The Penns Valley school board for the past year and a half has competed for and hung onto the community’s access to expanded medical services in the hope of funding a district- developed community center.

The school board voted in April 2011 to approve the pursuit of the medical assets of the community knowing that the Penns Valley Medical Center board had previously approved funding for a 10,000-square-foot facility. The school district’s vote of support interfered and stopped the expanded services that would be being delivered right now.

Today the community is without those services (x-ray, cardiac care, lab work, urgent care and pediatrics with extended hours) and the district is holding on to the hope of the funding those assets would provide.

The PVMC is ready and has the funds to build and offer those services.

Despite community opposition to the district’s plan and no indication that the Ram Centre will be able to deliver those services, the school board has continued to partner with the Ram Centre and foster the uncertainty of where the medical services of our community will be delivered.

The school board could assure these services are delivered within the next year if it would state publicly that medical services are not the business of the district and will not be delivered on school property.

It is time to choose community over self-interest. This simple act should be easy. I urge the board to release the district’s hold on this community service. Allow the 21 members of the Penns Valley Health and Welfare Association board to deliver the services they have been delivering for 40 years. It is their mission, they are ready and the community needs those services.

David Braucht Coburn