Dozens Lobby For Hospital

Hundreds of people signed a petition calling for a public vote on dissolution of the East Shoshone Hospital District.

But the vast majority of about 130 people who showed up at a public hearing Tuesday night urged Shoshone County commissioners not to put the issue to a public vote. Instead, they said, give the newly reopened Silver Valley Medical Center, formerly Henry L. Day Hospital, a chance.

People filled the seats, lined the walls and spilled into the lobby and the jury box at the Shoshone County Courthouse.

Anticipating the turnout, the Wallace City Council had scheduled its monthly meeting two hours early to allow people to attend the 6 p.m. hearing.

The hearing was prompted by the petition asking that the option of dissolving the conflict-ridden district be put before voters. It garnered 683 signatures - about one out of six residents of the hospital district - before it was filed.

Commissioners may decide today if the issue will be put to a vote.

“I’m a carpenter. I believe in building things up, not tearing them down,” said Jon Ruggles, author of the petition. “I don’t see this as tearing down.”

Ruggles said he took on the issue because he believes the county would be better-served by one hospital district, eliminating duplication of services. He read from a 24-page document complete with charts, graphs and statistics.

He said statistics show the district would need at least 2,300 more people to support the hospital and that $172,000 in tax dollars could be returned to circulation in the county if the district were dissolved.

Ruggles said the hospital lost $1.75 million from 1991 to 1994, and he pointed out that only 3.1 percent of the West Shoshone Hospital District’s budget - which funds the Shoshone Medical Center in Kellogg - comes from tax dollars, while 27.7 percent of East Shoshone’s budget is supplied by its levy.

But Robin Stanley, board chairman of the East Shoshone Hospital District, said he doubts whether taxes would go down if the district were dissolved. One of the few voices in support of the petition was Mary Lou Budvarson of Silverton, who told commissioners: “When we moved to Coeur d’Alene 30 years ago, we heard the same thing. Two small hospitals were fighting. When they finally got together, it was to the benefit of everyone,” she said.