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May 4, 2022 by Medic One

Hartwig and Floyd

“Whatever you do, you look at the future.”

So says Hartwig Vatheuer. After 20 years of service on the Board of Kittitas County Public Hospital District #2 (HD2), Vatheuer knows a thing or two about planning for the future of healthcare services in Upper Kittitas County. When he and fellow board member Floyd Rogalski first ran for office, they had different interests but a common desire to improve a struggling board and restore the trust of the community.

“I’ve always been interested in medical systems,” says Rogalski, who served for six years as a first responder with the Cle Elum Fire Department. Years earlier, while on a fire line during a stint with the U.S. Forest Service, Rogalski first wondered – why form a separate hospital district? “Can’t we just all be one?” he recalls thinking at the time. “That’d be nice, but with our different tax systems it’s not likely to ever happen. But I found it interesting.”

Years later, while serving on the Cle Elum City Council, Rogalski’s interest was further piqued when friend and fellow council member Lloyd Olson approached him about the upcoming hospital district elections. “It got a little more interesting,” says Rogalski. Vatheuer, who also planned to run, had the same idea. “Hartwig asked me, ‘Why don’t you run for the Board?’ So I did. And that’s how it all started.”

Both men won their seats by comfortable margins. Vatheuer came into his role with an especially good grasp of what to expect: months earlier, he’d answered an ad for people interested in helping the Board plan for an emergency facility. It was during those planning sessions that Vatheuer became aware of the financial situation. “They had a budget, but they didn’t stick to it,” recalls Vatheuer. “Money was spent that wasn’t there or projected to come in in the near future.”

Vatheuer’s interest in the health of the hospital district was noticed by other community members. “Somebody talked me into signing up as a candidate,” he says. With a long history as a Plum Creek Timber employee, Vatheuer was already very familiar with budgeting. “Although,” he admits, “It’s different in a private company. I realized that very quickly.”

Meanwhile, the district had almost gone bankrupt, says Rhonda Holden, KVH Chief Ancillary Officer and long-time Upper County resident. “There was actually a promissory note for a hundred thousand dollars; it was almost like a lien against them. If they didn’t come up with money, they’d close as a public hospital district.”

When the Board convened in January 2002, they had a laser focus on financial stability. One of their first actions was to work with Hospital District 1 (KVH). “We leased our building to KVH to provide services to local residents,” says Vatheuer. KVH later used the space to provide urgent care.

Rogalski agrees, noting that the agreement helped to greatly improve the relationship between hospital districts – a strong partnership that continues today.

An outstanding debt to Suncadia was also wisely handled. “Essentially, we traded,” says Vatheuer. As the parties considered the ways the hospital district would be affected by an influx of people, “We agreed on a number, and traded the debt against what we could expect in the future because of the growth Suncadia brought to the area.”

The Board passed levies, both of which are now permanent. Finally able to shift their focus to current needs, they considered a proper facility for urgent care. “KVH then bought the building where the urgent care is now,” notes Vatheuer. “That has been a success.”

(Years ago, with his young son suffering from severe allergies, Vatheuer spent many hours in hospitals and healthcare facilities. It left a lasting impression, driving Vatheuer not only to run for the Board, but to bring urgent care services to Upper County’s families and communities. That same son now practices medicine on the west side.)

 “Under Floyd and Hartwig’s leadership, the Board took the district from basically bankruptcy into what it is today, which is financially stable,” affirms Holden, who attends HD2 Board meetings and assists with their strategic planning. “We now know what we want to do as a district.” She proudly points to Station 99, the new home for Medic One. “The new station is a flagship. It’s a huge accomplishment for the Board, and gives them direction on where to go next.”

Before any planning was done for a new ambulance station, the Board took a hard look at the current situation for ambulances. “We had two when we started,” says Vatheuer. “Now we run two ambulances, but we also have two backups.” An accident in 2021 took out one of their rigs, which was replaced earlier this year. A second new rig will join the fleet in the coming months.

“We take patients a long distance,” says Vatheuer, “Yakima, and the west side, of course. So you have to have reliable ambulances.” Thankfully, the district also has reliable partnerships with area fire districts and city fire departments. When a call comes in, if Medic One’s backup ambulances and crews are already out on calls, coverage is still available.

Rogalski weighs in. “We’ve increased our ambulance fleet. We’ve gone to a 24/7 system.” Just as important, notes the former firefighter, Station 99 has improved crew quarters. “When I started my first term on the Board, crew members were responding to calls from their homes. The cook was the maintenance man was the ambulance driver,” he says, calling the ambulance “an enhanced station wagon.”

Determined to keep HD2 on solid footing, Vatheuer and Rogalski ensure all incoming bills and expenses are closely examined. “They always ask good questions, put me on the spot,” says Medic One Operations Manager Geoff Scherer, who believes their financial accountability makes him better at his own job.

“When you have the kind of longevity that Floyd and Hartwig bring, it’s embedded in their decision making. It is a fascinating thing to watch,” says KVH CEO Julie Petersen, who as a de facto Board member regularly sees the veteran pair in action. “They’ve already seen and done so much. And when old ideas resurface, they could easily say ‘We already tried that, we’re not going to do that again,’ but instead, it’s ‘All right, go ahead, give it a shot.’“

It’s that kind of experienced yet open attitude that has brought Hospital District 2 out of a financially troubled past and into a prepared future.

Now in their twenty first year on the Board, what words can we offer these men who have served their communities so well, for so long?

“I hope they stick around a while,” says Geoff Scherer. We couldn’t agree more.

Filed Under: Board of Commissioners Tagged With: Floyd Rogalski, Hartwig Vatheuer, HD2 Board of Commissioners, Health District #2

March 18, 2021 by Medic One

Carrie Youngblood appointed to KCPHD #2 Board of Commissioners

Carrie Youngblod

At the February 15 regular meeting of the Kittitas County Public Hospital District 2 Board of Commissioners, Carrie Youngblood was chosen to fill the vacancy on the Board left by the departure of Melissa Becker.  This five-member governing body oversees the operations of the public hospital district that covers Upper Kittitas County. 

KCPHD #2 solicited letters of interest following the resignation of Melissa Becker effective January 31, 2021.  “Carrie brings an expertise in human resources and years of experience in healthcare that will greatly benefit Hospital District #2,” said Floyd Rogalski, President of the Board of Commissioners for Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2.  Ms. Youngblood is on the Washington Hospital Services Board and is the current President of the Washington State Healthcare Human Resources Association.

Carrie has lived in Kittitas County since 1992 and has over 20 years of experience in human resources and recruiting.  She comes from a long line of nurses and healthcare providers, including a grandfather who was a cardiologist and medic in World War II.  The decision to select Carrie Youngblood was unanimous.

Carrie was sworn in at the March 15 Board meeting and will serve on the KCPHD #2 Board of Commissioners until the November 2021 general election, at which time the position will be publicly elected.  She will be eligible to run for the position if she chooses.  The elected candidate will then complete the remainder of the term ending in 2023.

About Kittitas County Public Hospital District #2
Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2 provides ambulance services to Upper Kittitas County residents through Upper Kittitas County Medic One.  KCPHD #2 also partners with Kittitas Valley Healthcare to provide urgent care services to the residents of District #2 through KVH Urgent Care – Cle Elum.

Filed Under: Board of Commissioners Tagged With: HD2 Board of Commissioners, Health District, Kittitas County

October 1, 2020 by Medic One

KCPHD#2 Breaks Ground on Ambulance Station

KCPHD#2

This week, Kittitas County Public Hospital District #2 (KCPHD#2) Board members and Medic One staff officially broke ground for a new Ambulance Station.

The station will be more than 8,000 square feet and will replace the current outdated, outgrown garage built in the 1950s, which does not provide enough bedrooms for staff or space for ambulances.

“The construction of a new station will not only expand space for Medic One ambulances and staff, it will also allow Medic One to operate in a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment,” said Geoff Scherer, Operations Manager for Upper Kittitas County Medic One.

The Board embarked on a master site and strategic planning in 2017. The new ambulance station quickly surfaced as the District’s highest priority.

The Board worked closely with Administration, the Medic One crews and KDA Architects to design a facility to meet the unique needs of the Upper County community today and 20 years into the future.

“This has been many years in the works,” said Floyd Rogalski, President of the Board of Commissioners for Hospital District 2. “We’re thankful to finally be breaking ground.”

Fully funded without raising taxes, and adjacent to the existing KVH Family Medicine clinic, the station will have a similar look to the other buildings on campus.

Clearing of the project site started in August this year. Construction is slated to start soon and last 9-10 months. KCPHD#2 is hoping to have a ribbon cutting in July of 2021.

Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2 (KCPHD #2) provides ambulance services to Upper Kittitas County residents through Upper Kittitas County Medic One. 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Health District #2, Kittitas County, News, Update

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