Wheaterville.com

Wheatland Co-op Comes Under Fire

Ace steps out of the shadows to make this announcement: We get letters, we put 'em out there for public consumption and comment. The following letter came in without a name attached to it, but it looks like the writer would like to hear your comments and get in touch. Discuss amongst yourselves. Ace now steps back into the shadows...

Propane users, your input is needed. Last year we experienced outrageous prices. To be fair to Co-Op and other propane suppliers, the middleman probably did not receive the profits. This year’s expectation is that heating oil may cost as much as 30 percent more than last winter, and natural gas 20 percent more, according to the Energy Information Administration (information taken from Aarp Bulletin, November 2008).

Thirty percent more than last year? Did you layer your clothing, wrapped up in comforters, go to bed early so that you can read but found your fingers too cold to hold the book? Did you struggle to pay the heating bill? To repeat, thirty percent more this year?

To add insult to our injury, I was notified by Co-Op this past week that anyone having difficulty last year will need to pre-pay. Ignore the fact that I paid for a propane leak that they were unable to find until the third pressure test. Ignore the fact that they continued to fill the tank after admission of a tank leak. Ignore the fact that they sold this tank to me, they installed the tank, and on first fill they gave me a written guarantee of the “system ok” pressure test.

For over 20 years I have faithfully purchased and paid my bill in full, so when I am told that my now paid in full account needs to be pre-pay for this winter’s heat bill infuriated me. I am to “guess” the gallons needed and go in with the payment before they will come out.

So, my real question is: Has anyone else receive this verbal notice or is this message just for me considering I did get a $600 decrease in the overall bill for last winter? This concession was only accepted so that I could clear my books and only two thirds of what I calculated on their leak liability, not to mention the months of agony they put me through of denying all responsibility.

Has anyone else had a long debate with Co-Op regarding their inability to pressure test for leaks? Is there enough of a problem/number of willing signatures that the regulatory system would be interested?

Another thought comes to mind. How many of us signed an agreement for a price lock earlier this summer? What was that price? At time of this writing, the price is $2.10 if on a route or $2.20 a gallon if not. If the cost of heating oil does rise as much as 30 percent, that may be a good deal. But, at this time, the price of propane is lower than the contractual price.

7:36 AM

idea:

Get the Maverick station to sell propane. It sure has worked wonders to get gasoline prices down!

I do know that you are not the only coop customer that has to pre-pay. If you're late, you pre pay. No second chance.

They have a good scare scam going with the buy ahead thing too. The last manager got in trouble for it, let's see what happens this time around. If you complain about the fact that the contracted price is higher, you'll get listened to. They don't want a lawsuit.

1:30 PM

pisssssst off and leaking:

I called 3 companies to see who served the Wheatland area and the only one that would was AmeriGas. They sent me an application, checked my credit rating and called me immediately. So, you can assume that my credit rating is good enough that they were interested in giving me 340 gallons in my 2 tanks. I was looking around to find the Westco telephone number because the comment of replacing a bad tank with another even worse tank scared me. I was stammering around when AmeriGas called so that I went ahead and told them to fill on the next route.

Co-Op ended up replacing the bad tank with another one with a comment that they just wanted to handle the problem in a "timely manner". Three months later, heaters turned off during that time, was not considered timely to me. Then they said a leak around the gauge is common, but I replied if it was so common why did they struggle to find the leak. After two oral discussions with the manager and receiving poor response, I informed the manager that everything had to be in writing and then I resorted to only writing to the board. I think I have 3 maybe 4 letters Co-Op and I have written back and forth before this whole thing was settled.

Here is the last letter verbatum (it was only verbal statement admitting leak and their actions of replacing the tank):

The Board of Directors of the Wheatland Cooperative Association (WCA) have recently discussed with me your recent letter of request for propane compensation on your account. In light of what may or may not have happened and the unknown usage of a new system and in the interest of keeping you, a valued customer, satisfied, we have agreed to a possible compromise with you. The balance owing on the account (#-----)as of August 25, 2008 is one thousand one hundred and ninety two dollars and fifty four cents (1192.54). We (the board and I) have agreed to pay one half (1/2) of the amount equaling five hundred ninety six dollars and twenty seven cents (596.27) with you owing the balance. If this is a workable compromise with you please let us know.

I paid the amount only without a response letter. Then received a telephone call from the manager that reports I need to pre-pay. Their interest of keeping a valued customer changed? So far no one else reporting they received this phone call. I cannot believe with the price increase so dramatic last year that no one else struggled. So can I assume that I am the only customer that they have changed their evaluation?

Yes, with the prices this year, paying the lower price is an option to help some of us out. The difference between $2.10 and $1.70.9 is in the hundreds of dollars with a sizeable fill. The contracted price, as far as I know Co-Op is going to hold their customers to, was $2.35. Is that a correct price? The difference for this fill for me is $132.94 pre tax, if they were still willing to give me the routed price. The only thing that would have kept me with Co-Op was that they took extremely good care of me until this manager came along. I would have gladly paid the extra $100 for security.

And yes, I have kept all written documentation if anything should change that I have to go to court. Or if there are others that want to step up and force the manager of Co-Op to educate their employees for all of our safety. Can you imagine the fire hazard I was if I leaked out as much as I think I really did, 200 gallons or more for each fill? Plus maybe the people that did not receive their proper compensation might have a foot in the door. So on both the issues: leaky tanks or pre-pay please write in and maybe we can get an organized procedure going.

10:18 AM

Deserve it.:

You people deserve to get stung if you keep doing business there! Dont dink around. Get yourself a good lawyer if you have a legitimate case.

8:11 AM

Other Choices:

Hey Psssst Off, did you not read the comment about Westco?

7:55 AM

heard it before:

Your story isn't the only one. for whoever still doesn't get it, the CoOP sold her a leaky tank, tht would bet he wheatland coOP the one and only. They filled it. It leaked. They filled it. It leaked. And so on. Of course some of the gas was used, but obviously most of it leaked out of the leaky tank. They finally admitted the tank was leaking and when pushed returned part of the money that she'd paid them for the leaky tank and the gas that leaked out of the leaky tank. If you don't get the picture, ask around and you'll hear the same story from a lot of people. The CoOP sells leaky tanks, fills them, charges, then sells contracts ahead scaring people into paying more for their propane then they'd have to if they didn't do the contract.
Did they replace the original leaky tank or just fix it? Either way, they admitted they sold and filled a leaky tank when they paid you anything at all.

10:03 PM

content with coop:

We are still curious who your supplier is.

6:12 PM

pssssst off and leaking:

Wow, I should have been more explicit. The tank that has caused so much discontent ended the season with 45% and after one month of really fairly warm weather it is still at 45%. Of course no one would have filled a tank above 85%, neither is it safe but it is not worth the time. As I said in my last letter, I required a fill by this time last year and I do not believe it was that much colder last year to require this huge difference.

What is really sad about this whole incident is that for 20 years I was given excellent care. Co-Op employees were not only courteous/quick to respond to my needs but also I regarded them to be more than just acquaintences. That fact is probably why I let this leak go for so long, I trusted them to take care of me as well as previously. The fact that the manager treated me in such as reprehensible manner and required my letters to go to the board of directors. And to continue with this treatment after they admitted to a leak. To see no usage this year makes me wonder how many tank fills I should never have had to pay for. I was filled 4 times. January, the heat was turned off. February was the last fill, 400 gallons worth.

11:52 AM

content with coop:

If you have a 500 gallon tank that is only five gallons. Let us know who your supplier is if they will deliver you five gallons, that is less shocking when you get your bill. Better yet, why don't you get a bottle and have it filled in town, then you can get your gas at the Maverick.

1:22 PM

pssssst off and leaking:

Just thought you all would like to know the price I ended up paying this week for propane is $1.70/gallon. I have yet to use 1% of propane this year. Last year I had already received a fill. Interesting?

6:57 PM

other choices:

Try Westco. I see them running around up here filling tanks. Nothing like taking your business out of town.

8:47 AM

TrueBlue:

I can understand your frustration with a leaking tank. I was impressed that the Co-Op gave you such a generous credit. Amerigas, on the other hand, did us much worse without so much as a nickel credit. Mark Flack exchanged our tank for a rusted beat up tank that lost us, in my estimation, over 400 gallons. I hesitated to accept the tank as it was beat up and rusted. He assured me it was in top condition. 400 gallons later he said "It's Your tough luck. It's like buying a used car, sometimes you get a lemon!!" I am preparing complaints to be delivered to the Better Business Bureau representing this area, to the Wyoming Public Service Commission and to the Department of Resources for Older and Disabled Adults in Wyoming We, of course, switched to the Co-Op and have been very pleased with the service from our delivery person.

Tuesday
11/4/08 8:09 PM

psssssst off and leaking:

I want to respond to "rural resident", yes after months of arguing, I decided that $600 was an effort although they state "may or may not" but thought they would reach half way just for keeping the dedicated customers. But to put salt on the healing wound to call towards pre-pay was counterproductive.

Also responding to the very pertinent questions of "been there" I was placed on a route. At first I though the high usage was due to starting heaters and bleeding the propane off. On the third fill, I questioned why they filled out there again as I thought only 2-3 fills for the whole winter was the expectation and was told they only topped it off. Although I would not call $800 worth of propane topping it off. The house was filled at the same 3rd fill and when I had 85% at the house and 30% at the storage units I notified Co-Op of the leak. It was a real no brainer because the heat was turned off at the units for weeks prior to my checking the usage. That day they admitted to a leak around the guage. Over a month later, they filled my tank to 95%. I had the heat professionals come out and start up the units again to use that 95% and went down to 45% withing days. I notified Co-Op of the continued leak and was informed they have not replaced the guage and the fill was a miscommunication.

There are more mistakes that are not mentioned but I was willing to stop all the bickering when they made an effort by their $600 concession. After 20 years of faithful payments in full and now prepay, I checked into other propane suppliers and found one at $1.909 per gallon as opposed to $2.10 on route/$2.20 off route/$2.35 contractual.

Thank you for your comments. I am thinking there are more of us that struggled last year with the bill and many of us that had leaks for months. I believe that the leak issue can be dealt with by classes for the employees and discussing realistic problems with the powers to be is the only way we can protect ourselves and our neighbors/friends/family. Given a chance, we would prefer to go local.

Tuesday
11/4/08 5:30 PM

been there:

Coop can't do much about the rising cost of propane but they need to be responsible for the tanks they sell and to own up to it when their tanks leak. Did you authorize the fills or did they just fill? Also, did they eventually find a leak and admit it? That's the thing that'd get the regulatory board to take notice. Also the fact that they paid you anything at all indicates that they're admitting some wrong doing so that's in your favor if you pursue this.

Tuesday
11/4/08 6:43 AM

rural resident:

I'm a co-op propane customer and I didn't receive any such notice of prepayment, but I've never been late on a payment either.

Sounds like they tried to make it up to you with a $600 credit.

Monday
11/3/08 11:52 AM

question:

Doesn't the regulatory board require accurate pressure testing? How does the coop get around that? If you have letters and such I would keep them because it does sound like you have an action against them because it was their tank, not yours. If it was yours they could wiggle out of it but it was their tank leaking? Their tank, their gas, their dollar I say. good luck.

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On the Nursing Home: Rescued from the Comments

Banner is a great part of the community. They and their employees contribute much, and receive much in return. However, Banner is not the only company who could or would successfully run the hospital and nursing home. Banner staff is rightfully proud of what they do, but they do need to realize that they are not the only solution to the current situation.

We all appreciate what Banner does, but any such non-profit would do the same. And should do the same. Of course the poeple most upset about Banner's possible leaving are the employees. They are the ones benefitting the most from Banner and the ones with the most at stake. But presenting reasons such as "it's just 25 people being affected by the nursing home closure" does not help their cause, or how they look to the community.

It's up to the Hospital District Board to research and evaluate what company (Banner or someone else) can do the most for the community. That may be Banner, but it may not be Banner. The mistake on the board's part would be to assume that Banner is the only company that can do it. The mistake would be to not look into other potential providers. Likewise, the mistake on Banner's part would be to assume that they are the only solution to the problem.

We need a nursing home in the county, and it should be a great nursing home. What are the requirements? What does the community have to do to make that happen? We need leadership on this. We need involvement by all, but we also need someone to step up to the plate and make something happen before the unfortunate March deadline. Whose "fault" the deadline is doesn't matter at this point. What matters is that we the people of Platte have something in place before it happens.

Banner, will you work with the county to keep the nursing home open, or do you see this as an opportunity to get out of the "unprofitable" Nursing Home business while continuing the very profitable Hospital business? That's an important question. County officials and and citizens of Platte, are you willing to find a way to provide necessary funding? Not all of it, but some of it?

What about asking businesses to "round up to the dollar" on their sales, like Safeway is doing for donations for breast cancer research? No one misses the "cents" be it 2 cents or 98 cents, and that money could all go into funding a nursing home.

Where is WADCO in this? Let's bring in a Nursing Home business. No, it's not millions in wind energy, or another coal plant, but it IS a business and it would bring in jobs along with something very necessary to the community. With baby boomers living longer, and Wheatland's reputation as a "retirement community", there IS considerable profit to be made in a modern, efficient, well-run facility for aging residents.

Surely Wheatland and Platte County can do better than this bickering back and forth about what is NOT being done, and trying to make the blame stick somewhere other than themselves.

12:45 PM

Dont count on it:

Dont count on Wadco to do anything. Have you seen any major businesses show up in this town for the past 5 or 6 years? No! The last thing that looked like it might be big was Wheatland Fire Equipment. After the the owner was gone the place went down. Between Wadco and the county, I dont believe much will get accomplished

6:54 AM

Mutt Hoople:

Banner will come out of this fine either way. Banner employees want to keep their jobs, from the high up guys to the doctors and nurses to everyone else. We probably don't want the county to run the hospital or the nursing home. Seriously. The countys mess up is why Banner has the county over a barrel here. They ignored the letter and gave Banner the out they wanted from the contract. So no, I don't think we want the county running much of anything. We have two organizations that we should be hearing from, and that is the Chamber and the WADCO. The WADCO's entire reason for existing is to bring in business into Wheatland. It looks like it's time they earn their money. Find someone, not the county, and not the hospital board, to run the hospital and the nursing home, and do it now before its too late.
Do you know that no one, not the board of commissioners, not the hospital district board, NO ONE who is pulling the strings on this and supposed to be in control, has even once gone in to the Nursing Home to talk to the people who work there and tell them what's going on? They read it here like everybody else. Thats pathetic. And that's why even though it might be a wise move to move Banner out, we really don't want the county to run things either.
Thier idea of running things is to close thier eyes and pretend nothing is happening while they put thier paycheck in thier pocket. Same with the WADCO.

1:00 PM

Agree:

I agree. The county should kick Banner out and either find someone else or run it themselves.

9:47 AM

RN:

Banner has been here for 40 years and if anyone has had some real health issues they can tell you that Banner has a history of sending people out of town and not allowing them back to this hospital. Legally they can do this because if they have care being provided in (lets say) Denver, Banner can refuse this patient back home. Banner got rid of home care and they will abandon the nursing home without batting an eye. No matter how much money we throw at them. So, why would we want them here in Wheatland for the hospital version. They have wasted more money than we all can imagine and they blame the economy, the medicare problems. . .medicare has changed in the nursing home and in the hospital but they think they can run the hospital with a surplus of money. Non-profit does not mean that they cannot make money. So, if we were to tell Banner to get lost altogether, the CEO and the CFO will probably not have a job. What if we were to ask them to sign a contract and stay here for 3 years under the guidance of the commissioners and the hospital board (hopefully they will ask for advisors) we can run our hospital and nursing home maybe even get our home care back that will provide the best care to our county. We all can agree that our county is different needs than Niobrara or Laramie . . .. Please respond

11:26 AM

Tod:

I read this regularly and it's itnteresting that no one until now says that banner will run the nursing home if the county gives money.
Exactly who are the decision makers here?
Can they get together and work something out or are the residents just kicked out on the street on March 31?
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but Banner ISN"T such a great and wondcerful organization if Wheatland loses its nursing home. A great and wondrful organization would work with WADCO and the county attorney and the people to get a nursing home that worked for all.
What happened to the very large donations made to the nursing home from residents? Yes, that is a fact, hundreds of thousands of dollars in bequethed monies. Where is that? Who is in charge of it. Why is there no talk of that?

7:43 AM

Local yocals:

"Banner staff is rightfully proud of what they do, but they do need to realize that they are not the only solution to the current situation...Any such non-profit would do the same" from the previous letter. Really? What experience do you have to make that judgment for others? Talk is cheap! What criteria did you use? Banner has been in this community for 40+ years--to replace them will take up to a year or more of negotiations and hard work; it doesn't happen overnight or easily. It's safe to say that we need Banner far more than they need us. Quit making the corporation out as the bad guy---that's too easy and doens't solve anything. So who's writing the paychecks and providing benefits and providing care while you're busy finding a better corporation than Banner? Who else is willing through the years to put up with a bunch of locals making decisions for future healthcare for our community? Get real.

Expecting Banner to solve our local politics is the eternal hand extended out for government to come in an solve all of our problems. Please! Banner has repeated that they will run both parts---IF the county finds some subsidy---the county can find money for some things (fair buildings), but not for healthcare. Let me remind you that this town and county has been "broke" for nearly 10 years---when is someone going to address that? Why are we so afraid of progressive, positive growth for this town and county? All of these elected officials like to keep business "status quo" and "the way we've always done it!" Well, I'm sure they will be happy with the first aid station that that will end up with at the end of this craziness.

The truth is that this district board was put out of commission by our previous farce of a county attorney, Eric Alden. Help us! Now the district board is being run by the next one (Why can't we get a good county attorney?) Eric Jones. These board members obviously have some psycho personality traits of their own and none of them really want to work hard on this issue---oh, I forgot--Eric will do it all for them.. Who elected him as a member of this board?

You would think that grown men could sit down together and eventually get this solved---but that is too much to ask of public officials I guess. After all, the more we use our county attorney, the more he gets to bill!/$$$$

The board members have repeated over and over---they don't want input from the community or the employees or the residents or the patients. They have ALOT of experience on boards so they already know how to make the right decision for us! Somehow, I'm not comforted by that. The actions they've taken so far are to waste time fighting, acusing, abusing (my those tempers!), and building up their own egos.

Platte County citizens need to call their elected officials and demand better performance. Attend county and town meetings and don't accept distortions! Listen to those who work in healthcare everyday---they are not being influenced negatively by Banner---these people know what it takes to run successful healthcare and want to be heard. They have good brains and experience. Give them some credit. Those who were previous employees and now have axes to grind who primarily write on these blogs are currently not employed in healthcare for a reason! The board members and the hospital and nursing administration should all be sitting down at the same table to work this out NOW rather than watch the district board whine and march off into executive session.

Get Involved! Stop accepting what you hear from uninformed people and go to those making the decisions and ask for positive progress. Don't accept the usual blaming and excuses. This community should have a district board that oversees the county's financial involvement in the hospital and nursing home and contributes to the success rather than destruction of our local healthcare.

Tuesday
11/4/08 6:48 AM

Wind Fan:

I didn't appreciate the author's shot at wind energy development for our area. This has huge potential for our area and should be encouraged.

Monday
11/3/08 5:29 PM

RN:

Has anyone put a timeline as to the 2 large constructions done on the hospital in the past 8 years trying to turn an old building into a modern one with electricity, oxygen, plumbing. . .and the more recent complaint of not being able to make a profit? We spent millions this past 2 years wiping out the millions of the first construction.

Has anyone asked why most of the nurses working are travel nurses rather than permanent? Do you know how much money travel nurse agency charge per hour? I can tell you it is around $50.00/hr.

Yes both of these issues are the hospital's but my guess is that they know how to place all the expenses on paper to reflect how they want. Banner wanted out of home care and they are out. Now they want out of long term care. They will be out. Call Banner's bluff has the best idea. Banner has not been good for the community for many years. The fact that the nurses and the nurse aids stayed in the community working there for as long as they did was because they wanted to care for their families, neighbors, and friends. But employee harassment and extremely poor pay has sent many packing. Rumor has it that they are close to packing again.

Monday
11/3/08 10:23 AM

CALL BANNER'S BLUFF:

They say they'll leave if they don't get out of the lease, then let them. Banner's problem is that they are too big fro their britches and think theyre the only game in town. When you rent a house, and sign a lease, you are locked in and you pay a penalty for early leaving. Same with your IRA, a penalty for early withdrawl. Even when you get a cell phone, you say you'll have it for 2 years, and if you switch to another phone company, you pay the penalty. It costs you. It should cost Banner to get out of the lease of the nursing home. That is obvious. The penalty will be less then whatever thy're "loosing", but it would be money that could be used as seed money to build a new nursing home, and obviously we'll find someone else to run it. Vote to call Banner's Bluff.

Monday
10/27/08 11:16 AM

Mutt Hoople:

Good idea about the rounding up for the nursing home. We need more constructive ideas and less bitching and back-biting from everyone. There are a lot of people willing to do their share on this.

Sunday
10/26/08 11:42 AM

Dani's Mom:

As time grows short it does seem like the bitching should stop and someone should step and do instead of complain. WADCO would be a logical place to start. So would the Chamber of Commerce. I would like to know who the Hospital board is who is making the decisions, and I would like to know where they stand, officially. The same for the board of commissioners. The people need information not all this in a vacum that we can only complain about after something or nothing has been done. If we voted you in, it is your duty to tell us where you stand. I hope some of the people I elected, who are in office by the way, tell us here on wheaterville or in the Record Times, or better, both, where they stand and what they are doing. It is very important. Or, as someone said, let's get rid of them and start over. first of all who are the actual people who are right now deciding the fate of the nursing home? Why don't we know this?

Sunday
10/26/08 8:04 AM

Wendy:

WADCO you ask? Still cant say they have been in some of the local businesses. This is sad. The new director appears to be "to Good" to shop local or even try to support the local shops. (cant say much for the Chamber of Commerce either these days)
Why would they bother to waste energy on the Nursing Home?

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Hospital Repost: The Comments Keep On Coming

Note from Ace: We're reposting this because comments on this letter and this topic are coming in...folks want a place to put 'em...well here it is!

Editor,

I am writing to express my concerns about the apparent lack of responsiveness and foresight of our current county commissioners. Issues regarding the nursing home have been discussed and publicized recently. Briefly, a letter was sent in January 2008 from Banner Health to the County to formalize a request for a dialogue about the nursing home operations. Minutes from the commissioners meeting 2/5/08 reflect a discussion re: the “…prospects for re-establishing a sustainable nursing home into the future and the physical limitations of the current facility.” A subsequent detailed article was published in the Platte County Record Times 3/12/08 to educate the community. There is no further mention in the commissioners’ minutes until July, after Banner sent a formal letter invoking a clause in the lease agreement requesting a response within 30days. According to an article in the PCRT last week, that response was scheduled to be sent August 14 or 15.

Why was there no response from January to July to Banner Health? It would seem that we’ve lost close to 6 months of what could have been valuable time to examine the issues carefully and explore solutions. Now it has been determined that the District Hospital Board will have primary responsibility for negotiating with Banner but the county commissioners retain the right of approval of any decisions. This sounds like an ideal setup for our elected officials to be able to avoid accountability for decisions.

The questions of how best to care for our aging population are difficult and not unique to Platte County. We are fortunate to have Banner Health as a partner to address these challenges. Yes, Banner is a large corporation based out of state, but it provides support to our community far beyond the physical value of the beds or equipment. The corporate support from Banner provides high quality systems to negotiate the regulatory requirements of health care and to support development of the employees, both in the direct financial benefits of employment and outstanding support of continued professional development. Yes, I’m a proud employee of Banner Health.

Election year seems to be a great time to get involved, ask questions, offer solutions (if we can afford a 1% sales tax for infrastructure, how about an additional 0.5% tax to support the needs of our parents/grandparents/ friends in this county? …or, pass a 1% sales tax but designate half to support the nursing home, half for the other projects?), and demand excellence from our elected officials.

Thanks for your attention and your participation,

Ann Harris

9:31 AM

RN:

There is a small move (hopefully growing) to kick Banner out of the hospital and Nursing home. The old CFO was promoted to CEO and there is a new CFO. If the commissioners are brave enough to just say get out to Banner all together, these new comers will probably not have a job and would have a very difficult time replacing with a similar type or similar pay job in this bad economy. This would be good for us because if we can talk them into staying, contract for 3 years, they have the basics down and the county could run both areas without a major jog in the system. What do you guys think?

12:26 PM

How Come?:

How come everybody that voted for this 1% tax to renovate the fire hall, doesnt throw some money toward the nursing home? Looks like those of you that voted for the 1% think that having a new, un-needed fire hall is more important than our area elderly.

6:17 PM

RN:

The reason you only see a few employees writing in the Record Times is because there is a bias as to what is placed. Back when the employees were trying to get the union, the majority of the allowed "Letters to the Editor" were negative on the union whereas there were plenty of rejected letters that were positive. The reason we were given is they had too many letters and had to pick a handful. That is one reason why Wheaterville.com has been good for us. I have also heard from one individual that he was told to "butt out" when he was trying to get a group together to help save the nursing home. Banner has backed out of managing home care and they will back out of the nursing home no matter what we say or do. Considering we have spent too many dollars doing exactly what Banner wants and lost most of our good employees due to their management, I say good riddance we can find a more county oriented manager.

Tuesday
11/4/08 9:58 PM

Interesting:

Be careful for what you ask for!
Remember before the "Hosptial Project" got started the Nursing Home was one of the things that the County proposed to be updated and Banner stated that the Hospital was in more dire need of updating and the Nursing Home was fine? How does Banner make any money off of one to two patients or no patients at all a day in the hospital? Does anyone listen to hospital reports on the radio? Banner is just loosing money period!
I'm a Wheatland Resident I can tell you that I wouldn't support Banner period if they stayed and didn't support the Nursing Home. Where's all of the donations that people donated to the Nursing Home? Is it being used on the patients and updating their rooms?
And as for anyone writing an article in the Wheatland Paper and on here, make sure you have all of your facts before publishing them. Talk to all of your Boards and go to the meetings. Everyone has a voice but sitting on here complaining won't do Platte County any good. Has anyone noticed that in the papers its a few of the employees writing the articles on this subject. Don't you think that they have more of an interest for themselves versus what the whole county needs?

Monday
11/3/08 11:31 AM

Correction:

No, PCMH&NH/Banner Health did not sponsor the Missouri Basin Power Plant Healthfair and Blood Draw. MBPP did not ask for local services. It is understood on both sides that PCMH&NH/Banner Health is unable to provide them their services - too busy providing the annual Platte County Blood Draws and Healthfair the same month.

But, PCMH&NH/Banner Health does sponsor and give to everything else they are asked to.

Friday
10/31/08 5:16 AM

Nursing home nonsense:

Excuse me "no construction to the Nursing home"
How did the east wing get there?? When i was one of the first LPNS to hire on when it opened it sure wasn't there.
If there isn't enough help to fully use the Nursing home then easy Offer CNA classes AGAIN and HIRE more. IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF!!!!!
THIS IS NOT "COFFEE SHOP" TALK!!!!
It is a FACT!! I know i worked there for 28 years.

Tuesday
10/28/08 11:59 AM

Correction Please:

I noticed that "PCMHNH" credited Banner Health with sponsoring the MBPP Health Fair. That is incorrect. The blood draws and work-ups are done by Wyoming Health Fairs and is paid for by MBPP and its employees. PCMHNH has nothing to do with it.

Saturday
10/25/08 10:18 PM

I2BPOed:

It's time as they say to "S" or get off the pot. Would some one at the record time put it to the candidates that would be involved in the decision as what will go on with the hospital and nursing home "on the record". Point blank, ask them where they stand so the voters can make an informed decision come Nov 4th. I mean make it so simple to understand that, we the simple folks can say "now I know"...

Saturday
10/25/08 5:47 PM

Comment:

Banner has also offered to give the commissioners and the board names of reputable companies that do run Nursing Homes and hospitals, if that is what they wanted, but apparently the commissioners and the board have gone off on their own to look for such companies. Banner is a great corporation and I don't care what the community says.

Saturday
10/25/08 12:28 PM

comment:

Banner is a great part of the community. But really, it's not the only company who could or would run the hospital and nursing home, and Banner and the employees need to realize that. We all appreciate what Banner does, but any such non-profit would do the same. Banner is "non-profit". Of course the poeple most upset about Banner's possible leaving are the employees. They are the ones benefitting the most from Banner and the ones with the most at stake.
It's up to the Commissioners and the Hospital District Board to look around and evaluate who can do the most for the community. That may be Banner, but it may not be Banner. The mistake would be to assume that Banner is the only company who can. The mistake would be to not look into other providers. The mistake on Banner's part would be to assume that they are the only solution to the problem.
We need a nursing home in the county, and it should be a great nursing home. What are the requirements? What does the community have to do to make that happen?
What about asking businesses to "round up to the dollar" on their sales, like Safeway is doing for donations for breast cancer research? No one misses the "cents" be it 2 cents or 98 cents, and that money could all go into funding a nursing home.
Where is WADCO in this? Let's bring in a Nursing Home business. No, it's not millions in wind energy, or another coal plant, but it IS a business and it would bring in jobs along with something very necessary to the community.
Surely Wheatland and Platte County can do better than this bickering back and forth about what is NOT being done.

Friday
10/24/08 10:52 AM

Proud PCMHNH employee:

Platte County Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home (Banner) does a lot for this county. Besides the services we offer here, we also sponsor a lot of activities for the County. Health Fair (several hundred people get blood work for a few bucks that would cost Hundreds otherwise), REA Health fair for the county people that use REA, Missouri Basin health fair for the employees and families of their employees, sponsor Platte County Fair besides buying animals at the auction, sponsor school activities from sports, band, drama, rodeo, history day, etc. Relay for Life, Walk for Thought, sponsor Lobo baseball, you name it if they need a sponsor PCMHNH are always there. Don't say Banner does not do anything for the county, we do a LOT. We love our Nursing Home probably more than most of the county. We are here taking care of them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. I don't see very many citizens of this county up there very often. Don't make statements that you can't back up. No one wants the Nursing Home to close but if it can't break even, no business would stay open for 43 years without some kind of help, and apparently the county does not want to 'help'. Even when the Nursing Home was full to capacity it was still losing money. I don't think the Nursing Home has broke even ever. I am so tired of people saying the money from the Nursing Home was mismanaged. I would like to see you keep the books for a while, then maybe you could understand. Health care regulations (state, federal, Medicare, etc.) are a lot different that the rest of the accounting world.

Thursday
10/23/08 2:26 PM

Facts:

Saying over and over and over again how great Banner is and what great things Banner does and how the community wouldn't exist without Banner doesn't make that true. You can repeat it as many times as you want to but the fact is that Banner is shutting downt he nursing home and that is not great, or great for the community. The fact is that that is awful.

So Banner would have to stick some money into the dated building in order to make it a good nursing home. Then do it Banner. Do it. It's in your contract. Do it.

Also, Banner does a lot for the 100 or so people who work there and their families, with 401ks and insurance and all taht. Well great for them. Pass it on to the 25 people in the nursing home.

The evaluation gave the nursing home high marks and the workers there too. Obviously this is a good and necessary part of Wheatland.

Put your money where your mouth is Banner. Stop telling us how great you are and show us. Do it.

If you close down the nursing home, then let's get someone else in here to run the hospital and the nursing home. Banner is not the only fish in the sea by any means. I hope the county attorney and others are looking into other possibilitys and not jsut sitting on their hands wiating for the bomb to drop.

Well? Are you?

Thursday
10/23/08 8:19 AM

Factual:

- The nursing home only has 25 residents currently because there are not enough quality caregivers to hire. Trust me you don’t want just anyone caring for the residents (you don’t want unreliable people or people with a past of neglect or abuse allegations).

- Nursing homes throughout the are struggling to be financially stable. Like ours, they are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

-The nursing home industry has shown that those nursing homes that have been financially viable, usually have at least 105 beds, are skilled nursing facilities, and have a low percentage of Medicaid residents. In our nursing home, 85% of our payer source is Medicaid. Medicaid payments do not cover the costs of care given. It currently costs $226 dollars a day to care for one resident in Wheatland. Medicaid currently reimburses $169 a day for each resident. That is a $57 dollar difference per day, per resident.

- Subsidizing long term care (LTC) facilities has been used successfully in other rural communities such as in . There, owns the nursing home building, Banner manages the facility, and covers any loss the facility incurs.

-Our nursing home was built in 1965, which makes it 43 years old. It needs extensive renovation or perhaps even replacement to support efficient operations. The building is owned by but managed, operated, and leased by Banner Health. Our Nursing Home has historically lost money every year but the costs of operating it have increased every year. Over the last seven years Banner has absorbed an average annual loss of $315,000 and in 2007 lost $460,000. All losses are absorbed by Banner and profits from the hospital are used to cover the loss. Continuing this practice jeopardizes the hospital’s ability to provide quality patient care.

-Why are people sometimes denied admission to the nursing home? The existing nursing home facility cannot provide care for complex patients with some physical challenges, including: feeding tubes, ventilators, varying forms and stages of dementia with demonstrated aggressive behavior, or for residents prone to wandering off the grounds.

-Wheatland’s nursing home had their 4 day State survey October 6 - 9, 2008. The staff did a great job during the survey. Everyone was commended for their great attitude and helpfulness to the surveyors. Resident care is excellent. The physical building itself is the problem.

-Lutheran Health System (LHS) and Samaritan Health System joined to create Banner Health in 1999.

Wednesday
10/22/08 11:53 AM

DISCUSSED::

IT'S TOO BAD THAT MOST OF THESE BLOGS ARE SO MISINFORMED. IF PEOPLE WOULD GET FACTS INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO COFFEE SHOP GOSSIP, MAYBE MUCH OF THIS COULD BE ELEMINATED. EACH GROUP HAS THEIR BLINDERS ON AND WILL NOT LISTEN TO FACTS. BAUER COULD NOT EVEN GET ELECTED TWICE SO HE HAS MORE TIME TO BLOW HIS MOUTH WITH NOTHING BUT CRAP! BY THE WAY THE NURSING HOME OPENED THE SUMMER OF 1965, WITH NO MAJOR CONSTRUCTION SINCE. A LITTLE PAINT HERE AND THERE AND THATS IT.

Wednesday
10/22/08 11:15 AM

huh?:

Why is it that the only place people seem to discuss things is here on this blog, in the Wheatland Inn or Vimbo's or Daylight? Maybe the officials of this town and county, especailly the board and the county attorney should make it a point to go around and drink coffee in all those places while they read what gets written here. Then they would find out what people think and say. The nursing home crap and the hospital threats of closing it down puts blame all around the officials. We should probably get rid of them all and start over.

Tuesday
10/21/08 4:04 PM

Nursing home nonsense:

Its a SHAME that the nursing home has only 25 beds filled 20 years ago it was at FULL capacity plus. 43 beds and swing beds. The residents got EXCELLENT care. IF BANNER HEALTH WOULD REALLY FILL THE NURSING HOME IT WOULD MAKE MONEY!!!! believe me the employees NOW at PCMH & PCMHNH are NOT over worked.
WE NEED LHHS to take the facility back ASAP!!!!!!!!

Monday
10/20/08 4:55 PM

xtcintl:

Wheatland yes could get by without a nursing home for a few years but could the residents in the nursing home get by without it is the question that Banner and the Commissioners and the Hospital Board need to answer. We're all waiting.

Monday
10/20/08 1:50 PM

SCREW THAT:

SCREW THAT.YOU MUST BE ONE OF THE BANNER CEOS WHO ARE RAKING IN THE MONEY THAT SHOULD GO TO THE NURSING HOME.WE WANT A HOSPITAL THAT ISN'T ONLY IN IT FOR THE $$$$$$$$ LIKE BANNER IS AND BANNER IS NOT THE ONLY FISH IN THE SEA.MOST PEOPLE GO TO CASPER OR DOUGLAS UNLESS THEY HAVE TO GO TO PC MEMORIAL EVERYONE KNOWS THAT.LET'S GET A REAL HOSPITAL IN HERE THAT WILL ALSO RUN THE NURSING HOME.TIME TO GET RID OF BANNER, NOT THE HOSPITAL BUT BANNER AND THE HIGH PAID CEOS.

Monday
10/20/08 1:36 PM

Hospital Patient:

Why are people more concerned about losing a crumbling nursing home with 25 residents and 25 employees rather than a state-of-the-art hospital that serves over 8000 Platte County residents with about 130 employees!

Do we really want to keep a 1950's nursing home? Wheatland needs a nice new nursing home that will attract residents from other places at a time when we will have a greater number of people retiring. It IS unfortunate for the 25 current nursing home residents and their families to move now - but to build a new nursing home that is up to code, the residents would have to be displaced at some point - why not now.

Wheatland could go without a nursing home for a few years until funding is available for a new home where many baby boomers could live. Wheatland will need a new NH later more than we need this one now.

What everyone, young and old, needs right now is to keep Banner Health in order to keep our fantastic hospital.

Monday
10/20/08 7:19 AM

more please?:

And how'd that Advisory Board do? They had to pay fines of half a million dollars for one thing, and the fines went to the company that was building the hospital. That hospital project was a scam. The guy in charge of it all got fired for diddling little boys and took off for the Bahamas or Haawaii or somewhere and that's a fact you can check out for yourself. Ask around at the Wheatland Inn in the morning about that hospital project and you'll get an earful. Even if only half of it is actual fact you'll be ready to flip with the scamming and stealing that went on. Ask Bauer what he knows or the town engineer. This could be a movie of the week.

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Wheaterville for the History Buffs

And sorry folks, but if you don't know who Ace is you're just not paying attention :)

Ace pauses from Real Work to reflect, enlighten and shut the cranky guy up.

The Mitch Cozad story "timed out" as in literally. Ace conferred with the in-house Guru who'll cement all the stories into the right-hand column for anyone who likes to beat dead horses. The Guru is busy doing Real Work Guru jobs right now, but hold onto your poison pen and we'll get it up there for you to fume at. The Mitch story has certainly been interesting and likely will get even more so.

Here's the abridged Wheaterville.com history, for anyone interested. Ace quit the PCRT. (That's a chapter in itself, and is most entertaining over a cuppa coffee or a glass of wine.)

Back before the first rattlesnake of the season, an editorial with a totally erroneous and unresearched LIE appeared in the PCRT. Ace, who has a low tolerance for both bad ethics and shoddy research, whipped up a rebuttal but needed a vehicle to get it out there. Ace correctly predicted that the PCRT would not supply the ride, and when that was confirmed by the nut behind the wheel (a most dangerous malfunction in any vehicle) Wheaterville.com was born.

We'll get the Guru to get that seminal work back up in the right-hand column too, so folks can reminisce.

Folks who figgered out who the heck Ace was pretty darn quickly started contacting Ace with story ideas. Clearly there was a hole in the fabric of journalism that only Wheaterville could fill, so Ace cheerfully began writing stuff.

More calls, more emails, more "hey, I L-O-V-E Wheaterville" praise from both natives and transfers and even more hand-covering-mouth whispered accolades from people who didn't think they should be sporting "Go Wheaterville.com" verbal bumper stickers in the checkout line at Safeway. (You really wouldn't believe who's reading Wheaterville! Or maybe you would...)

Be assured that Ace doesn't take offense to any nasty comments. Life'd be pretty boring if that were the case. Do be assured however, that Ace smiles broadly and often at compliments, so thanks to all-y'all who bother to pat backs and scratch itches. 'Tis much appreciated!

Copy and Paste journalism here? Not a chance in Hades. You don't like the way Ace writes? Go somewherez else. Ace'll try to not lose too much sleep over it.

Fans, be patient, 'k? Wheaterville is at that awkward Toddler stage. Smart and sassy enough that folks expect we know what we're doing, but we're really just learning how to maneuver around this strange new world. And we're growing at an astonishing rate, with lots more ideas than time. But winter is a comin'...those long dark days are great for implementing crazy ideas.

Cranky guy, knock off the out-of-your-posterior plagerism/copyright accusations. You can keep being as cranky as you want to about anything else tho. Keeps us on our toes. We like that.

Friday
6/20/08 8:59 PM

Howard Hallibut:

'acne reporter' sounds better considering aces writing level

Tuesday
3/4/08 8:55 AM

Mo Mousie :

Hey Ace, we think it is great that this site is evolving and we know it takes "real work" to keep this site up to date.
Also like the weather reports and the info on Wheatland activities.
BUT, not much from down south in Chugville land?

Tuesday
3/4/08 12:04 AM

Question:

Ace,

Not that I would ever consider enjoying a cuppa coffee or a glass of wine with you..........who is the nut behind the wheel? Why did you have to leave the record times? Is Wheaterville.com your own personal vehicle to 'stir the pot?' It seems, after reading, that that is your intention. I would think 15 minutes of your time could be better spent on other avenues of 'bringing people together.' It may be fun for you to see others in a dither because of what you write and post on the Internet. Remember, although Wheatland and surrounding communities are not large, populated areas, we are not idiots and do care what is written about us. Why don't you try to do something productive with the time you have alloted yourself.

Thursday
10/4/07 9:02 PM

hmmm:

ok (sorry, just seemed to fit the others!)

Thursday
9/13/07 9:02 AM

ff:

Thursday
9/13/07 8:50 AM

ee:

Thursday
9/13/07 8:33 AM

Thursday
9/13/07 6:52 AM

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