June 14, 2005
Union of BC Municipalities
2005 Community Excellence Awards
Suite 60
10551 Shellbridge Way
Richmond, BC
V6X 2W9
To Whom It May Concern:
Re: 2005 Community Excellence Awards
At the general meeting held on May 24, 2005 Council of the Village of Telkwa unanimously passed the following resolution:
GM Res. 05-0-5-202 Szufnarowicz/Girling
THAT Telkwa applies for the Union of BC Municipalities’ 2005
Community Excellence Award for the medical transit program.
CARRIED
Enclosed please find 8 copies of the application and 1 CD/electronic copy of the entire submission for the Community Excellence Award.
Sincerely,
Ron Bowles
Chief Administrative Officer
encl
COMMUNITY AND EXCELLENCE AWARDS
LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION
SMALL COMMUNITY (POPULATION UNDER 5,000)
5-PAGE SUMMARY REPORT
MEDICAL TRANSIT BUS
This project was started due to increasing concerns regarding access to specialized health care in the northwest, especially seniors and physically challenged. There is minimal or no wheelchair transit between communities.
With exorbitant costs involved in travelling, more and more citizens are finding they cannot afford to attend out-of-town specialist appointments. This, of coarse, can have a devastating effect on those with health concerns.
In our area, most people have to travel to Terrace for specialist appointments. Terrace is only a 2- 3 hour drive from the Bulkley Valley, however, public transportation doesn’t always coincide with scheduled times and patients have no other choice but to wait until the next day to travel back home. This involves extra money for meals, hotel rooms, taxi fares, etc.
The Village of Telkwa’s Mayor Sharon Hartwell was instrumental in forming a committee to address this major concern. Mayor Hartwell approached the Northern Health Authority, the Northwest Hospital
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District Board and the Smithers Community Services about implementing a bus service to Terrace for patients with medical appointments such as ophthalmology, post-operative cataract surgery, nuclear medicine, audiologist, and CT scans.
In just nine short months this pilot project was up and running with Mayor Hartwell and the Village of Telkwa’s leadership and the generous partnership of the Smithers Community Services with the use of their bus and operational services, the Northwest Hospital District Board with their donation of $15,000 to finance this project and the Northern Health Authority with their donation of $8,146.00 to have a wheelchair lift installed in the bus.
On June 10, 2004, representatives of the above organizations, as well as representatives from Houston, Telkwa and Hazelton met to form an advisory committee to discuss the planning, service parameters and budget for the project. This committee met a number of times throughout June and July to achieve the methods in securing the medical transit bus.
The Medical Transit Bus currently runs from Houston to Terrace every second week, except holidays. Patients for medical appointments in Terrace are transported from and returned to designated stops in every community along the route. A specialized health care office in Terrace contacts the Smithers
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Community Services office at the time a confirmed appointment is made to reserve a spot on the bus for that patient. All
appointments made for patients using the bus are scheduled between 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. one day every other week. The bus then returns the same day dropping off the patients in their respective communities. The cost for a return trip is an affordable $40.00.
Mayor Hartwell took the initiative to investigate the possibility of using the Smithers Community Services transit bus to help ensure the citizens of the Bulkley Valley are given the chance to receive the best medical care they can get. This project serves an area with approximately 20,000 people. Many of these people have no family close by and the medical transit bus gives them a chance to make it to their appointments.
Mayor Hartwell’s leadership brought together service associations that worked together as a team to see this project become a reality.
Not only has Mayor Hartwell’s initiative brought peace of mind to many northerners with this pilot project, she has paved the way for the Government of BC to use this as a model project for other rural areas; a model that is currently being used by other jurisdictions.
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Mayor Hartwell and the Village of Telkwa deserve to be recognized for their achievement in helping to arrange for citizens in Telkwa and communities throughout the entire Bulkley Valley, to attend their specialist appointments in a safe, cost-saving and timely manner.
Medical Transit Bus
Project Budget
Apr-Sept
Revenue Sept/Oct Nov-Mar 6 Months
Average of 6 Passengers 590.00 2,400.00 3,120.00
Expenses
Insurance 2,200.00 0.00 2,200.00
Wages 1,984.00 4,000.00 5,200.00
Fuel 165.00 1,000.00 1,300.00
R & M 672.24 700.00 1,000.00
Tires 1,100.00______
5,021.24 6,800.00 9,700.00
Net Loss -4,431.24 -4,400.00 -6,580.00
Total Net Loss -15,411.24
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MEDICAL TRANSIT
MONTHLY REVENUE AND EXPENSES
AS OF OCTOBER 31, 2004
Current Month Year to Date Avail. to Date Budget
Revenue
Rental 440.00 3,021.62 0.00 0.00
Expenses
Wages & Benefits
Wages 143.83
CPP 6.17
EI 3.87
WCB 1.13
RRSP ______
Total Wages & Benefits 0.00 155.00 0.00 .0.00
General Expenses
Staff Training
Mileage 188.48
Repair & Maintenance 582.75 0.00 0.00
Insurance 3,184.00
Fuel 70.61 164.99
Contract Services 632.50 1,413.00
Management Fees 0.00 0.00
Administration
Advertising & Donation 89.49______
Total General Expenses 703.11 5,622.71 0.00 0.00
Total Expenses 703.11 5,777.71 0.00 0.00
Surplus (Deficit) -263.11 -2,756.09
COMMUNITY AND EXCELLENCE AWARDS
LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION
SMALL COMMUNITY (POPULATION UNDER 5,000)
1 PARAGRAPH SUMMARY REPORT
MEDICAL TRANSIT BUS
Mayor Hartwell and the Village of Telkwa have brought about a safe, cost-saving, energy-efficient medical transit bus program to the Bulkley Valley. Utilizing the Smithers Community Transit Bus, patients can now travel to out-of-town specialist facilities. This was accomplished in just nine months from idea to conception. Many citizens of the Bulkley Valley are reaping the rewards of being able to get the medical attention they need and be back in the comfort of their homes the same day. It has saved our citizens time, money, better health and sought after assurance. The Medical Transit Bus Program is a first for the North and a model for other communities.