Belhaven medical facility | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: Jim Bispo's column appears in the Beaufort Observer.

    I suppose it's a good thing that several years ago we decided on a not-for-profit company (now Vidant) to take over the Washington Hospital and subsequently seemingly everything else "medical" in the County. Had we gone with the for-profit company that expressed an interest in us, the Belhaven Hospital (Yes, I know it's the Pungo District Hospital.) would have likely been long since gone. (You know how greedy those for-profit companies are...) The largest employer in Belhaven would have been out of business a right good little while ago. Of course... And if we had gone with the "for-profit" company, instead of being a "feeder" medical facility for the Vidant Greenville activity the Washington Hospital may have become a "feeder for some hospital in Tennessee or Kentucky or where ever the for-profit bidder was based. Just think how much that would have added to the transportation costs of anyone who was even close to being seriously ill. Hmmm...

    What is particularly interesting is the vote of the County Commissioners in the 3/14/14 special meeting. "Interesting" may not be the right word. "Distressing" might be a better one. "Disgusting"is probably an even better one yet. The same Commissioners who with great alacrity seem to have open hands when it comes to handing out taxpayer money to their favorite charities don't seem to be able to find it in their collective hearts to support health care in Belhaven. (By the way, has anyone seen any of those folks' Schedule A to verify that they open their own wallets in support of those same charities that they find so captivating during their consideration of the County's budget?? I didn't think so...)

    Do you suppose their willingness to let Vidant do away with the Belhaven Hospital without even giving the town of Belhaven and Hyde County the opportunity to save the only credible medical facility within miles and miles indicates anything about how they feel about the folks of Belhaven. Could it be that Commissioners Langley, Booth, and Klemm found out that the folks who go there are required to show a photo ID - which surely turned them against the Hospital?? We all know that requiring the photo ID would constitute a disenfranchisement of all the minorities in the area - in a similar way as it is when they must show the photo ID when they go to vote. It's a good thing that Rev. Dr. William Barber, NC NAACP President, heard about the need save the hospital and came charging to the rescue (photo IDs not withstanding). It looks as though he is more concerned about the well being of our citizens (maybe all, but surely the minorities among us) than are County Commissioners Langley, Booth, and Klemm. Hmmm.... The one thing that remains questionable is where the NAACP stands on the need to show an photo ID in order to get medical treatment. Maybe that only disenfranchises folks when they are required to show a photo ID to vote. Explaining that distinction should make for some interesting "talking points"....

    We now hear that the hospital will now stay open for a couple of more months. The first question that comes to mind is "How is anyone going to staff the place??" Surely the folks who haven't retired (or weren't able to retire and still need to work) have looked for, and many of them have actually found, other jobs. So what do they do?? Call the new employer and tell them that maybe they may not need the job after all??

    Of course there are a couple more things we should be thinking about. Both Booth and Klemm terms expire this year so if they want to remain in the lofty positions of importance they have occupied for the past several years, they will have to stand for reelection this fall. Normally I wouldn't give un-remunerated advice to the Dems (or faux Republicans) but I will make an exception in this case. To Mr. Booth and Mr. Klemm: Don't bother campaigning in Belhaven and environs this fall. Surely no-one will vote for you after the way you threw the folks there under the Vidant bus. Of course with the Rev. Barber in the game now, perhaps he should run for County Commissioner. We've had Revs. there before and that worked out ok -- didn't it??

    And it's not only that. By their votes, they seem to be telling the folks (all the folks) in Belhaven and environs (including Eastern Hyde County) where they stand when choices boil down to spending taxpayer dollars on a new jail or backing a loan in support of keeping the Belhaven hospital in business. The health care of the folks be damned. The criminals and those waiting for trial deserve better treatment and care than do the long suffering citizens. Of course they do... Do you suppose the real reason for what seems to be total disregard of the peoples' medical needs has anything to do with self aggrandizement?? After all, when the County builds an edifice, there will surely be a plaque installed commemorating the wisdom and generosity or the county rulers who funded the facility. The names Langley, Klemm and Booth will surely be prominently displayed on a bronze plaque somewhere near the entrance of the new edifice. Their names will be enshrined on the new jail for all eternity. When they only provide the backing for a loan, the plaques generally get to be more and more scarce. Of course, as a condition of providing a loan, they could require an aggrandizing plaque be installed, but it still couldn't possibly be as grand as a County constructed edifice..

    D'ya think??