Fulfer Says Vote for Somebody You Trust
By John Earp
In our continuing efforts to let our local candidates speak for themselves, this week we present Mrs. Bridgot Fulfer (incumbent), who is running for a seat on the board of the Jal Hospital District.
When asked, “What is your reason for running for the hospital board?” Fulfer replied, “Well, I can’t really say just one thing to be honest. Okay, so the reasons I’m running, I like to, we have a lot of good stuff going on right now the last few years, a lot of change, improvement, growth, and I just want to be back on the board so we can see some of that come to fruition and carry it on out, you know, for the long haul or longer. And then, I just want to be sure, it’s a big fiduciary responsibility, really big. And so, I like to, you know, I like to volunteer and give some of my, I don’t know if I want to say knowledge, but some of my opinion or however you want to word it. I like to offer some of my experience in the financial piece of it. Okay. I feel like the fiduciary is kind of overlooked in a lot of these committees and boards, but it’s a big piece of it. And then I just think it’s awesome that the community of Jal has this healthcare and it’s not like it’s going to go away if I’m not on there. But I feel like it needs somebody kind of maybe with some forward vision on what Jal needs and what it’s going to need. And I feel like, being third generation, I pretty much can kind of tell you what’s going on. It’s so important to keep this clinic here and have as many people use it as possible. Like I said before, if somebody’s called and not been able to get in, try again. I mean, we have more providers now than ever. I think we have five right now on just medical, you know, not including therapists. We have numerous therapists, dentists and things like that as well. But like medical providers, I mean, we have five. And so I always say, before I got on, one of the reasons why I accepted it was because there were people saying, ‘Oh, we can’t ever get in out there.’ And it was a problem for myself, too. So, I just feel like if anybody still has that opinion, just try it. Try it again, try to call out. It’s worth it because everybody out there is so good.”
Mentioning the newest addition to the clinic staff, Samantha Gooss (FNP), Fulfer said, “She is taking new patients and she’s amazing. She is, I mean, I guess you could say cutting edge to a point. You know, she came here from Lubbock and she has a lot of knowledge. She may not have as many years as like Jim or Brandy, but she is she’s really a force out there and she’s very patient oriented.”
Fulfer says her goal for the hospital board is “Just to kind of carry that on and to ensure we continue to move forward. We need to think outside the box and we need to meet the needs of the community.”
When asked to share about things in her personal and professional background which she feels has prepared her to serve on the hospital board, Fulfer said, “We’ve had a business here in town since 2008. We’ve experienced the highs and the lows and we have knowledge on being an employer and things of that nature. So I feel like that, and also, the accounting piece of it is [important.] And so, I feel like that kind of puts me in a position. Also, I have an elderly mom in town that has different needs than I have. And also, being from here, there’s certain things that we need to keep it intact here in, and I feel like that puts me in a position.”
Fulfer has served on the hospital board for almost 2-1/2 years, since being appointed to fill a vacancy.
When asked, “If someone were to ask you, ‘Why should I give you my vote,’ what would you tell them?” Fulfer said, “I would tell them, you know, they need to be forward thinking, and they also need to be thinking about the fiduciary piece of it. They need to be thinking about keeping the clinic going and here in town. And also, I’m very approachable. If somebody has an issue or a concern, I’m super approachable, you know? And I’ll work for you. I’ll figure it out. If you have an issue or a problem, I’ll help you figure it out. We’ll, you know, we’ll get it resolved.
When asked, “What are some of the significant things, since you’ve been on the board, that you’ve been able to be a part of, that you’re happy with?” she replied, “I feel like kind of the day-to-day operations have been improved. Well, I guess you could first of all say the expansion. It’s been pretty massive. Yeah, and we have brought it. And I think of the, it’s not my idea, but one of the better things that have happened since I’ve been there is the therapy piece. The physical therapist, occupational therapist, respiratory therapist, you name it, we have it. So that that’s really a proud thing, and like I said, it’s not me by no means.”
When asked, “If you are elected, what are the top two or three things that you think should be big priorities for the hospital board?” she said, “Keeping up with the money. The thing is really big. We have to invest wisely. Also, keeping good providers out there, keeping good medical staff and good staff. And then another piece that we’re going to have to address or that we are addressing is housing to bring people in. Because we need to get creative with that. We’re not going to go in neighborhoods and be buying up houses anymore. Really, that’s kind of what we’ve had to do in the past. We’re really trying to steer away from that. We might have to buy a house, but we are really trying to think outside the box and not have to do that. When you’re trying to keep people, you have to have a place for them to live.”
When asked what else she would like to say to the voters of Jal, Fulfer replied, “Just that I would appreciate their vote, appreciate their trust in me. And even if they don’t vote for me, just any of these positions that they’re in, anybody that they’re voting for, just be sure that they’re voting for people that they trust and that, you know, will take Jal forward. We need to go forward. And so, whoever they’re voting for, be sure that they’re trustworthy and that they’re forward thinking, because I feel like this town is in a little bit of a rut. It doesn’t even matter if it’s me or not, if there’s somebody that they think is trustworthy and will, you know, get us through and make us bigger, or not even bigger, but better than what we are, vote for them.”