New faces on Cascade Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners

ARLINGTON The changing of the guard continues to take place on the Cascade Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners.
Ray McClure signed his resignation as board chair Aug. 16, and at the
Sept. 20 board meeting, Steve Peterson, of John L. Scott in Arlington, was sworn in to fill out McClures unexpired term. At the same time, Margo Powell, of Cutting Edge in Darrington was elected chairman, while Tim Cavanaugh, of All Creatures Veterinary in Arlington, was elected secretary.
Peterson had previously served for several years on a board advisory committee, before resigning 10 years ago, upon his election to the Arlington School Board. After completing two terms on the school board, he was invited to join the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation Board. His interest in the Cascade Valley Hospital grew to the extent that, when a commissioner position opened up, he agreed to fill it.
Describing himself as a third-generation Arlington resident, married to another third-generation resident, Peterson pointed to his three children and eight grandchildren, all of whom live in the community, as reasons why he believes in the importance of retaining an excellent hospital, since the health of future generations depends on our ability to maintain such a resource and guide its growth.
Petersons involvement in the community includes a 25-year Kiwanis membership, a career in the Arlington Police Department that concluded with his retirement in 1988, and his later residential and commercial real estate sales for John L. Scott.
Peterson recalled the extensive building phase that the Arlington School District went through, during his years on the school board, and credits that experience with teaching him a lot about the process of passing a bond to build public property, as well as how board members can help in the building process. He went on to express his desire to share such insights with the Cascade Valley Hospital Board, if and when a decision is made to expand the current hospital.
Margo Powell was elected to the Board of Commissioners in 1999, 11 years after she began serving on the Hospital Guild of Darrington, soon after moving to that community. Powell likewise believes that her personal experiences have educated her on the vital importance, to our local communities, of continuing the availability of local health care and access to hospital facilities. She promised to keep a watchful eye on indicators that the hospital and clinics are providing quality care.
As secretary of the Cascade Valley Hospital Board, Powell assumed the chairman position upon McClures resignation, and was formally elected to that position at the boards Sept. 20 meeting.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.