I heard two conversations about Alva this week that hold lessons for all of us. One was about the emergency room at Share Medical Center and the other was about the Alva Regional Airport.

The first were comments from officials of the Oklahoma Association of Student Councils (OASC) who want to keep the organization's student council workshop in Alva forever because of the excellent service they've experienced the last few years at the Share Medical Center emergency room.

Janet Carter, OASC's director in charge of registration, and Kristi Neerman, OASC's director of facilities, bring hundreds of students to the Northwestern campus in Alva during the two student council workshop sessions they have each summer. Each student has to provide a medical permission paper that allows these ladies to seek medical attention for any problem that might arise while they are in Alva for a week.

Each session, there are usually two or three instances of some medical problem (sprained ankle, allergy upset, broken arm) that can occur with very active kids of this age.

One of the ladies, Neerman, is from the Tulsa area. She said, “When we show up with a kid at the Share ER, the longest we've ever had to wait is five minutes. They take our students in and make them feel very comfortable. Maybe the whole experience takes an hour and one half because we had to wait for some lab tests. In Tulsa, I've waited four to five hours just to get in, and then an equal amount of time to get all the paperwork completed.

Carter said, “I live in south central Oklahoma in a town about the size of Alva. Our ER is NOT operated efficiently. I've had my elderly parents at the ER there probably ten times in the last five years. I've never been out of there in less than five or six hours. Sometimes it's been from nine in the morning until nine at night. So I'm amazed at how I can get in and out so quickly here compared to what I have experienced at home.”

Neerman added, “I would move here simply because this such a nice town and EVERYBODY is so kind and friendly.” She said, “I had a problem with my car, Stan Kline rescued me, fixed the problem, and refused to take payment because we bring all these students to Alva. It's attitudes like this that keep us coming.”

The Alva Airport

The regular board meeting was held at the Alva Airport Monday night. At the end of the agenda is an opportunity for visitors to make comments.

Local businessman and pilot Max McDermott spoke to the board about the unfriendly practices and rules. First, he addressed the problem of part-time help skipping work on weekends. He asked, and it was confirmed, that the airport is to be open seven days a week during daylight hours. The manager, Greg Murray, gets his hours in Monday-Friday and is not around to supervise on weekends.

McDermott said, “Two weeks ago Saturday, I was out here and there was no employee around at all. I think he didn't show up until noon. I think he was late this Saturday. You folks have a problem!” (Dale Logsdon, board chairman said, “He turned in his resignation and will be gone in two weeks.”)

McDermott said, “Even so, two airplanes flew in and there was nobody here to help them. Both were going to Denver and I helped the first one get fuel. Then the part-time worker showed up about noon, but did not go out to greet the 182 Skylane pilot. In fact, when the pilot asked if he could borrow the courtesy car so he could go into town to eat, the part time employee said, “Yes, but don't take it out of town.”

“If you don't know how airports work, these are the things make you attractive to visiting pilots. When you go into a community airport, you expect a courtesy car so you can go about doing your business, even if it is picking up a part 15 miles away. (Lynn's comment: an unwritten rule is the pilot borrowing the car refuels it with at least a much as he used.)

McDermott said, “I'm trying to understand why at other airports you can use the courtesy car as needed, but at this airport you can't drive out of town.”

Joe Don Dunham said, “The reason the policy was put in place is somebody came in here and took the courtesy car somewhere in Kansas (Wichita or Anthony) and afterwards the board (established) in-town use only policy.”

McDermott replied, “My understanding of that incident is that Greg (the manager) gave him permission to do that. Is that right, Greg?”

Murray replied, “Yes. That was before the policy change.”

McDermott continued, “This is bad PR, when this is the only airport I know of where we can't take the car out of town. You can hardly go anywhere around here without going out of town. The car is insured, and the pilot is leaving a $50,000-$100,000 aircraft as collateral while borrowing a $2,500 car.”

Cory Washburn said to Murray, “Isn't it in the policy you can make exceptions?” Murray said, “Yes, but one point to make is we do promote this as a regional airport.” McDermott added, “If Greg is not here, the employee on duty does not have the authority to make exceptions.”

Dale Logsdon, the president of the board, said, “We'll put that on the agenda for the next meeting.”

(Lynn's comment: I occasionally photograph weddings in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and I fly into Grand Lake airport because they allow me to take their courtesy car into Arkansas. As I recall, it's about a 70 mile trip. A second point is the Kinzie family hosts a fly-in breakfast each month to try to create good PR for the airport. Senator Inhofe is planning to attend this weekend.)