Position appointment finalized May 24Three local residents have submitted letters of interest in a seat on the Powell Hospital District board that has been vacant since the death of Kay Carlson last month.Carlson was elected first in 2004 and was serving her second term on the board, according to Rod Barton, chief executive officer for Powell Valley Healthcare.

“She was excellent,” Barton said. “She was very involved; she was engaged; she participated; she had an interest.”

She served as board treasurer and had done that for quite a while, he said.

The three people who hope to fill the vacant seat are Gerald “Bear” May, David Northrup and Larry Parker, all of whom previously applied for Ken Rochlitz's seat after he resigned from the board in December.

Jim Beukelman of Powell was appointed to that seat in January.

Despite having interviewed the three remaining candidates before, the board on Monday decided to interview them again. Interviews will be scheduled for the first or second week of May.

The board will appoint a new board member during its next regular meeting, which will take place at 5 p.m. on May 24.

Following are highlights from letters of interest sent to the board:

• May said he has lived all his life in Powell and has served as a volunteer fireman for nearly 11 years.

“Helping people and serving the community is important to me,” he said. “I am an honest, practical person that would take the position on the board seriously with plans to do the best possible job working with the other members and working for our community,” he wrote. “I feel I would be a great asset and addition to this group.”

May said during a telephone interview that his family's experiences with Powell Valley Hospital have been good.

“My wife, my father, everybody in the family goes to the hospital here, and I want to be a part of it.

“Being younger, I want to be part of the community. I'm willing to do anything to help out, in any way, shape or form... I'm kind of coming into it with both hands open, I'm willing to do what I can do and be what I can be. I'm honest and willing to work. People say I'm a straight shooter.”

• Northrup wrote, “Powell Valley Healthcare is important to the community and to my family. I'm interested in increasing my knowledge about the health care system, especially in this time of change.”

Northrup said he has been active in public service, and has served on the Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees since July 1999.

He would continue to serve on the school board if he were appointed to the Powell Hospital Board, he said.

In addition, he has served on the Willwood Irrigation District Board of Trustees since 2003 and on the Northwest College Agriculture Advisory Board for approximately 10 years, he said.

“As a lifelong community member, business owner, and having worked on boards, I have knowledge of how they should function. I have no axe to grind and no agenda. I would like to learn, help and contribute to the community.

“I think it's just an exciting time to be in the health care industry,” he said in a telephone interview. “I would really like to learn more about the healthcare industry and thought this would be a good chance.”

• Parker cited years of experience as the owner of several businesses, including 12 years of experience as a contractor and owner of Larry D. Parker Construction of Powell. He also cited his education and his desire to help guide Powell Valley Healthcare through changes that are sure to come in the future.

“I have been closely following the pending health care legislation being considered by our federal government,” Parker wrote.

“No matter what the outcome, the impact on our local health-care providers could be dramatic, especially considering the proposed 21 percent decrease in Medicare payments to practitioners. The impact of an additional 30-40 million people to the insured base nationwide presents unique problems to our country's health education system as well as health care providers nationwide.

“I believe in neighbors helping neighbors, and have supported this philosophy through my volunteerism wherever I have lived,” he said. That includes providing volunteer service to Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, the Lions Club vision program, the Junior Achievement Program and other organized events.

“My belief in volunteering extends to non-structured environments as well, as demonstrated by my willingness to help and support individuals in need,” he added.