My comments do not relate nor do they include, at any time to Public Health.
The following comments submitted for the record:
My testimony concerns: ORS 198.920 Subsection (1&3) (c),
Ballot Measure 5-209


I come before you today on the matter regarding ballot measure 5-209 stopping the hospital tax. The voters unequivocally made their wishes known on Election Day by passing 5-209 by a 3-1 margin; the margin was 73% yes to 26% no. It should be apparent to you the county commissioners that the people are tired of the hospital board wasting their tax dollars for the last 6 years for a Critical Access Hospital that cannot be built. The people approved the ballot measure in 2004 for this named facility. Not for limited facilities that are not equivalent in nature to act as a replacement for the Critical Access Hospital, now offering a facility that would not be allowed to fix broken bones or deliver babies, nothing more than a standard clinic. The voters definitely did not approve these substitutions. The voters in the special district have made a mandate; they want this fiasco brought to an end.

It is also apparent by Oregon Revised Statutes 198.920 Subsection 1&3 (c) Dissolution procedure. Dissolution of a district may be initiated: (c) If in either case the county board determines that it is in the best interest of the people of the county that the district be dissolved and liquidated. 10,065 voters or 73% in the district believe that it is in their best interest if the hospital district would be denied the ability to collect revenue from the original 2004 Critical Access hospital ballot measure. Because of the hospital boards inability to produce a Critical Access Hospital, the only way to accommodate this mandate at this time is for the county commissioners to initiate their power and dissolve the special district. 

It is also apparent by Oregon Revised Statutes 198.920 Subsection 1&3 (c) Dissolution procedure. Dissolution of a district may be initiated: (c) If in either case the county board determines that it is in the best interest of the people of the county that the district be dissolved and liquidated. 10,065 voters or 73% in the district believe that it is in their best interest if the hospital district would be denied the ability to collect revenue from the original 2004 Critical Access hospital ballot measure. Because of the hospital boards inability to produce a Critical Access Hospital, the only way to accommodate this mandate at this time is for the county commissioners to initiate their power and dissolve the special district.

Many of us came to you in the past 6 years, often weekly, time after time, offering and providing factual material to the commissioners, that the board could not get the critical access designation, lacked financial feasibility, among many other significant problems and that what the hospital board was offering was absolutely not what the voters approved in 2004. We the voters in the special district asked you to stop the wasting of taxpayer money by exercising your power under ORS 198.920 (c). Time after time you have told us, that you as county commissioners had no power in stopping the hospital tax. We knew you could then, as we know you can now. You offered this bit of advice to us over the years; if you do not like what the hospital board is doing, go out do an initiative

Well, we took your advice, and we did an initiative. It passed 3-1.Now let me give you a bit of advice, the people have spoken quite loud and extremely clear, it is your civic duty and obligation to the people in the special hospital district to abide by their wishes by stopping the tax, We don't want to wait until the 3^rd denial from the state is given and another million dollars is spent before any action is taken, I would say allowing the hospital board 6 years and over $4.2 Million dollars spent to come up with a Critical Access Hospital, that the voters have been extremely patient with the hospital board. We do not want to pay 38 cents per thousand indefinitely, with absolutely nothing to show for the millions spent.
We do not want a $48 million dollar clinic and we do not want any more excuses from the hospital board or the county commissioners.
What we do want is you as elected officials who were elected to watch out for the best interest of the people, to take responsibility for an action that you did in 2004 through a referendum. We want you to correct this grievous error by dissolving the special hospital district.

Not only are the eyes of the community and the county watching closely how you handle this matter, but throughout the state as well. For I will tell you that we the voters in the special hospital district will not rest until justice has been achieved on behalf of all the voters in the special district. There is a basic civic principle, Majority rules. I hope the black eye that has been given to the hospital board does not carry on to the county commissioners, because we as a community expect and deserve better than that. We want action by the board of commissioners we want resolution now