Ground Breaking for New “Brenda Boss Family Resource Center”

Big Bear Lake, CA, May 9, 2012, 3:00pm - Under sunny, blue skies the Bear Valley Community Healthcare District broke ground on Wednesday morning for a new facility on hospital property on Garstin Drive.  The new facility will be known as The Brenda Boss Family Resource Center to honor Brenda Boss for her years of dedication and determination towards improving healthcare in Big Bear.  Board of Director for the Bear Valley Community Hospital, Brad Summers, addressed the crowd with introductions and thanks for those who have helped to set this project up for success.  The Brenda Boss Family Resource Center project is the first expansion of the hospital campus since 1974.  Dignitaries on hand included Dr. Peter Boss who is a physician in the hospital’s emergency room and son of Brenda Boss.  Dr. Boss reiterated his mother’s passion for a hospital in Big Bear with “as long as I can remember, my mother wanted a hospital in Big Bear and I wanted to become a doctor”.  In 1949, Dr. Boss was born in Big Bear in the doctor’s office that now houses Murray’s Saloon.  As early as 1955, Mrs. Boss’ dream of building a hospital began when she formed the Bear Valley Community Health Fund.  And, Dr. Boss commented that the hospital would not exist without the support of this community.   The Brenda Boss Family Resource Center will house the Family Health Center and the Mom & Dad Project as well as twelve exam rooms and three treatment rooms within the footprint of the new building’s 8500 square feet.  This state of the art facility will provide diverse medical and educational resources to our community and visitors with expanded services and specialties as well as create jobs locally.  The added volume of the new building will generate enough income to offset the additional expenses for construction with a projected cost of $3.5 million.  Construction is estimated to last for eight months with the proposed opening date of March 2013.

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Otto Lacayo Appointed As New Bear Valley Healthcare District Board Member

Big Bear, Ca, July 29, 2011, 4:00pm - The Bear Valley Community Healthcare District swore in new board member Otto Lacayo on July 29^th after he was appointed by the Board of Directors in a unanimous vote.  Four people submitted applications for the position that was left vacant when former board president Dr. Christopher Fagan resigned.  The board had decided to fill the position by appointment, as a special election would cost $50,000.  The four people were former board member Katherine Bauch, Otto Lacayo, owner of Urgent Care Steve Combs, and a local attorney, Denna Champagne.  The board invited the four applicants to their July 26^th meeting, in which Combs and Champagne were the only applicants to attend.  They were asked a series of questions that were predetermined by the Board, and the meeting was adjourned to July 28^th.  Lacayo was the only applicant who attended this board meeting, and explained that he was not at the meeting on the 26^th because his 94 year old mother was in surgery.  Current board president Ron Peavy made a motion to have Otto Lacayo be appointed to the open board position, and the board voted in a unanimous “yes”. Lacayo comes to the Healthcare District with a degree in business, and experience in the healthcare industry, as the owner of a pharmacy, and as the Executive Vice President of Spectro Health, Inc.   Lacayo’s term will end in December of 2012.

BVCHD Seeks Applicants For Open Board Position

Big Bear, Ca, July 9, 2011, 12:00pm - The Bear Valley Community Healthcare District announced today that they will be taking applications in the form of questionnaire’s for the open board position, left vacant when Christopher Fagan, MD resigned from the Board of Directors on June 14^th.  Anyone interested in being appointed for the position is required to submit the District approved questionnaire no later than 5:00pm on Wednesday July 20^th.  The questionnaire requires a brief summary of the applicant’s interest, qualifications, and their background. Blank questionnaires may be found online at www.bvchd.com, or by contacting the administrative office at (909) 878-8214.  The Board of Directors may appoint someone to the open position at their regularly scheduled meeting which takes place on Tuesday, July 26^th.

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BVCHD Meets Tonight To Discuss Board Vacancy Replacement Process

Big Bear, Ca, June 28, 2011, 12:00pm - The Bear Valley Community Healthcare District Board of Directors will meet of their regularly scheduled meeting today at 5:30pm.  Board members will go into closed session to discuss appointing new legal counsel, and will conduct an employee performance evaluation for CEO Mark Hesckel.  In open session, which begins at 6:30pm, board members will discuss how they are going to fill the board vacancy left by Dr. Fagan when he resigned earlier this month.  The board will also approve many policies, procedures and forms.  The public is encouraged to attend and may speak during public comment time.

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Dr. Fagan Resigns From Bear Valley Community Healthcare District Board

Big Bear, Ca, June 15, 2011, 12:00pm - Bear Valley Community Healthcare District announced today the resignation of Board President Christopher Fagan, M.D. from its Board of Directors effective immediately. Dr. Fagan submitted his letter of resignation on June 14th to Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Bear Valley Healthcare District, Ron Peavy.  In his letter, Dr. Fagan expressed profound regret at not being able to serve out his full term. Dr. Fagan said, “This decision, I believe, is in the best interest of the Healthcare District.” Dr. Fagan was elected to the Board of Directors in November of 2000, and has served the board ever since. Dr. Fagan is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Specialist, and has expressed an interest in serving as the Emergency Room Medical Director at Bear Valley’s Hospital.  In a statement provided by the Healthcare District Dr. Fagan said the following: “I want to do the right thing for the Healthcare District and have decided it is in the best interests of the citizens and taxpayers for me to resign, so that I can serve them as the Emergency Room Medical Director.” Vice President Ron Peavy expressed his regret at Dr. Fagan’s decision to resign, but indicated under the circumstances that he understood. “I appreciate and applaud Chris’s decision to put the interests of the community first. His leadership over the last few years has allowed the District to improve and to lead the selection of a new CEO that has the confidence of the Board.”  It is expected that the Board of Directors will begin reviewing options for filling the vacancy created by Dr. Fagan’s resignation at the Board meeting on June 28, 2011.

Bear Valley Community Healthcare District Appoints Marc Hecksel As CEO

Big Bear Lake, CA, February 25, 2011, 9:00am

 - Bear Valley Community Healthcare District has announced the appointment of Marc L. Hecksel as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 28. Mr. Hecksel brings nearly thirty years of health care experience to the position. He will be responsible for leading the hospital’s overall operations, as well as working with the Board of Directors and community members to develop a multi-year strategic plan to support the development and ongoing success of the hospital. Prior to joining the District, Mr. Hecksel served most recently as the Chief Operating Officer/ Executive Vice President for the Los Angeles based Aptium Oncology, Inc., a unique patient-centered national organization which delivered a successful model of hospital-based oncology services for 8 major medical centers and hospitals throughout the country. Prior to Aptium Oncology, Mr. Hecksel was a Vice President at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital/Industry Advantage Health System which had 225 Skilled Nursing Facility beds and 5 community health centers. Mr. Hecksel spent fifteen years in senior positions in finance and operations at the hospital.

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BBARWA Wins Outhouse Race: Gives Winnings to Family and School District

Big Bear Lake, Ca, September 03, 2010, 4:00pm - The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency, also known as BBARWA, has recently become the first to win the Old Miners Outhouse Race.  Team BBARWA consisted of 5 employees including: Fred Uhler, Jeremy Sweeney, Troy Bemisdafer, Clayton Cunningham, and Ron Roberts,  who pushed and steered the outhouse to victory.  It was fitting that BBARWA took home the top prize of $550.00.  The teammates then banded together and decided to give their winnings back to the community.  The Old Miners was helping a family raise funds for a tombstone after the passing of a loved one, and Team BBARWA chipped in $140.00 of their prize winnings to complete the amount needed.  Team BBARWA then decided to give the rest of their winnings, plus some of their own funds, resulting in $500.00 to the Bear Valley Unified School District, to help children in need.  Team BBARWA met with Superintendent Dr. Nancy Wright, and Director of Business Services for the school district, Walter Con to present them with the donation.  Dr. Wright was very grateful, and thanked Team BBARWA for their generous support.  Con stated that he would get in touch with the school principals to determine who the funds should go to.  Dr. Wright and Con both thanked Team BBARWA, and appreciated their generosity.