Support Aero Methow
Dear Editor:
Aero Methow Rescue Service is requesting your support for the upcoming one-year operations and maintenance levy. Please take the time to review the need for this levy on the Aero Methow Rescue Service website at www.aeromethow.org. Click the banner moving across the home page to find the fact sheet and frequently asked questions.
When you call your healthcare provider, you must navigate a call center and then may need to communicate your health needs to an AI voice. Aero Methow Rescue will always be there for you with highly trained responders and state of the art equipment. They are committed to caring and ensuring your needs are met. The call center recording states that if you are having an emergency, call 911.
Defining whether you are having an emergency is not so easy. Is that funny feeling in your chest something serious? Is the excess fatigue you’re feeling something to worry about? When in doubt, call them out. They will be there, that is what they do, and they are honored to be invited to care for you.
While I have your attention and since I am only allowed only write one letter to the editor, I will take this opportunity to let you know that Gene Davis should be your next coroner.
Cindy Button
Twisp
Grim is right choice
Dear Editor:
I am writing to share my support for Robert Grim as a candidate for District Court judge. I had the privilege of working closely with Robert for six years at Room One, a social service nonprofit located in Twisp and serving the Methow Valley. From 2017 to 2022, Robert served as board president, and I served as vice president.
Working alongside Robert gave me a firsthand appreciation for his thoughtful leadership and his approach to complex issues. He listens carefully to differing perspectives, takes the time to understand the many sides of an issue, and approaches decisions with care and consideration. These qualities were especially important as Room One navigated an ever-changing social climate and the complex challenges that come with serving our community.
I also came to appreciate Robert’s commitment to showing up for our community. He understands the importance of listening, engaging with people whose experiences may differ from his own, and approaching difficult situations with thoughtfulness, patience and respect.
My experience working with Robert has given me confidence in his ability to bring these qualities to the role of district court judge. I believe his careful consideration of differing viewpoints, sound judgment, and commitment to community would serve our district well.
I am grateful to have worked alongside Robert and am pleased to offer my support for his candidacy.
Kathy Borgersen
Former Vice President, Room One Board of Directors
‘No’ on hospital bond
Dear Editor:
I have worked as an Emergency Room and Hospitalist PA-C for over a decade in Okanogan County, including at Three Rivers Hospital (TRH). My oldest child was born there, and several family members have relied on its emergency services. I deeply respect the hospital administrators working to keep our rural hospitals operational, but I oppose this renovation because it perpetuates a fragmented health care system that needs fundamental change.
Maintaining three separate critical access hospitals in Okanogan county creates competition for limited resources and health care professionals instead of strengthening regional services through collaboration. Our aging population and increasingly complex health care needs demand a coordinated, sustainable system — not continued investment in the status quo.
Although TRH is geographically closer for some Methow Valley residents, it does not offer 24/7 surgical services. Proximity alone does not guarantee access to the care patients need. Our health care system must prioritize the availability of appropriate services, not simply the distance to the nearest facility.
In my years working in healthcare, I have worked many shifts when Central Washington Hospital was on diversion for days at a time. When regional hospitals cannot accommodate patients, Okanogan County residents face the prospect of transfers to facilities such as Sacred Heart and Deaconess, farther from home and family. These capacity challenges underscore the need for a stronger, better-coordinated regional approach.
Okanogan County needs a comprehensive health care strategy, not another investment in a fragmented system.
I respect the people working hard to keep our hospitals open. But preserving individual facilities cannot take precedence over building a sustainable healthcare system for the entire region.
I am voting no on the Three Rivers Hospital renovation.
Joshua Gewirtz
Twisp
Hospital districts are separate
Dear Editor:
As a Three Rivers Hospital commissioner and a resident of north Douglas County, I want to clarify something that was recently said during public comment at a Twisp City Council meeting: residents do not pay taxes to support all three Okanogan County hospitals.
Three Rivers Hospital, Mid-Valley Hospital and North Valley Hospital serve separate hospital districts with non-overlapping boundaries. Property owners pay hospital district taxes only to the district in which they live. Living in Okanogan County does not mean paying taxes to all three hospitals.
I believe it is important that our communities have accurate information as we discuss the future of local healthcare.
Three Rivers Hospital serves a large, rural area spanning Okanogan and north Douglas counties. For many residents, having emergency and other medical services close to home makes a real difference. Distance matters in an emergency, and keeping local healthcare available requires maintaining the facilities that make that care possible.
The proposed $48 million bond on the ballot would fund renovations and modernization of our existing hospital, addressing aging infrastructure and updating clinical spaces. This is about maintaining the hospital we have so it can continue serving our communities.
These are significant decisions for taxpayers, and everyone should ask questions, review the facts and make an informed choice. I encourage residents to learn more about the proposal and consider what access to local healthcare means for their families and communities.
Leslie McNamara
Board Secretary, Three Rivers Hospital
Grim, Short for District Court
Dear Editor:
As a longtime resident of Okanogan County, I am pleased to offer my support for Robert Grim and Charles Short as candidates for Okanogan County District Court judge.
Robert Grim, a native of Twisp, has been serving our community through the practice of law since 2012. Throughout his career, he has held several important leadership roles, including Okanogan County District Court judge, Okanogan County Superior Court judge, and Mayor of Winthrop.
Charles Short, a native of Omak, has served as an Okanogan County District Court judge since 2013. During that time, he has served as presiding judge, as Dean of the Washington State Judicial College, and he has earned recognition from his fellow judges for his leadership and dedication to the judiciary.
Both men have demonstrated a strong commitment to fairness, integrity, and public service throughout their careers. Their experience, work ethic, and deep understanding of the people and communities of Okanogan County make them exceptionally well qualified to continue serving on the bench. They share a belief that our courts should foster public safety, deliver excellent service, and inspire trust and confidence in local government.
We are fortunate to have such dedicated and experienced individuals willing to serve our county. I encourage voters to support Robert Grim and Charles Short for Okanogan County District Court judge.
David Ebenger
Winthrop
More info needed
Dear Editor:
Three Rivers Hospital is asking voters to approve a $48 million bond proposal that will increase property taxes for 30 years. Funding from this bond can only be used for construction. It cannot be used for operating expenses.
Before spending this much money, it’s important to first study what Okanogan communities need so that the right health services can be built in the right places to create the best health outcomes for residents. The study would identify who is providing what health services; the services local patients receive outside of the county, and where they are being sent. Good information could help to keep patients close to home. A county-wide study will help voters decide how to spend limited tax dollars to provide access to high-quality medical care for residents.
Three Rivers Hospital complains that “…no defined or funded study has been proposed…” and that the study would delay its plans. This complaint is hollow. For nearly two years Three Rivers and the other two nearby hospitals have declined to provide data and consider new care organizational and delivery options in a funded project that is before them right now — a project that our group helped to advance for the specific purpose of gathering this important information.
We are not anti-tax. In fact, we supported the emergency services levy that was on the ballot on Aug. 4 of this year, and we are pleased with its approval. But the current $48 million bond proposal warrants better information.
The Okanogan Health Care Planning Group is a coalition of retired healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, and concerned citizens dedicated to optimizing rural health care in Okanogan County. We have appeared before town councils, the Okanogan County Board of Health, and community forums. We have met with Hospital District commissioners, Okanogan County officials, and others. We are not new to these issues, and we are actively seeking proactive solutions.We encourage you to vote no on the Three Rivers Hospital $48 million bond. We need a county-wide study. The results can guide voters’ spending decisions.
Peter Bauer, MD
Winthrop
Mel Sorensen
Winthrop
David Clement, MD
Winthrop
Pam MacEwan
Winthrop
‘Yes’ on hospital bond
Dear Edito:
I’ve lived and run a business in the Three Rivers Hospital district for more than 40 years. I know how important it is to have a hospital close to home for my family, my employees and my neighbors.
I recently took a tour of the hospital to learn more about the modernization project. Seeing what’s behind the exterior and in the basement helped me understand why this work is needed. There’s a lot going on in an old building that most of us don’t think about. Three Rivers serves more than 16,000 people, and it’s trying to do one thing: keep every one of us healthier. They are not-for-profit, so they need community support to maintain the facility we rely on.
I’ve heard different claims about the bond and what it will cost. I think people should ask questions and get the facts before making up their minds. People should make sure they understand the proposal, the bond calculations and which hospital district they’re actually paying taxes to before drawing conclusions.
I pay my property taxes like everyone else, and I’m glad to pay my share to keep care here for existing and future generations. That’s what neighbors do for each other.
I’m voting yes on the modernization bond. I hope you will, too.
Dave McNamara
Brewster
Facts about hospital bond
Dear Editor:
If the Three Rivers Hospital bond passes, the Board of Commissioners plans to end the current annual levy that helps pay for emergency room operations. With its cost-based reimbursement model, the hospital expects the facility improvements will increase its insurance reimbursements enough to make that possible.
What does that mean for property owners? The net tax increase would be 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, instead of paying 33 cents for the levy plus 73 cents for the bond.
As a longtime Brewster resident and retired business owner, my family and friends have relied on Three Rivers Hospital many times. I believe in its mission so strongly that I served on the hospital board for several years before becoming president of the Three Rivers Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit that operates separately from the hospital.
Three Rivers serves people who have few other options for getting healthcare close to home. The hospital staff has done a great job making do with old equipment and systems, but some things can’t wait forever. The heating and cooling systems, electrical equipment, boilers and generators all need updating. If these systems fail, the hospital could face costly repairs or disruptions in care.
I understand that taxes are a concern, especially with the cost of everyday living going up. But this bond is an investment in keeping our local hospital running safely and reliably.
Three Rivers belongs to our community. It cares for our families, friends, neighbors and the people who keep our farms and businesses going. Our towns may be small, but we deserve prompt access to hospital care.
Please vote yes to help keep our community hospital strong.
Dan Webster
President, Three Rivers Hospital Foundation
Kennedy is unfit
Dear Editor:
Robert Kennedy Jr. graduated from Brown University without distinction. While it is true that he passed the New York Bar exam on his third try, he did most certainly not attend medical school, nor has he any other formal scientific education whatever.
In addition, he has no idea in the world what he is talking about.
Thanks largely to Kennedy’s ignorance, the question of any possible relationship between vaccines and autism has been repeatedly examined by people who did go to medical school or have degrees in other aspects of scientific investigation. The single paper published in 1998 which suggested a possible relationship between autism and vaccination was later redacted because it was not peer reviewed and was very scientifically flawed. Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, predicted that the country would end this year with “roughly 6,000 to 6,500 confirmed cases” of measles. Historically, four to five hundred of infected people will die. This is entirely the responsibility of Kennedy and Donald Trump.
In 2024, there were a total of only 98 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S.
Kennedy is unfit for the position he now holds; he has no understanding of science whatever, and anyone who listens to his nonsense and does not vaccinate their children is asking for un-necessary trouble and risk, in addition to making the country vulnerable.
Richard Rapport, MD
Twisp
Grim is right choice
Dear Editor:
I am writing to share my support for Robert Grim as a candidate for District Court judge. I had the privilege of working closely with Robert for six years at Room One, a social service nonprofit located in Twisp and serving the Methow Valley. From 2017 to 2022, Robert served as board president, and I served as vice president.
Working alongside Robert gave me a firsthand appreciation for his thoughtful leadership and his approach to complex issues. He listens carefully to differing perspectives, takes the time to understand the many sides of an issue, and approaches decisions with care and consideration. These qualities were especially important as Room One navigated an ever-changing social climate and the complex challenges that come with serving our community.
I also came to appreciate Robert’s commitment to showing up for our community. He understands the importance of listening, engaging with people whose experiences may differ from his own, and approaching difficult situations with thoughtfulness, patience and respect.
My experience working with Robert has given me confidence in his ability to bring these qualities to the role of district court judge. I believe his careful consideration of differing viewpoints, sound judgment, and commitment to community would serve our district well.
I am grateful to have worked alongside Robert and am pleased to offer my support for his candidacy.
Kathy Borgersen
Former Vice President, Room One Board of Directors
More on the bond issue
Dear Editor:
In less than a week the voters will decide whether to support Three Rivers Hospital’s (TRH) third attempt at a bond levy. Neither the hospital nor the Okanogan County Healthcare Planning Group (OCHPG) have changed their positions since the previous two levies failed, and we’ll see if the voters have. Here are relevant facts:
• The Methow is in Okanogan County Hospital District 1, which owns TRH and is supported by local property taxes.
• Both TRH and Mid-Valley Hospital (MVH) serve residents of the Methow Valley in relatively equal proportion. MVH is closer to most Methow residents and provides important services not available at TRH. Both are important to us.
• Both TRH and MVH have outdated facilities in need of upgrade or replacement. Both were constructed with federal funds over 50 years ago. Federal capital funding is no longer available, requiring local property taxes to pay for replacement. Rebuilding both hospitals will be a significant long-term financial commitment for residents of each district.
• In 2023, before any new construction occurred, OCHPG asked for a county-wide study to evaluate options to the current three-hospital system (including North Valley Hospital in Tonasket) and either validate it or propose alternatives that could better serve the entire county.
• In 2024, we proposed a scope of work, helped arrange funding and find consulting help. This proposal was approved by the three hospitals, funding was arranged, and qualified consulting support contracted. Work has been conducted but no results shared with the public. A copy of the signed agreement is on our website: https://www.planokanoganhealth.net.
• In a recent opinion piece, TRH said the study OCHPG requested is neither defined nor funded. This seems inaccurate since the original scope was clear and funding was provided.
• At a recent Twisp Town Council meeting, TRH stated that the hospitals did conduct a study and it showed the three-hospital system was needed.
If TRH participated in a study, the public should see the results and make its own determination. An informed citizenry is essential to a successful democracy.
Peter Morgan
Twisp
