November 15, 2009
The December Messenger from 1999. Click the image to download the pdf of the whole issue.
Corporation observes 10 years in "New YK" Building
Ten years ago this month, YKHC celebrated the grand opening of its new corporate headquarters in Bethel, the Community Health Services Building. Still known to the cabbies as "New YK," the three-story building has been home to the Dental and Optical clinics, CHAP, Behavioral Health, and YKHC's administrative offices-not to mention Bethel's only elevators. The Messenger takes a look back at the December, 1999, issue that commemorated the event.
by Allen Joseph, Tribal & Program Support Services, December, 1999.
November 19 was a proud day for YKHC's administration, Board of Directors, Facilities & Planning Department, and all the companies that had a hand in the dreaming, planning and construction of the Community Health Services Building. With a ceremonial smudging by Bethel Elder Peter Aluska, speeches of congratulations, and a ribbon-cutting, the building was officially opened for business.
Both new Board Chairman Michael Hunt, Sr. and past Board Chairman Henry Hunter, Sr. recalled the board's long-standing desire to bring YKHC's scattered services under one roof-and expressed the belief in the new facility's promise to improve health care by improving efficiency, communication and cooperation within the corporation.
Guest speakers representing the various contractors who worked on different aspects of the construction praised the high degree of cooperation, teamwork and trust that went into getting the project completed on schedule.
President/CEO Gene Peltola described a dog-team logo concept adopted by YKHC's Behavioral Health Program-The driver is the Board of Directors, health care is the cargo in the sled, and the employees are the dog team-"and I mean to emphasize the employees are a team, not that we're dogs," Peltola said.
Following the ribbon-cutting, YKHC employees took visitors on tours of the building. Souvenir gifts were given to all and food was served by the YKDRH Food Service.
The Community Health Services Building was built with funding made possible by revenue bonds issued by the municipalities of St. Mary's and Emmonak, with the approval of the City of Bethel. The bonds were purchased by the National Bank of Alaska, with repayment of the bonds assumed by YKHC. The bonds will be repaid with IHS funds provided to YKHC for "rent" of the nine office buildings it would have continued to use if the CHSB wasn't built. With this strategy, not one dime of YKHC program or health care services funds were used to construct the facility.
Many praises and thank-yous are in order. To name a few: City Council and staffs of Emmonak, St. Mary's and Bethel; People of Emmonak & St. Mary's; National Bank of Alaska; YKHC Facilities and Planning Dept.; Livingston & Slone, Inc., Architectural Services; Udelhoven Oilfield System Services; Osborne Construction Co.
