— from Velma Doty —
There have been many endorsements on why we need to vote for a hospital district.
All the reasons are true.
If the vote for the Hospital District fails, we will be asking ourselves how could we have done this to ourselves and what do we do now. It will take awhile before the ramifications are critical. We could still work and have fundraisers. We could still solicit people for money, and beg and chug along somehow for a spell. But most of us are tired of this method of plodding along. Any success we might have with this old style approach is not going to be the best solution — even for a short time, let alone for the long term.
I say let’s do it right this time and in a way where all Islanders contribute so we can have a sustainable medical facility and doctors. It is time we all stepped up to the plate for the benefit of our island and stopped expecting someone else to take care of the situation.
Thank you to the Coalition for getting us this far. Thank you to all who have filed and are willing to do the hard work of being a commissioner if elected.
For a terrific slate of commissioners, please vote for Dr. Diane Boteler and Art Lange. They are the best of best to complement Richard Fralick, Patty Miller, and Pegi Groundwater. A horrific task of putting all the pieces together awaits them. If anyone can do it, this combo can.
With your vote in support of the taxing district and having Diane and Art part of the team we will have a much brighter future for medical care on Orcas.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
Listen to Velma, the voice of reason and experience.
And my two cents:
We hear it often, don’t let perfect become the enemy of good. I think we can all agree: there is no ideal solution to the challenge of medical care on Orcas Island. We’re too small, we’re too rural, we’re too isolated, we’re too this, that or the other. But there is a strong, solid answer to the long-standing instability and unpredictability of such a critical service here in our community: the creation of a Public Hospital District.
Please join me in voting Yes on the PHD initiative in the April 10 election. And while you’re there, vote for two of the strongest candidates you’ll ever find on a single ballot, in the contested races: Diane Boteler and Art Lange. Each is thoughtful, informed, analytical, and passionately committed to the people of Orcas Island. They’ll do right by us, and for us.