A-5- Pair arrested, charged with armed robbery Two suspects are incarcared m the Grand County jail following an armed robbery in Thompson which occurred at 4:15 p.m. at the Thompson Phillips 66 station. Les Rogers, owner of the station, reported that a man and woman took $23 worth of gas from him at gunpoint. He notified the Grand County Sheriffs office, and several sheriff and Highway Patrol units were dispatched to the area. Roadblocks were set up in Green River and at the Colorado state line by Mesa County and Colorado State Patrol units. A roadblock was also set up in Moab at the Colorado River bridge. l'he units failed to make contact with the 1978 Buick LaSabre reported used in the robbery on the interstate, and a search was begun of dirt roads in the area. A short time later, the Buick was found abandoned on a dirt road about six miles south of Thompson, by Deputy Alan West. Tracks in the area indicated that the suspects had fled on foot An airplane was called in to - tne seareu. t about 10:30 p.m.. Deputy Steve Brownell reported that two people attempted to flag him down on near the Thompson Visitor Center. The pair matched the description of the robbery suspects and Brownell placed them under arrest. Both were juveniles, aged 16, from Tyler, Texas. At the time of the arrest the male reportedly was carrying a .22 caliber pistol reported stolen in Texas. The female was carrying a .22 caliber pistol reported stolen in a recent burglary in Delta, Colo. The Buick was reported stolen from Winnsboro, Texason March 17. Brownell who was in charge of the investigation, expressed appreciation to the Highway Patrol sheriffs posse and Moab Police Department for their assistance. All three groups helped man roadblocks in the area. The police department also provided composite drawings of the suspects. Brownell stated that deputies would search the area Wednesday, March 24, for any further evidence. to iiW 1 mr |