Mark your calendar to celebrate Lamar Democrat's open house & ribbon cutting on April 17!
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State auditor to follow up on changes recommended in Liberal audit By RICHARD COOPER Democrat staff writer LIBERAL-Representatives of State Auditor Thomas Schweich will be in Liberal, Monday afternoon, April 14, to follow up on action taken to correct deficiencies found in a petition audit of Liberal city government for the calendar year 2012. A 19-page Citizens Summary was read to concerned citizens by Deputy State Auditor Harry Otto, last October 1, at a public meeting in the Kneeland Center. It found deficiencies in seven categories of city government. They varied from lack of review of utility rates to no formal bidding policy to tardy approval of the city budget. Otto said at that time State Auditor Schweich requires the audit team to do a follow up examination of the entity being audited and issue a report of its findings. That report will be heard starting at 1 p.m. in the Kneeland Center.
Empire District seeks to increase its fuel adjustment charge
Lamar's prom royalty from left, Levi Petersen and Mariah Thompson; Alie Medlin, queen, and Ethan Taffner, king; and Isaac Gariss and Lauren Nichols at the historic Ramsay building in Joplin on Saturday, March 29. This year's theme, “Young and Beautiful”, was inspired by the Great Gatsby.
Receive a free $10 gift card plus tips to shopping healthier on a budget LAMAR-University of Missouri Extension will reach out to the community to provide a guided Grocery Store Tour to Help Families Buy Healthy and Affordable Foods. Cooking Matters at the Store is an interactive grocery store tour that teaches low-income families to shop for healthy, affordable food. Participants learn to find whole grains, buy fruits and vegetables on a tight budget,
compare unit prices and read food labels. Participants will learn practice skills including buying fruits and vegetables on a budget, comparing unit prices to find bargains, reading and comparing food labels, identifying whole grains and sticking to your budget. After the tour you will receive a free $10 gift card to the grocery store, free workbook full of tasty recipes and simple tips on buying healthy, low-
cost foods and a free reusable grocery bag. Want to save money at the store? Want to buy healthy foods to feed your family? Need some tasty and healthy recipes for your family? If you said yes, join the University Extension for a free Cooking Matters at the Store, a guided grocery store tour to be held May 19 and June 9, 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., The program is free; however, registration is required. To
register for tours please call 417-682-3579 and leave your name, number and preferred date. For more information on nutrition go online to http:// extension.missouri.edu or contact one of the nutrition and health specialists working in the Ozarks: Dr. Lydia Kaume in Barton County, 417682-3579; Dr. Pam Duitsman in Greene County, 417-8818909 or Cammie Younger in Texas County, 417-967-4545.
Barton County Memorial Hospital posts $717,041 financial gain in 2013 The Barton County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees were called to order by Chairperson Karen Wegener on Monday, March 24. Other members present were Jill Purinton, Tom Shaw, Mike Vaughan and Mike Buchanan. Also in attendance were CEO Wendy Duvall, Director of Finance/CFO Michelle Casey, Director of Nursing Marlys Buckner, Human Resources Director Sheila Boice and Director Quality/Risk Management Eden Ogden. Guests present were Chief of Medical Staff Dr. Thomas Hopkins and David Taylor with BKD. The February 24 minutes were approved as written. Taylor presented a preliminary 2013 audit report. The report indicated improvement in the cash position of the hospital in comparison to 2013. A positive net revenue of $717,041 was experienced for the year. During 2013, BCMH received approximately $1,480,000 in revenue from Electronic Health Record Incentive payments, which allowed an increase in the cash of $324,000. Taylor reported that it is recognized that one of the most significant factors in the 2013 gains by the hospital could be attributed to the decrease in expenses. While this was very difficult to achieve, it was necessary and will continue to be a significant factor into the future. The audit will be finalized and a report will be available within the next month or so.
JEFFERSON CITY-The Empire District Electric Company has filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission to increase the fuel adjustment charge on the bills of its electric customers. Empire has made two filings. In its annual true-up filing, Empire states the trueup reflects an over recovery of approximately $231,336. In a separate filing, the utility proposes to raise the fuel adsee EMPIRE, page 4A
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SECTION A Correspondents......................... 2 Friends & Family....................... 3 Friends & Family....................... 4 School.......................................... 5 Sports.......................................... 6 SECTION B Records....................................... 2 Records/Legals........................... 3 Legals........................................... 4 Classifieds................................... 5 Area News.................................. 6
Boice reported that only replacements are being made within the hospital, with no new positions at this time. There was an increase of one full time employee for the month of March for a total of three new employees hired this year. The increase is due to overtime created with computer training for new IT System components and ICD-10. Duvall reported that contact had been made with Howard Dockery regarding the old hospital building. He is still interested in looking at obtaining the property and developing some type of business to utilize the existing structure. Duvall will continue to communicate with Dockery regarding the property and will report the progress made at the April board meeting. Dr. Hopkins reported that currently all physicians are going through HMS training. Cean Cornish and Paul Stebbins are presenting the training, being present during morning rounds and weekends to assist. They are also making changes as they go in order to make it easier for the physicians. Dr. Hopkins is planning to work with Dr. Sturgell, ER director, to address concerns regarding soft admissions. This may include the development of criteria to evaluate the patient's status and aid in communication between the ER physician and the patient's primary care physician, to assure that patients are being admitted properly. The February bills that had previously been sent to board members were
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approved for payment as submitted. Boice brought the student loan policy for discussion with the board. The following suggestions were made to change the policy: BCMH will not approve any student loans for a program of study in which the hospital does not employ the position and the student loan program will pay for 75 percent of the cost of the total program, with the maximum amount for a Certification, Licensure or Associate's Degree of $8,000, Bachelor's Degree maximum amount of $12,000 or an Advanced Degree maximum amount of $15,000. It was unanimously approved to make the changes as presented. With no further business for the regular session, a motion was made by Purinton that the meeting adjourn to executive session for the purpose of discussing peer review in accordance with Statute 610.021(14), closed meeting, closed record. The board reconvened in regular session to report the following actions taken during the closed session. Edward Gwin, M.D., was presented for re-appointment privileges in Consulting, Pulmonology/Sleep Study. Derek Urban, M.D. was presented for appointment from temporary to full privileges in Consulting, Radiology. All were in favor, approving the recommended physicians for re-appointment. With no further business the meeting was adjourned.