Commission meetings are scheduled for the first and third Wednesdays of every month, 3:30 p.m., in the hospital auditorium.
Jill Buhler was appointed to the commission in 1995 and has been reelected three times. Buhler brings to the commission a professional journalism background that enables her to analyze and evaluate complex issues; high standards and strong ethics; and a long-time knowledge of the community.
The daughter of Port Townsend High School graduates who chose a military lifestyle, she has a lifelong affiliation with Jefferson County, spending summers here with family and friends. In 1988, following a successful career as an award-winning magazine editor and writer, Buhler returned permanently to Port Townsend.
Buhler has served the commission as Chief Governance Officer for three terms; is on the Executive Quality Council and the liaison on the Jefferson County Board of Health; was on the Finance and Health Access committees; and attended surgical section and medical staff meetings. Statewide, she was appointed to the Washington State Hospital Association’s Governing Bodies and Legislative Reform Committees and the Education Task Force, and has been a featured speaker at state conferences. For the past 10 years, Buhler has advocated on behalf of rural hospitals to congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., and state representatives in Olympia.
She has a long history of community involvement including Chamber of Commerce president, Kiwanis treasurer, Northwest Maritime Center secretary; committee work for Centrum, the city of Port Townsend and the Elks club; and Guardian ad Litem for Jefferson County.
Buhler strongly believes that, "High quality basic health care is the very foundation of a viable, thriving community. We must and we do provide access to excellent care to all of our citizens, regardless of their ability to pay. If those of us who are financially vulnerable are forced to delay care until an emergency exists, it costs much more. It’s imperative to get our people into our system early, when they can benefit the most, treatments cost less and they can remain productive. It’s simply the right thing to do—ethically and economically." She invites you to email comments, ideas, concerns or questions to her at the address listed above.
Tony DeLeo was appointed to the commission in 1972. He had a background working with the local emergency medicine council and was instrumental in the initial funding and formation of the public hospital district.
DeLeo has participated in the Facilities committee, the Environment of Care/Safety committee, and the Clinic Advisory committee, and has been a hospital representative to the emergency medical services council.
Marie Dressler, RN, was elected to the commission in November 2009 and took her seat in January 2010. She was born, raised, and educated in England, where she became a registered nurse and certified nurse midwife. Residing in Jefferson County since 1981, Dressler was employed for 26 years by the hospital district, working as a registered nurse and primarily providing direct patient care to mothers and babies in the Family Birth Center.
After taking early retirement in 2008, Dressler’s strong desire to continue contributing to the health and well-being of Jefferson County residents manifested as a bid for a position on the commission. She brings 40 years of practical health care experience to her board position, along with management skills learned through two decades of involvement in a small family business and insights gained through employment with a leading pharmaceutical company. Dressler has been a dedicated patient advocate throughout her nursing career. She believes that administrative decisions must take into consideration the effect on patient care. Dressler says that one of her major goals is to ensure that all patients have access to health care services in a timely manner. She also would like to see additional medical specialists available to county residents, as patient needs dictate, even if only on a part-time basis. In addition to her commitment to patient care, Dressler is a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility. She believes that the financial status of the hospital district can and must be improved.
Marc Mauney, MD, was a practicing physician for 23 years. During his career, he was a partner with a large pathology group, the director of a large cytology laboratory in Seattle, the medical director of the Franciscan Health System laboratories in Tacoma, and the regional medical director of Laboratory Corporation of America. He provided pathology services to Jefferson Healthcare for 20 years. Mauney said that he became interested in running for the commission seat because he had become increasingly
concerned about Jefferson Healthcare’s tenuous financial situation, the increasing level of dissatisfaction among physicians and nurses, the high cost of services, and the inconsistent access to care. His goal is to improve the district’s financial situation through effective outpatient clinic management, increased physician productivity, and greater efficiency throughout the hospital. Other issues he hopes to address are insufficient clinic space, inadequate urgent care, noncompetitive pricing, lost market share, and the diversion of patients to other hospitals due to insufficient nursing staff. Mauney believes the board of commissioners needs to be more transparent and available to the public. Mauney brings both management skills and medical expertise to the board and is the first physician to be elected to the position. Mauney believes that medical expertise is critical for health care management. Mauney and his wife moved to Jefferson County five years ago to raise their two children. He retired from medicine in 2007.
Chuck Russell was first elected to the commission in 1998, was reelected in 2004 and 2009, and is now in his third term. After graduating from Oregon State University, he entered the Navy as an ensign and spent three years flying helicopters in Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he flew large commercial helicopters for logging, construction, and firefighting. In 1978, he and his wife, Karen, bought the Valley Tavern in Port Hadlock, which they still operate today.
Russell believes that his varied life experiences, along with his leadership and management experience, help him to make valuable contributions to the commission. Russell has served on the Finance committee, the Standards of Care committee, the Drug Awareness committee, and the Facilities committee, and he was the hospital’s representative to the local economic development council.