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editor@newslj.com April 9, 2015 -- 3
news letter journal N@W$
CEO visits hospital
Denice Pisciotti/NLJ
Weston County Health Services Board Trustee, Barry Peterson, Pharmacy Manager
Tavis Weidenbach and Angela Phillips, Infection Prevention, Employee Health and
Credentialing Coordinator, listen to Regional Health's Chief Executive Officer Brent
Phillips talk about ways he can help the critical access hospital. Regional Health has a
Management Agreement with WCHS to help operate the facility through the employment
of the hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Maureen Cadwell. Although Cadwell is employed
by Regional Health (which also owns and operates the local clinic), she is selected by the
local hospital board. Regional Health also provides consulting services for the depart-
ments withinRegional Health.
Council deals with leave
:lexi$ 'z that policy is stated in days instead of days and half days,
NLJ Reorter instead of hours, which would provide for all
The Newcastle City Council
passed a resolution at their
regular meeting on April 6
that will change the wording
When it comes to how city
employees' vacation, funeral,
]nd sick leave will work.
City Clerk/Treasurer
Charita Brunner addressed the
issue in a Personnel Committee
Meeting in March, explaining
that a Newcastle Police Officer
had needed three days of paid
leave for a funeral, Because
members of the police force
work 10 hour shifts, that
was equivalent to 30 hours,
which created some confusion
because most city employees
would only get 24 hours of paid
leave for a three day absence.
Previously, the funeral leave
was set up so an employee
could take up to three days,
which the officer did, but
Brunner feared that a precedent
:had been set that was unfair to
employees that only work an
ight hour day, as compared
,to the ten hour days work by
police officers.
"- The committee discussed
at the issue lies in the fact
L;'
"Everything works on hours
anyways," Chief of Police Jim
Owens suggested, noting that
employees still work a 40 hour
week regardless of whether
that is covered in eight or 10
hour shifts.
He said there are incon-
sistencies in other aspects of
the policies as well, and spe-
cifically mentioned the issue of
vacation leave, which is taken
in either half day or full day
increments. He explained that
because of the department's ten
hour shift schedule, his officers
are losing out when it is worded
this way because half days are
described as a four hour period,
while full days only cover an
eight hourperiod. :
'q totally understand
his concerns With vacation:
Funeral leave is my only issue,"
declared Brunner, expressing
concern that the officer received
a six hour benefit over what
everyone else would receive
for the same situation.
City Councilman Roger
Hespe offered a solution to the
committee that would simply
involve changing all leave
hours to cumulative hours
employees to access the same
amount of time.
City Attorney Jim Peck
wrote a resolution that
addressed these issues, and it
was presented by Mayor Greg
James on April 6 at the coun-
cil's first meeting of the month.
The resolution converted leave
days to hours, and established
that vacation can be taken in
one hour increments and sick
leave can be taken in 15 minute
intervals. It also established
that funeral leave can include
no longer than 24 hours, but
there was no limit on how
many times an employee can
access funeral leave.
"Unfortunately, deaths
happen,Y. : professed Hespe,
the former':A'gton County
Coroner, wberV, discussion
arose concerning the number of
times an employee can access
the funeral leave.
The resolution passed
the City Council with no
discussion and everyone in
favor of the motion made
in support of the resolution
by Councilwoman Linda
Hunt and seconded by
Councilwoman Kara Sweet.
Gas selection period underway
• SourceGas Distribution LLC ("SourceGas")
launched the start of the 2015 Wyoming Choice
"Gas selection period on Friday, April 3, 2015,
which runs through Thursday, April 23, 2015.
Residential and commercial natural gas cus-
0mers will have their annual opportunity to
select from one of seven pre-qualified sup-
pliers. During the three week selection period,
suppliers are competing to provide for each
customer's natural gas commodity needs for the
upcoming Choice Gas period, which runs from
June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016.
SourceGas customers should have received
their selection packets on or before April 3.
The participating natural gas suppliers will
provide information on various pricing options
to customers during the three weeks of the
selection period, either directly or through
.advertising.
"The Choice Gas selection period gives
customers an easy way to choose the supplier
and price option that suits them best, thus man-
aging their monthly natural gas utility bills,"
said Rich Brewer, Choice Gas Administrator.
e'We encourage all our customers to actively
participate by evaluating the different pricing
options offered by the Choice Gas suppliers and
making a selection that makes the most sense
for their energy needs and budget. SourceGas
will continue to provide their utility distribution
and billing service regardless of which supplier
the customer chooses."
The Wyoming Choice Gas Program, entering
its 19th year, has always experienced high
customer participation. For further informa-
tion on the Wyoming Choice Gas program,
contact SourceGas at 1-877-245-3506 or visit
the Choice Gas website at www.choicegas.com.
TOUr from page 1 ..........................................................................................................................................................
attend the session, according to Catchpole, can
look forward to inclusive dialogue aimed at
generating ideas.
"Tour 23 is designed to begin conversations
in 23 counties with 23 business and community
leaders in an open forum," the invitation declared,
and Catchpole explained that the session will
give the private and public sectors of the business
world an opportunity to convene in a common
'work space and include themselves in dialogue
'that will hopefully generate ideas. He continued
that another question he hopes can be answered
is "What do we do in the future?" in order to
help continue ongoing success for Wyoming
businesses.
"These conversations will culminate in a
report on public and private economic activities
and best practices across the state," proclaimed
the invitation.
Cathpole reported that after the meeting at
every location, a document will be generated that
will serve as a draft report. He clarified that the
reason for doing this is to ensure that nothing gets
left out of the report and that it can be compiled
with the most accurate information from the
sessions.
In actuality, Catchpole continued, there will
be a total of 24 draft reports due to two sessions
being held in Lincoln County. These draft reports
will then be combined into an overall statewide
report showing the economic activities and prac-
tices for the entire state.
"The report will be featured at the Governor's
economic forum in November of 2015," the
invitation concluded.
Catchpole expanded on this, adding that the
report will also be available for anyone wishing
to view it because it is going to be completely
public.
Tour 23is set to kick off on April 13 in Crook
County, and it will continue across the state
until early summer. The tour is being endorsed
by. the Wyoming Bankers Association, the
Wyoming .Economic Development Association,
the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, the
Wyoming County Commissioners Association,
chamber of commerce, state legislators, and
others.
,::: Visit us online at www.newslj.com!
e
Memorial Hospital of Converse County Orthopedic and
Sports Medicine specializes in the treatment and repair of
sports related, injuries, traumatic injuries, fracture care and
total joint replacement.
The group's anterior approach to hip replacement typically
involves an overnight stay in the hospital, faster recover times
and less pain.
Newcastle Clinic Located at
North Platte Physical Therapy
360 West Main Street
Newcastle, WY 82701
. Call to make your appointment
(307) 358-7302
Memorial Hospital of Converse County Department of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine - Douglas, WY 82633
....... www,ConverseHospital,com - (307) 358-2122 - Equal Opporturdty Provider
Dr, Scott Croft