Next month's election for the Powell Hospital District Board is both important and unusual.It is important because five of the seven seats on the board are up for election, with three incumbents choosing not to run again this year. That leaves only two incumbents running, and both were appointed to fill vacancies on the board this year. Board members elected in November will help guide the hospital and Powell Valley Healthcare (hospital district board members also serve on the Powell Valley Healthcare Board) through some significant changes, including new leadership for Powell Valley Healthcare. The board will make important decisions in the next four years that will affect the future of medical services in Powell. Chief among those will be deciding what company or companies will provide electronic medical records software and services for Powell Valley Healthcare. That will be costly, but it also is necessary to stay in step with medical advances and pending federal requirements.Also up for consideration soon is a proposed update to the district's master building plan. Once that is complete, the board must decide and whether to pursue needed building renovations at the hospital in the next few years, and if so, how those could be paid for. This election is unusual because, although there are five open seats on the board, there are only four candidates on the ballot and one of them has withdrawn from the race.Running for a two-year term on the board is Larry Parker, who was appointed to the board in May to fill the seat vacated by the death of Kay Carlson.Running for four-year terms on the board are Renee Humphries and incumbent Jim Beukelman, who was appointed in January to fill the seat vacated by Ken Rochlitz.Sharea LinDae MoAn-Renaud, who filed for election to the board, has withdrawn her name from consideration, but her name still will appear on the ballot.Because there are more seats open than official candidates to fill them, five people are running write-in campaigns. They are Cathy Marine, Virginia Fish, Henry Yaple, Jim Carlson and R.J. Kost. It's important to know all the candidates, and to remember the names of the candidates you wish to write in on Nov. 2, to ensure the new board is prepared to continue Powell Valley Hospital's reputation for excellence in the community. A candidate forum for the hospital district board, the Powell City Council, Park County Commission and Park County Clerk will take place Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Powell City Hall.

Next month's election for the Powell Hospital District Board is both important and unusual.

It is important because five of the seven seats on the board are up for election, with three incumbents choosing not to run again this year. That leaves only two incumbents running, and both were appointed to fill vacancies on the board this year.

Board members elected in November will help guide the hospital and Powell Valley Healthcare (hospital district board members also serve on the Powell Valley Healthcare Board) through some significant changes, including new leadership for Powell Valley Healthcare.

The board will make important decisions in the next four years that will affect the future of medical services in Powell.

Chief among those will be deciding what company or companies will provide electronic medical records software and services for Powell Valley Healthcare. That will be costly, but it also is necessary to stay in step with medical advances and pending federal requirements.

Also up for consideration soon is a proposed update to the district's master building plan. Once that is complete, the board must decide and whether to pursue needed building renovations at the hospital in the next few years, and if so, how those could be paid for.

This election is unusual because, although there are five open seats on the board, there are only four candidates on the ballot and one of them has withdrawn from the race.

Running for a two-year term on the board is Larry Parker, who was appointed to the board in May to fill the seat vacated by the death of Kay Carlson.

Running for four-year terms on the board are Renee Humphries and incumbent Jim Beukelman, who was appointed in January to fill the seat vacated by Ken Rochlitz.

Sharea LinDae MoAn-Renaud, who filed for election to the board, has withdrawn her name from consideration, but her name still will appear on the ballot.

Because there are more seats open than official candidates to fill them, five people are running write-in campaigns. They are Cathy Marine, Virginia Fish, Henry Yaple, Jim Carlson and R.J. Kost.

It's important to know all the candidates, and to remember the names of the candidates you wish to write in on Nov. 2, to ensure the new board is prepared to continue Powell Valley Hospital's reputation for excellence in the community.

A candidate forum for the hospital district board, the Powell City Council, Park County Commission and Park County Clerk will take place Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Powell City Hall.