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It was a busy night at City Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 28 as the Borough Assembly met in three sessions to hold a public hearing, certify the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors special election results, and to meet in regular session on a number of items. The public hearing, which began the evening, was to hold a second reading of a proposed ordinance that would clarify oversight of the WMC board and their powers in operating the hospital. One proposed change would restrict the board to a...
Members of the Wrangell Fire Department assisted in a disaster drill held by the Wrangell Medical Center on Monday, Aug. 27 at Petroglyph Beach. From left: Carl Johnson, Mike Lane, Bernie Massin and Dee Dee Blatchley carry a volunteer participant off the beach....
The Wrangell Borough Assembly met in special session on Friday, Aug. 17 to introduce the first reading of a proposed ordinance that could dramatically shift the balance of power in the administration of the Wrangell Medical Center. The assembly voted 5-0 in favor of the reading, with assemblyman David Jack absent. Among the proposed changes the ordinance puts forth include new language, which would change the way the WMC Board of Directors manage the hospital and long-term care facility. In Section 3.32.020, a change is proposed to restrict...
Former Wrangell Medical Center administrator Noel Rea has filed an answer in the lawsuit filed against him and six members of the recalled WMC Board of Directors – and made a counterclaim of his own in the matter. In the filing, Rea’s attorney, David Shoup of Anchorage, denies that Rea had any advance knowledge of the board’s action in firing him on June 20 and denies that a Release of Claims and Covenant Not to Sue were attached to his most recent employment contract. The borough’s claim for a declaratory judgment, voiding a second amendme...
Over 70 golfers and friends turned out Saturday morning to participate in the Wrangell Medical Center Foundation’s Rally for Cancer Care. Thirty-four golfers made the trip from Petersburg to join the festivities. “It’s the second largest group we’ve ever brought to this event,” noted Desi Burrell, the Petersburg connection who has taken on the task of gathering attendees from the ranks of Petersburg golfers. The tournament is a ‘fun and frolic’ format, no scores are kept and each hole has a di...
A motion filed Aug. 7 by attorneys for Wrangell Medical Center is seeking to give physician Greg Salard a choice – continue an appeal in court of his denial of privileging by the former Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors, or seek reinstatement through a new board that will be seated on Aug. 28. In a memorandum attached to a motion to deny Salard and his attorney, Lee Holen of Anchorage, an extension of time to file a reply brief in the case, WMC attorney Steven Rose said Salard’s request was not valid. “A renewed application for privile...
The attorney for six of the recalled Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors has given a response to a lawsuit filed against them and former CEO Noel Rea by the City and Borough of Wrangell. The answer was filed in First District Court on Aug. 10. The borough, through their attorney, Bob Blasco, filed suit on July 11 seeking to have an amendment to the employment contract of Rea voided, and to order that he return a six-figure severance check paid to him after his termination by the board on June 20. That severance check, in the amount of $5...
Janell Privett - 2015 What is your previous experience on boards or other relevant experience that would qualify you as a member of the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors? I spent most of my adult life volunteering in our community and all of my experiences are from the various boards and commissions I have served on. I served three terms on the Wrangell School Board for a total of nine years, seven of those as the chair. I was given the opportunity to attend yearly training in Roberts...
The defendant in a slander lawsuit in Wrangell’s First District Court has replied to an amended complaint from the attorney of Dr. Greg Salard – and asked the court to dismiss the case. Lisa Gillen, a long-time Wrangell resident whom Salard is suing, filed an answer on Aug. 2 to allegations that she defamed the physician on Facebook in late June. The alleged slander occurred, according to a filing by Salard attorney Michael Nash, when Gillen engaged in an online chat with a fellow Wrangellite, Jasmine Clyburn. In the alleged chat session, which...
Billie Younce - 2013 What is your previous experience on boards or other relevant experience that would qualify you as a member of the Wrangell Medical Board of Directors? From 2004 through 2006 I served on the Wrangell Wellness Board. We helped with the elderly in seeking Assisted Living and collaborated with the Bjorge House in doing so, helped our Diverse Youth in obtaining their G.E.D. as well as sought programs for the families of this community such as but not limited to the Families...
Attorneys for the Borough and former members of the Wrangell Medical Center board were busy last week, with filings coming from both sides of the bar in a lawsuit that seeks the return of former administrator Noel Rea’s six-figure severance package. In a stipulation filed July 30 by Anchorage attorney Jon Dawson, who is counsel for Mark Robinson, Sylvia Ettefagh, Linda Bjorge, Lurine McGee, Jim Nelson and LeAnn Rinehart, he asked that the time for the six former members to respond to the borough lawsuit be extended until Aug. 10. Ketchikan S...
After more than a year of site development and construction, a new clinic facility for Alaska Island Community Services is set to open in mid-September. The new clinic, located on Wood Street, will practically double the number of examination rooms and nursing stations available to clients. It cost nearly $4 million to build, which included development of the previously muskeg-filled property where it now sits. “That $4 million included site development, which was pretty extensive,” said AIC...
Frances (Fran) Bolstad, 63, died July 26, 2012 in Seattle, Wash. Fran was born August 31, 1948 to Ruby Hannaford (Taylor) and Frank Ramirez in San Francisco, Calif. She spent her early years with her parents who sharecropped strawberry fields while she toddled around in her orthopedic shoes wading through the irrigation ditches. She reaped the benefits of having a praying Christian paternal grandmother and great grandmothers on both sides. After her parents divorced she and her mom spent...
A bevy of capital improvement projects are underway in Wrangell, with the city dock undergoing rehabilitation, the Marine Service Center seeing a lot of pavement work, and underground electrical work on the Front Street redesign in full swing. In a July 24 supplemental report to the Borough Assembly, Borough Manager Tim Rooney brought the group up to date on those projects and others underway on the island. According to Rooney, while working on the city dock, crews found a number of improperly installed piling. “Several piles were discovered t...
Brad Williams - 2014 What is your previous experience on boards or other relevant experience that would qualify you as a member of the Wrangell Medical Board of Directors? I was Chairman of the Board for the Mountain Book School District for 3 years. I was Chairman of the Board for the Montana Advisory Counsel for 1.5 years. I also have 35+ years dealing with various boards on a wide range of issues. I have very strong moral values to include a sense of right and wrong. I believe in and try to...
A lawsuit filed in Wrangell’s First District Court by Dr. Greg Salard and his wife, Laura Salard, is seeking monetary damages and attorney fees in a defamation case against a longtime Wrangell resident. The case, which was initially filed on July 13, alleges that Lisa Gillen made statements in an online chat session about the physician, his family, and his ability to practice medicine. The filing also seeks damages exceeding $50,000, the Salard’s attorney fees, and any other relief the court may see fit to award. Attorney Michael Nash, who is r...
A proposed resolution to support the development of new hatcheries in Wrangell and Petersburg – and the resignation of a member of the assembly were the main topics of discussion at the July 24 regular meeting of the Borough Assembly. Mike Symons, who has held Seat F on the assembly since 2010, formally tendered his resignation from the assembly after being tapped as the new General Manager and News Director at KSTK FM. Symons said his resignation was spurred on by the nature of his position as the head of the news department at the station. “I...
Using what is called a “peremptory challenge,” attorneys for the City and Borough of Wrangell asked for and received an order changing judges in the borough’s lawsuit against former Wrangell Medical Center CEO Noel Rea and six recalled members of the WMB Board of Directors. The order, which was filed July 18, removes First District Court Judge Kevin Miller and replaces him with Ketchikan Superior Court Judge William B. Carey. Peremptory challenges are usually used in courtroom proceedings to rem...
The City and Borough of Wrangell filed suit in First District Court on July 11 seeking to have an amendment to the employment contract of former Wrangell Medical Center CEO Noel Rea voided, and to order that Rea return a six-figure severance check paid to him after his termination by the board on June 20. According to court documents, that severance check, in the amount of $520,788.58, was paid to Rea via a wire transfer on June 21 – one day after the board voted 6-1 to fire him without cause. The suit, which names Rea, along with recalled b...
While the Wrangell Medical Center is currently in a transitional phase, having lost 8 of the 9 members of the WMC Board of Directors, and with the dismissal of former CEO Noel Rea, the day-to-day operation of the hospital is running at full-speed-ahead under interim CEO Olinda White. White, who took over as CEO after the June 20 firing of Rea, said maintaining excellent patient care, and working on staffing and training issues are at the forefront of her mind. “We’re really busy right now trying to center everything we do on patient care, qua...
With the loss of 8 members of the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors, the question of how those seats will be filled came to the forefront during the Borough Assembly’s June 26 meeting. The assembly, in conjunction with borough attorney Bob Blasco answered that question after an executive session. Blasco informed the assembly that the only method to fill those seats, under Alaska law, was to hold a special election on Aug. 21 – and that those elected to fill the vacancies would hold their seats for the remainder the respective sea...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly met in special session on Monday, June 25 to certify the June 19 special recall election of eight members of the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors. Before the election could be certified, however, the canvassing board of Mayor Jeremy Maxand and assembly members Bill Privett and Pam McCloskey reviewed 183 absentee and 25 questioned ballots. A total of 851 ballots were used in the election, with 627 of those ballots being cast locally. A total of 835 ballots...
In what was their final meeting as an elected quorum, the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors terminated the contract of WMC CEO Noel Rea on Wednesday, June 20. The dismissal came in a 6-1 vote, with board member Dorothy Hunt-Sweat voting against the termination, and members Jake Harris and Delores Norman not present. Eight members of the board; Mark Robinson, Jake Harris, Linda Bjorge, Lurine McGee, Delores Norman, Jim Nelson, Sylvia Ettefagh and Leann Rinehart were recalled by a large...
Uncertified Results Jake Harris – Recalled, 330-295 Mark Robinson – Recalled, 399-226 Linda Bjorge – Recalled, 414-210 Lurine McGee – Recalled, 389-234 Delores Norman – Recalled, 376-247 Jim Nelson – Recalled, 382-243 Sylvia Ettefagh – Recalled, 381-241 Leanne Rinehart – Recalled, 393-229 A number of absentee votes are still outstanding and the borough’s canvassing board will review ballots on June 21, with the Borough Assembly certifying the final tally during their June 25 special meeting....
Modern mammography, or the ability to detect cancerous growths in the breast has existed in medical science since 1969, when inventor Albert Salomon developed a dedicated X-ray unit for the procedure. Before that time, simple X-ray machines were used to seek out malignant tumors in the breast. With the passage of time, however, technology has taken the science – and art – of detecting those tumors to new heights. Wrangell Medical Center can now add their name to the list of hospitals across the...
