Vacant MMC space proposed for EMS

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Port Lavaca Wave Newspaper for Port Lavaca, Texas with Port Lavaca real estate,

news, and entertainment

Saturday's Internet Edition, 1:34 AM, December 8, 2001.

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Vacant MMC space proposed for EMS

Exploring the future

Sable , a junior at Calhoun High School, visits with Dave

Green, of Golden Crescent Tech Prep Partnership during “College and Career

Night” held at CHS on Tuesday. Representatives from several universities and

businesses, as well as the armed forces, were on hand to answer student’s

questions regarding career opportunities. (Wave photo by Tania French)

By CHARLYN FINN - The Memorial Medical Center (MMC) board of trustees

voted Tuesday night to recommend to the Calhoun County Commissioners Court that

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) be moved from its current site into vacant space

in the hospital.

CEO Buzz Currier told the hospital board that there is a room near the MMC

emergency room that could be used by EMS personnel on duty. There is plenty of

vacant space on the second floor that could be used by EMS personnel who are

resting until they go on active duty.

Currier said the sheltered space in the parking lot outside the emergency

room could be extended to protect the EMS vehicles.

A commissioner’s court proposal to issue bonds to fund a new building for

EMS was voted down in the November election.

Currier told the hospital board that EMS must be moved because the current

location, the old Port Lavaca fire house, is unsafe. “There is space in MMC,” he

said. I suggest that we move EMS into the hospital. I feel the board should make

a recommendation to commissioner’s court.

We have space on the second floor. There is ample and comfortable space to

house EMS. It would save on utilities cost at the old fire house. Moving EMS

into the hospital would be more economical and more safe. We can put the

vehicles in the parking spots in front of the emergency room. There is a cover

over the entrance that could be extended and it would protect the ambulances.”

Currier said he believes the proposal is in the best interest of the

county and the hospital.

“If we have room for it we will save the taxpayers lots of money,” Trustee

Diebel said.

Currier said he has already discussed his proposal with EMS Director Henry

Barber. “Is he overjoyed, no,” Currier said. “He

was expecting something else. It is not mine or Henry’s place to make this

decision.”

Barber’s immediate supervisors are the administration of MMC and its board

of trustees.

Dialysis center

Lynne Voskamp, director of clinical service, informed the hospital board

that “great strides have been made towards full compliance with state and

federal regulations.”

The center, located in Memorial Medical Plaza, was recently inspected by

the Texas Health Department after a complaint was filed.

According to Voskamp, the state surveyor will be returning for a resurvey.

She said she and Dialysis Nurse Manager Janette DeBord recently attended a

statewide conference update on nephrology with the center’s monitors. “We

received some positive feedback there from the state on our progress,” Voskamp

said.

“The monitors have decreased their time in the unit from five days to

three days per week.”

The hospital board corrected one of the deficiencies noted by the Texas

Department of Health during its inspection Tuesday night by approving the

purchase of trendelenberg treatment chairs that prevent patients from going into

shock position. Eleven chairs will be purchased for $11,081.42 and $10,000 of

that will be funded by the Hospital Auxiliary.

According to Voskamp, MMC “has it on good authority that the chairs are

unsatisfactory and will have to be replaced.”

The MMC finance committee also recommended to the hospital board that the

chairs be replaced.

New employees

Voskamp further reported that several nurses have been hired and are

currently under nurse orientation. She said the hospital is still short on

intensive care unit nurses.

Voskamp said she is also working with Thom Forbis, RN, concerning the

emergency department. Special survey forms have been prepared so patients can

express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Complaints are being followed up.

A nurse technician position has been created and this person will act in a

public relations capacity. The position also requires basic patient care duties

and clerical duties.

Voskamp noted that three emergency department employees resigned as the

result of the new changes. She said two of the staff indicated that they do not

share the goals of the current administration. “It is interesting to note that

all three individuals have received multiple patient complaints and have been

counseled for each,” she said.

Finance report

Saad Mikhail, finance director, reported that MMC earned a $616,247 profit

through October 2001. Operating revenue through that period totals $14,133,952

vs. expenses of $13,517,705.

Mikhail reported that hospital revenues were reduced by Medicare and

Medicaid adjustments, indigent/charity and bad debt expenses totaling

$11,812,427.54.

Medical staff

The hospital board approved the initial provisional status appointment of

Dr.

Bangaruswamy V. Kumar in neurology.

The board approved the reappointments of Drs. Ned Stein, Mohammad Salim,

Lee and and DO Lorenz.

The board also approved the reappointment of physician assistant Abelardo

Montes.

The board approved allowing Currier to execute general contracts with or

without attorney consultation. Currier assured he would not approve a contract

he does not understand.

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INSIDE NEWS STORIES

SPORTS PAGE

Cowgirls corral Sandies, 49-34

By JOHN LOWMAN

CHS — Breanna Weathersby’s second quarter three-pointer seemed

to spark the Calhoun High School Sandies here Tuesday. As they have in several

early-season games, the Sandies found themselves playing catchup . . . [ Full

story ]

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Layoffs dismay Alcoa employees

A touching moment

Alfonso and Adela Velasquez (above) of Port Lavaca attended the

opening ceremonies Thursday in Port O’Connor of the traveling Vietnam Veterans

Memorial Wall replica and came away very moved. “It was a very emotional moment

for me,” Adela said. “We lost our nephew, Mesada, during the Vietnam War

on July 30, 1970 – he was only 20 years old – so young, so young to die in such

a faraway place.” The couple visited the replica of the Washington, D.C.

memorial on Thursday morning at King Fisher Beach and were able to locate and

touch their loved one’s name on the wall. The memorial wall display, which has

been dubbed “The Wall that Heals,” will be in Port O’Connor through Sunday. The

memorial is open to the public around the clock. Attendants are on duty and can

use a computer search system to help find the names of fallen loved ones.

Closing ceremonies are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the beach. (Wave photo by

Steve Bales)

By CHARLYN FINN - Some Alcoa employees that took early retirement package

offers are discovering their offers are less attractive than the severance

packages offered persons who are eligible for retirement and have been laid off

as of Dec. 1.

Last July, when the early retirement packages were offered, some persons

eligible for retirement were denied early retirement packages and were told they

could retire under the regular program but would not be offered early retirement

because they were “necessary employees.”

One Alcoa employee told The Wave he is feeling somewhat confused. In July

he was told he was a “necessary employee” and now, four months later, he finds

he is no longer necessary and is being laid off even though he has 32 years

tenure with Alcoa.

Last July, 120 Alcoa employees were offered early retirement packages that

reportedly have less monetary value than the recent retirement/severance

packages.

Those who have been laid off at the Point Comfort site have been told that

if there are job openings at other Alcoa job sites, requiring their skills, they

will be notified.

Other Alcoa employees being laid off, who are reportedly just barely under

the retirement level, are being told they will not be offered retirement

packages because they don’t meet the requirements.

The Wave talked to several Alcoa employees from the most recent layoff

group. They did not wish their names to be printed for fear of more

consequences.

Laurel Cahill, communications and community affairs supervisor for the

Point Comfort Alcoa Operations declined to comment on the above allegations.

Cahill did state that “Alcoa did offer a special early retirement program

earlier in the year to hourly and salaried employees who met certain age and

service eligibility requirements. “The qualified individuals affected by the

Dec. 1, 2001 work force reduction can retire under certain retirement provisions

based on their age and years of service and receive pension benefits.”

“In addition, all employees affected by the Dec. 1, 2001 work force

reduction will receive severance packages up to a maximum of 56 weeks salary,

depending on their time with the company,” Cahill said.

Forty-five Point Comfort salaried Alcoa employees are being laid off,

effective Dec. 1.

The layoffs go back to the reduction rates announced early in 2001 due to

the decline in demand for Alcoa alumina.

On Feb. 9, 2001, Alcoa Inc. announced that it would adjust its alumina

refining production. Effective immediately, it was announced Alcoa World Alumina

reduced the operating rate at its Point Comfort, Texas refinery to between 1.6 –

1.9 million metric tons per year (mtpy) compared with its rated capacity of 2.3

million mtpy. The move, Alcoa announced, was in response to decreased external

and internal demand for alumina. Alcoa said production levels at Point Comfort

would be evaluated in light of future supply commitments. Worldwide, Alcoa’s

alumina capacity is 14.1 million mtpy.

Based on supply available from the company’s other refineries, the full

output from Point Comfort would not be needed at this time, Cahill said in

February.

In 2001, 120 Alcoa employees were given the opportunity over a 45-day

period to accept early retirement packages, 30 employees were laid off in

October and 45 in November effective as of Dec. 1.

Layoffs to date have occured in the Point Comfort alumina plant.

It is also possible that additional layoffs will be announced.

Some of the more recent employees that were laid off said they did find

out until 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27.

“Alcoa wants the community to know that the changes made now are designed

to position the plant for a strong come back once the economy and demand for our

product recovers,” Cahill said. “The demand for product is tied to the demand

for alumina.”

Cahill said last week there is a general economic downturn and Alcoa is

adjusting its alumina capacity at the Point Comfort plant. “This is done when

business conditions warrant making special arrangements, Cahill said. “Alcoa

continues to look at workforce needs in light of reduced production capacity.”

Nationwide Alcoa, to date, has slashed about 6,500 jobs at facilities in

the Americas as well as in Europe and is closing a plant in Pennsylvania, it was

announced last week. This represents 4.6 percent of the worldwide workforce of

140,000. Alcoa has 500 locations in 38 countries.

Some positive developments were announced at the Alcoa chemical plant

recently. The Calhoun County Navigation District authorized Port Director Bob

Van Borssum to negotiate a new easement for Alcoa by the Port of Port

Lavaca/Point Comfort’s conveyor dock. This involves an agreement allowing Alcoa

to have a 10-year easement to be used for the construction of a six-inch

stainless steel pipeline to receive as much as 100,000 short tons per year of

sulfuric acid to be used in the company’s production of aluminum fluoride.

This is an on-line publication of

The Port Lavaca Wave

107 East Austin

P.O. Box 88

Port Lavaca, TX 77979

361/552-9788

fax 361/552-3108

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