Schedule for Upcoming Meetings, Service Projects, and Special Events,
Date
What’s Happening,
Sat., May 17, 2025
Epic Day of Service
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Luke Koenig - New Mexico Wild
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Iris Nolasco – The Commons Update
Tuesday, May 13, 2025:
President Art Thorn presided. Linda Telaak led the Pledge of Allegiance. Tom Bates gave the invocation. Rosie Hicks led the recitation of the Four-Way Test.
Guests: John Bush, Gayle Simmons, and Robert Whittaker our speaker
Happy Dollars: Art had one for the medical equipment industry because he stated he was wearing an ankle brace, a knee brace, and a sports wrap which allowed him to stand up. Maggie Callaway thanked everyone for coming to her graduation party.
Announcements:
Art reminded everyone that on Saturday May 17 we would be participating in Toss no Mas, meeting at 9 am in the foundation parking lot across from HMS on Pope. He asked for a show of hands from those planning to attend. Mark Richard, Rosie, Tom, Maggie, and Art said they would be there. Art said he had “Rotarian at Work” vests for them to wear.
Art said our next speaker is Luke Koenig of New Mexico Wild.
One of our guests, Gayle Simmons, invited everyone to a folk dance event in the museum courtyard on Sunday from 1-3 pm. She is one of the fiddle players with the Big Ditch Crickets.
Rosie said Fiesta Latina is asking for volunteers for the festival which is on the University campus. After several questions, Rosie said she would get more information for the Club.
Program:
Art introduced Robert Whittaker, CEO of Gila Regional Medical Center. He is working on getting more Town Hall meetings scheduled for Silver, Bayard, Tyrone, and. Cliff. He discussed Hospital finances. The bottom line being that the Hospital is doing well. Year-to-date , the Hospital cash flow is positive every month and there is a net surplus. Current year-to-date operating surplus is $3.2 million. It costs $256,000 per day to operate their health system. There are 500 employees. Net patient revenue for nine months is projected to be over $100 million, which is a real milestone for a rural, critical access hospital. The hospital currently has about $45 million in cash. The Hospital has $390,000 in long term debt for equipment leases.
He next discussed the need for more space. The question was whether or not to put money in a building that had been outgrown. An architectural firm was hired to look into this. They came
up with three options: to renovate and expand the current building, to build a brand new facility on the current campus, to build new somewhere else. The cost is about the same—$200
million. Because of the cost, Robert proposed to the Board that they, “fix what they gotta fix and build what they gotta build.”
After a question and answer period, Art adjourned the meeting.
Art introduced Robert Whittaker, CEO of Gila Regional Medical Center. He is working on getting more Town Hall meetings scheduled for Silver, Bayard, Tyrone, and. Cliff. He discussed Hospital finances. The bottom line being that the Hospital is doing well. Year-to-date , the Hospital cash flow is positive every month and there is a net surplus. Current year-to-date operating surplus is $3.2 million. It costs $256,000 per day to operate their health system. There are 500 employees. Net patient revenue for nine months is projected to be over $100 million, which is a real milestone for a rural, critical access hospital. The hospital currently has about $45 million in cash. The Hospital has $390,000 in long term debt for equipment leases.