Thank you, Choteau resident, for enlightening us

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the Choteau resident enlightening us with answers to Choteau's health care facilities.

When an entity is purchased by a larger company it is a given after a certain time period the purchaser would place their chosen CEO and governing board in place.

The local board being kept in place for collection of funds I didn't know about. But being Benefis producers a positive bottom line and that levy is in place by law why would they not do what is necessary to collect those funds?

Perhaps the value placed by TMC on their assets could be inflated - so often the values placed by one on their own property only reflect their wishes - not a true value placed by a professional.

The financial standing of the Malta complex may not be conducive to a purchase by Benefis or any other medical care professional.

1. The latest $300,000 purchase of Country Home operations comes with no qualifying real property to add to capital value. Merely blue sky.

2. Capital improvements to the nursing home in the recent past years does carry some value but the indebtedness may be too high.

3. The day to day operating short fall of $190,000 (as of the January 31 (as per financial statement sent to me upon request) is a negative.

As of this writing approximately $310,000 has been community raised to lower the above indebtedness.

Why not at least look into what Benefis or any other medical operationals could offer? Malta and Phillips County offer many generous benefactors and freely give to so many needs. It would be so much better to have a sound solid financial footing for local health care and not have to go to the public to cure financial missteps.

Perhaps a citizen group should be appointed to research the options for the hospital complex. Hopefully we won't be one of the 6.3% of local hospitals projected to close in the next few years.

Barbara Schlocker

Malta