Wellness Clinic assets turned over to district

By Pat Grubb

“I think we need to break out the champagne!” “I was expecting fireworks!” Such were the comments of commissioners and staff after the Point Roberts hospital district passed a resolution approving the transfer and receipt of Wellness Clinic’s assets from the fire district. The board took action at its regular board meeting August 14 at the community center.

Previously the Aydon Wellness Center operated under the financial aegis of the fire district. The hospital district was formed in February 2005 after voters approved the formation of a new taxing district but it has taken until now to transfer assets to the new district.

The district’s balance sheet will certainly start out with a healthy balance. Once current bills are satisfied, the district will have over $100,000 in the kitty.

One of the first things the commissioners want to do is to find out community sentiments regarding the Wellness Clinic. They have scheduled a ‘town hall meeting’ for Monday, September 11 at 7 p.m. at the community center on Gulf Road. Coupled with a telephone survey, the board hopes to discover what residents want to see happening with the Wellness Center.

On another front, clinic nurse practitioner Virginia Lester talked to the board about the impact of mental illness in the community. “There are 10 or 12 seriously ill mental patients, some of whom have no support system,” she said. “I feel that Whatcom County should have some social workers up here,” Lester said, adding, “Some of them have legal problems and can’t cross the border.” Approximately five or six appointments a month involve mentally ill patients, according to Lester.

The board voted to send a letter to the Point Roberts parks board, indicating their support of a proposal to lease land to Verizon for a cell tower. The letter gave three reasons for the board’s support, including increased safety from better reception and use of cell phones; future technology advances allowing health monitoring in the homes of vulnerable residents and gaining of revenue for the parks district from otherwise non-productive land. The fire district had previously indicated their support to the parks board for the tower.