For the past several years the Iola Register has been falling behind its competitors in the annual Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence.
We still score very well in editorial content — the way we write and what we say — but we’re missing the boat in design and photography. Because of those gaps, we’re overlooked for the Sweepstakes Award that recognizes overall excellence.
The awards serve more than to make us feel good. They are proof to others that we are on top of our game.
So, with this in mind, the Register is undertaking a redesign, including becoming a full-color product. The new look begins Nov. 1.
The change requires sacrifice, commitment and flexibility on our part. We’re facing a huge learning curve. What we’ll get in return is a superior product that we know will please our advertisers and readers.
Which brings me to the Nov. 2 vote for a quarter-cent sales tax that will help finance a new hospital.
The Register and Allen County Hospital have a lot in common. We’re old salts who know what to do and do it well. Trouble is, we don’t look like we do. The Register’s black and white pictures put us in the stone age for today’s sophisticated readers. Our antiquated look is a turnoff.
Likewise, the hospital has a top-notch crew, but its 58-year-old building sends the message that it’s behind the times, much less able to stay ahead of future demands.
Perception — how we are viewed by others — is key. The hospital, the newspaper, our schools, stores and city as a whole — are all in the business of putting our best feet forward so people will want to live here and use our services.
If we don’t, the market will find those who do.
TAKING BACK local control of the hospital is key to keeping it competitive.
As a renter, Hospital of Corporation of America has no interest in or incentive to modernize the hospital. As long as the hospital turns a profit, HCA is happy.
That’s been the same scenario for the past 27 years as the hospital has been handed off to succeeding companies that have leased the hospital from the county.
Yes, it’s been convenient to outsource the hospital’s operations to professionals. But it’s also been costly. That’s 27 years of profits padding someone else’s pockets. Had we been able to keep even a fraction of that income, we’d have the necessary nest egg to build a new hospital.
Instead, we’re starting with a zero balance.
The lesson is that our situation will never improve unless we take the initiative to start anew — now.
Step 1 is to vote Nov. 2 for a quarter-cent sales tax that, with funds committed by the City of Iola, will guarantee we can meet the debt service of the $30 million needed to finance a new hospital. (A quarter-cent sales tax is an extra quarter for every $100 spent. Talk about a feather touch!)
Step 2 is to end our contract with HCA and regain financial control of the hospital.
Step 3 is to then hire a management service, such as HCA.
Step 4 is to form a local board of trustees who would hire their own CEO and his or her team.
A “YES” vote Nov. 2 will give our hospital — and its 160 employees — a secure future. I dare not think of the alternative.
–Susan Lynn
