THE NEW HOSPITAL

The “New”

By Jim Richards

Webster’s dictionary describes the word conundrum as “a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun. A question or problem having only a conjectural answer; an intricate and difficult problem”. Thus, my choice of this word.

As has been stated, local citizens approved and passed a fifteen million dollar bond issued 3 years ago. They are still waiting for ground to be broken signaling the start of construction of this new hospital. Nothing is happening. The Tehachapi Healthcare District is still waiting to get title to the Capital Hills site from the Broome family. Nothing is happening. Plans for the new facility are mired in the bureaucracy of OSHPD in

Now, it has been suggested that local voters approve and pay for still another bond issue as a supplement to the previous one. That will not happen.

People are tired of hearing and reading the same blah, blah and suffering through these interminable delays. The want some action. Now! They want to see the new hospital CEO having his picture taken accepting the signed grant deed. They want to see him, along with other City officials, with the shovels in the dirt while the construction trucks churn up the hill in the background. In other words, they want to see some real activity.

What I am writing here is nothing new. I have posted many blogs on line in the Tehachapi News and written several Letters To The Editor which were published and have said much the same as I have here. Many others have done as well.

In the final analysis, one must take a realistic view of the economies of scale. To the best of my knowledge, there are two separate entities involved in the financial interests of the hospital. One is The Hospital Guild. The other is The

Between these two groups they have been able to each raise several thousand dollars per year. Perhaps as much as fifteen thousand dollars.

The wonderful and caring people at these two entities have given selflessly of their time, money, efforts and energy to their respective causes.

Alas, this is but a drop in the bucket for the much needed 8, 9, or 10 million more dollars needed.

It is my opinion that the

A way needs to be found to involve the Big Guys. Major corporations who have businesses here have a vested interest in protecting their employees who at some point may become ill or injured and will need hospitalization. In the event of some major physical problem, like a heart attack, they currently have to wait a half hour for an ambulance to come from Arvin or Mojave. Once here, the patient must be transported to either Lancaster of

These big corporations need to be contacted at their Corporate Responsibility Departments and asked to step up to the plate.

At the same time, we need to make sure that we are involving our government officials at every level. Local, State, and Federal. Many have departments that are awash with money and will give it freely, if they are but made aware of the need for it. No one here has contacted them! The Department of Homeland Security, it has been reliably reported, has lost more money that it can’t account for, in one year, which could have paid for the construction of our new hospital, several times over.

We’ve got to stop thinking in terms of nickel and dimeing our way forward. Our local officials, for example, can freely grant, at the request of Phil Wyman, the sum of $5,000.00 for an Indian Basket Weaving Class, but not one penny for the construction of our new hospital. There’s something wrong with this picture.

We need to get the governor here to lend a public hand. The Kern politico’s will flock to get on board. Maybe even invite the presidential candidates here for a public forum. Maybe ALL of the above. Why? Because what we have been doing, hasn’t worked to get the really big bucks needed. So, we need to do something different.

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