Desert Messenger

10 www.DesertMessenger.com October 7, 2015 Readership of free community papers is now higher than paid daily papers and continues to grow. And more than 70 percent of readers make their buying decisions from free paper advertising and editorial. Your free community paper, promoting connections at a local level – right under your nose. 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Hospital names Carl Flanagan CFO Arizona Peace Trail updates A new trail for off-roading vehicles is in the process of being designed. The Arizona Peace Trail, if ap- proved, would span across Yuma, La Paz and Mohave counties. The Arizona Peace Trail would connect different existing trails together to make one 700-mile loop. The route would take riders past points of interest in western Arizona. The Arizona Peace Trail Commit- tee is in the process of making this trail happen with the help of state, county and city representatives. La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin said, "It has been a busy cou- ple of weeks for the AZ Peace Trail, specifically in La Paz. The County applied for a Yamaha Grant to help purchase signs that will identify the AZ Peace Trail on County Roads. We were awarded was $ 4,980.96. Another Grant that La Paz County applied for was through the AZ State Parks." Irwin went to Phoenix this past week to the Off Highway Vehicle Advisory Board to speak on behalf of this project which would help aid in developing a staging area for the AZ Peace Trail in Cibola, AZ. This funding would service in helping develop 2 projects in Cibola, as the staging area along with a Hippy Hole County Park. The Board is recommending full funding for this project! Final decision will be made on October 21st.!!! The next Arizona Peace Trail meeting will be held on November 11, 2015 at 10:00 am at the La Paz County Park Pavilion. It is nice to see all the interest this proj- ect is creating!!! Looking forward to getting back at it! Parker, AZ - Carl Flanagan has joined the La Paz Regional Hospi- tal (LPRH) team as Chief Financial Officer. This position directs La Paz Regional's financial plan- ning and accounting practices and reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer. He will oversee the pa- tient accounting and billing, budgeting and the hospital external financial reporting. "La Paz has enor- mous growth potential. We looked for a sea- soned financial officer to assist us as we move forward. Carl had the experience we sought," said Norm Simpson, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Flanagan comes to us most recently from John Day, Oregon as the CFO of Blue Mountain Hospital District, a critical access hospital with many similarities to La Paz. He has fifteen years experience as Chief Financial Officer with hos- pitals in Texas, Utah, Ohio and Arizona. He has been managing and overseeing all financial activi- ties and operations areas of small and/or Critical Access Hospitals. His accounting experience covers over thirty years in various health- care settings, five additional years in banking and other settings. The financial reporting experience has lead to rate negotiations, cost reporting, financial model- ing, team building, rev- enue cycle improvement, contracting with managed care and third party pay- ers. Carl is a licensed Certi- fied Public Accountant in Ohio. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Rochville University, a Bachelor of Business Ad- ministration (Accounting) from Ohio University and two Associate Degrees in Account- ing and Computer Science. He was also an Adjunct Instructor at the Shawnee State University. La Paz Regional works to enhance the quality of life of their patients, staff and community. It's a not for profit, Critical Access Hospital servicing La Paz County and sur- rounding California areas. LPRH has a network of inpatient and outpatient services, clinics, imaging centers and affiliations to create a truly regional provider of health and wellness services.

• Cover