Hill-Ray residents hear reports at their annual meeting

Ten days after the annual meeting, lunch is served at Hill-Ray Plaza on Friday, Jan. 27, for Whitman Hospital's Employee Recognition Luncheon. The annual event honors hospital employees for years of service and is one of many events hosted at the Hill-Ray facility.

On Jan. 17, Hill-Ray Plaza held its annual board meeting in the Fireside Room with approximately 50 in attendance. General Manager Gary L. Young opened the meeting by welcoming everyone. Following a prayer and flag salute, he introduced the Board of Trustees.

New residents acknowledged were Tom Morris, Jim Repp, Pat Bailey, Shirley Ensley, Roberta Rumiser, Gary and Janis Behymer and Ed and Rosie Schluneger.

Lori Foster and Shirley Seller have moved from Hill-Ray Plaza into extended care.

After approval of the minutes from 2016, Young introduced Woman's Council President Velda Sheer, who introduced committee members Pat Hartman, Katie Schmick, Ann Emerson and Marcia Temple.

Milt Groom, board president, reported Harold Sauer decided not to run for the board this year. Those nominated and elected on unanimous ballot were Gary Behymer, Dan Morris and Marcia Tempel.

President Groom then called on Young to report on the accomplishments of 2016. Young announced that changing food service from a contract basis to be done by Hill-Ray reduced food costs from approximately 35 percent to 24 percent of the budget.

With less cost, Hill-Ray Plaza has coffee hour from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with pastries and fruit. Lunch is served buffet style from 11:30 to 12:30 with dinner being served at 6 p.m. Guest cost is $7 per meal.

In 2015, an average of 29.9 people were fed per day. To date, with lunch and dinner, an average of 53.3 people per day are being fed.

Hill-Ray still provides special meals such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, Hill-Ray Plaza averaged two special events per month. This year, six events have been booked for January and, with Sunday brunches, they will average four events per month.

Young also spoke about the $122,000 spent on improvements in 2016 for updates to some of the units. Six units still need to be updated.

Hill-Ray Plaza has maintained another year of 83-90 percent occupancy, positive cash flow and some profit for the third straight year.

In a special board meeting that followed, Groom was re-elected president, and Dan Griffis vice president of the board for 2017.