Finances a main topic

By Mary Alice Murphy

After the reading of the mission, vision, and values of Gila Regional Medical Center by Trustee Tony Trujillo at the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, the first act of business was to recognize Angelia Barrios for her 15 years of service in the surgery recovery room. She was not present to accept the recognition.

Auxiliary President Frances Day presented her report. She said two new volunteer members were working at the front desk that day.

Board Chairman Jeremiah Garcia noted that the auxiliary calculates the work of the volunteers at $22 an hour, which equals about $93,400 of benefit to the hospital each year.

Day said she and two other GRMC auxilians attended part of the New Mexico Hospital Association annual meeting in Albuquerque. "We met a lot of auxilians from around the state. The speakers were excellent and spoke to the changes in hospital care and the opportunities for volunteers. One of our goals is recruitment and retention of our volunteers. We appreciate your mutual support."

Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham gave his report and highlighted a couple of items. One was an update on the activities happening around the communication plan for the mill levy. "The board and others have given us suggestions that we have included."

He said some of the groups to whom he has spoken support the mill levy, "while others are clear about why they do not support it."

Another highlight was an article on the University of New Mexico Hospital attempting to renew its 6.4-mill levy, which would provide $95 million a year to the hospital. "The issues they face are similar to oursG