Commission reviews county hospital status – Okays Hope Crisis Center, Wildlife Services budget request
Thayer County Commissioners okayed two budget requests and heard updates from interim TCHS administrator Janel Ali Dinar Wednesday morning, May 29.
“I am pleased with the way things are going at Thayer County Health Services,” the administrator told the officials directing their attention to the hospital work environment. “I have an immense respect for those who work there.”
Dinar said emphasis on reuniting with the community using a “we are one” concept has been the main focus of the administration for the last 60 days. She also said all the directors at the medical facility have incorporated the Clifton Strengths Finders program within the work environment in an effort to improve morale.
Strengths Finders is a personal assessment program which, after reading a book and taking an online test, outlines an individual’s strengths. “The program emphasizes ‘playing to the strengths,’” Dinar said. According to the program’s online site, the creators claim that by identifying the individual strength of the members of an organization, its members can be utilized in more suiting positions, hence developing the required skills easily, helping to reduce turnover, improve employee morale and the organization’s overall performance.
“Our providers (medical staff) will also complete the program,” Dinar added.
In other business at the medical facility, Dinar said the search for a new CEO is still underway indicating that an advertisement is “out there” on the web and includes a description for the job and other information about the local community. She said the facility is shooting for a replacement in August, hoping interviews will be conducted next month.
Dinar added that she intended to present a model of board responsibilities to hospital board members at their regular meeting which was held last week.
And finally, she said an evaluation is being conducted to see if a replacement physician is necessary for TCHS. Dr. Lanik resigned his position earlier this year and is expected to leave at the end of June.
Wildlife Management
In other business, the commissioners approved a $7,150 budget request for area wildlife management. Spencer Nelsen, wildlife specialist, told commissioners that the agency has mostly been working to control the coyote population in Thayer County. Compared to last year, the agency has worked 100 additional hours in the county. Although the exact number of coyotes removed wasn’t stated, Nelsen did say that Thayer County still has a “very healthy population” of coyotes.
Hope Crisis Center
The county leaders also approved a $3,142 budget request for Hope Crisis Center. Hope Crisis Center is a non-profit organization which serves seven counties in Nebraska, including Thayer County. Its services include helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, emergency services for victims and educating the communities. The agency assisted 380 victims and 210 children in the entire area last year.
