By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With just one position open on the Ellinwood Hospital District Board, and two people filing for the seat, both Harry Whiting Jr. and David Gonzales were invited to last week’s Candidate Forum in Great Bend.
Hosted by the League of Women Voters, Whiting Jr. was asked how Ellinwood’s newly constructed hospital will be able to keep a full staff with five hospitals within a 40-mile radius of Great Bend.
"The hospital continues to provide a competitive compensation program," said Whiting. "It plans to keep staff internal and not depending on traveling staff. They have competitive employee benefits, and I would like to see that continue."
Gonzales did not attend the forum but provided written responses that were read. Gonzales has been a resident in Ellinwood since 2005 and has served on the hospital board for approximately 10 years. Gonzales said the board has been approached by a few organizations and individuals on what to do with the old hospital campus.
"I would like to see it used for a non-profit organization helping members of the community," Gonzales wrote in read statement. "There are some concerns with the aging building. After the new hospital is up and running, the board can determine what is best for our district members."
You can watch the entire candidate forum below that was livestreamed by Eagle Media on Great Bend Post.