Riverside finishes year with a surplus

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Riverside Health Care Facilities (RHF), the board that oversees Rainy River, Emo and Fort Frances Hospitials and Rainycrest Home for the Aged, held its Annual General Meeting in Rainy River last Thursday.
The meeting was attended by a handful of people, unlike years ago when arena’s would be filled with voting members. With little fanfare several reports were adopted as presented in the 2013 Annual Report.
Board Chair/CEO report
Chair Michelle Marinaro highlighted the previous year. “The year started with Riverside...welcoming its new President and CEO, Allan Katz. Under his leadership the organization put together a new strategic plan for the next three years. “It is important to note that the strategic plan aligns with the province’s Action Plan for Health Care and the North West Local Health Integration Network’s Health Services blueprint.
Another big event for Riverside was the purchase and unveiling of a state of the art digital mammography machine at LaVerendrye Hospital (Fort Frances).
Chief of Staff report
Dr. Phillip Whatley spoke about staffing including the addition of Dr. Joe Ennett who joined Dr. David Singleton in Rainy River to resolve the shortage of doctors in the community.
Whatley also said steps have been taken towards a regional perspective on health care delivery, with online regional credentialing for physicians, dentists and nurse practitioners. “This provides more consistent policies for professional credentialing. We look forward to less duplication and improved efficiency of “paper” work, especially for medical staff requiring privileges at more than one site.”
Riverside Foundation report
The Foundation welcomed a new Chair, Mrs. Livia Lundon. She took over from long time chair Deane Cunningham.
The Foundation is the fundraising arm of RHF and in the past year it transferred over $260,000 to RHF for equipment purchases.
It too celebrated the successful purchase and unveiling of the new mammography machine; raising $650,000 through the Together We Can campaign!
Auxiliary Reports
LaVerendrye Auxiliary’s 215 members celebrated six members reaching the 30 year mark and seven reaching the 40 year mark as members of the organization. They pledged $60,000 toward the mammography machine to mark the organizations 60th year.
Emo Aux. celebrated its 27th year and pledged $15,000 to the mammography machine, of which they have raised $4,000 to date.
Rainy River Aux. donated $15,000 to the mammography machine and held many successful events over the year.
Rainycrest Aux. turned 60 and presented several members with 25 and 30 year pins.
Auditor’s Report
Jon Evans of BDO Dunwoody gave the corporation two thumbs up! Not only were the books in good shape he complimented staff for smoothly switching to a new accounting system. In the consolidated operating revenue and expense summary Riverside had $40,919,793 in revenue and $40,747,749 in expenses for a surplus of $172,044. The only areas of the corporation that were showing a deficit in the financial report presented at the AGM was Rainycrest Home for the Aged who had a $47,019 deficit; up from $42,830 the previous year.
Elections
Only two people applied for the three vacancies on the board so there were no elections at this year’s AGM. Jan Beazley and Doug Robinson (of Rainy River) were acclaimed. To fill the third seat the AGM passed a special resolution to allow Norma Elliott to sit for another three year term if need be. She just completed three consecutive terms, the maximum allowed. She will sit until someone else wishes to step forward and sit on the board.
Special Recognition
Chair Marinaro personally thanked outgoing board members Irene Laing and Larry Armstrong.
Housekeeping
Several bylaw amendments were passed at the AGM including changes to the vision statement, board composition, quorum requirements and an Audit/Finance committee was added to the organizations committee structure.
BDO Dunwoody was also reappointed as the RHF auditors.
The meeting adjourned 30 minutes after started.