Evans, Klemm prematurely accept UHS offer at candidates' forum | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Politics is all about negotiating, as politicians are elected to pursue the highest benefit to their constituents. Typically, if there is a contested item, such as the Beaufort Regional Health System, elected officials should attempt to garner the highest sum, the best deal, for those they represent.

    At last night's Washington Daily News-sponsored candidates' forum, at least two of the six Beaufort County Commissioner candidates, when asked about the financial future of BRHS, broke the very first rule of negotiating: When negotiating from a position of weakness, such as that currently enjoyed by Beaufort County and its hospital, don't reveal your endgame. It's called creating a strategic advantage.

Democratic Beaufort County Commissioner candidate Jerry Evans says he's ready to commit the hospital to University Health Systems at last night's candidate forum.

    The only chips left on the table for the financially distraught BRHS are the bids from the four institutions that recently responded to the hospital's Request For Proposal process. Yesterday morning, for the first time, a summary of the four bids was presented to the BRHS hospital board by HealthCare Appraisers, Inc. They summarized the offer from University Health Systems as a 20-year lease arrangement, which would end with UHS taking full ownership of BRHS.

    The summary reads: UHS plans "to assume BRHS current assets and liabilities" and that "upon expiration of the lease, UHS is entitled to full and complete transfer of title and ownership of all leased assets for no additional consideration."

    UHS is the only not-for-profit bidder; but the other three for-profit institutions do not propose to take full ownership of BRHS at any time.

    After a thorough review, BRHS will recommend the institution with which the county should enter into negotiations; but the county commissioners will make the final decision. Without, however, at least the perception of competition, the chosen bidder will likely be less inclined to make allowances during the due diligence process. Even so, both Democratic commissioner candidate Jerry Evans and Republican commissioner candidate Al Klemm, who is running for his second term, thought it wise, last night, to give preference to the offer from University Health Systems.

    Evans, though he was aware that there were offers and that he had not read them, went ahead and gave away the farm last night in his opening statement:

    "I've invested about 60 hours of my time trying to figure out what type of hospital does Beaufort County need," said Evans. "I'm just going to go on the record early and say: I'm all for merging with University Health Services."

Republican Beaufort County Commissioner candidate Al Klemm proposes that the hospital make a deal with UHS at last night's forum.

    Klemm, who was, in fact, in attendance at yesterday morning's presentation of bids, still came out in support of a merger with UHS when asked by Beaufort County Board of Elections Director Kellie Hopkins: "What, if anything, can the county commissioners do to help Beaufort County Medical Center get on a more solid financial footing?"

    "I favor University Health Systems," said Klemm. "The advantages of University Health Systems: in-system hospital; quicker reaction to critical medical care; economic development opportunity; all UHS system hospitals have grown; more services, more employees and more jobs."

    On Aug. 31, there was a public hearing regarding the future of the hospital, during which several members of the community, including hospital employees and Beaufort County Board of Education Chairman Robert Belcher, adamantly supported the hospital forging a partnership with UHS. In the months leading up to said hearing, there was a concerted effort by the BRHS hospital board, led by ex-chairman Sandy Hardy, to bring UHS in to manage BRHS during the early stages of the RFP process. Stan Deatherage, who is running for his fifth term as Republican county commissioner, brought this up during last night's forum.

    "There was a lot of subterfuge in the very beginning to get rid of the hospital quickly. 'The hospital needs to go to University Health Systems'--we heard Jerry Evans say that tonight," said Deatherage. "In fact, we had a public hearing just recently when the chairman of the school board said it should have been done behind closed doors. And, of course, the commissioners said, 'We can't do that.'"

    Deatherage promised that, if re-elected, he would pursue independence for BRHS; but, if necessary, would consider all bids and help the county make the most profitable decision.

    "We will do it in the open light of day. We will protect that hospital for the people, and we will get the best deal we can get...if we merge," said Deatherage. "Now, I also think we can save that hospital...If you have a business you have to do it. They have to do it...And I'm expecting them to do it before we take over."

Democratic Beaufort County Commissioner candidate Ed Booth and Republican candidate Stan Deatherage (from left) listen incredulously as their opponents speak on what to do with the hospital.

    Ed Booth, who is running for his second term as Democratic commissioner, said that, if re-elected, he will entertain all bids if the hospital cannot achieve independence. He said that his priority is doing what's best for all citizens of Beaufort County, not just those with a special interest in the outcome.

    "Yes, we want to save the jobs; yes, we want to save the hospital; yes, we want to bring in new people--but the question that we have to ask ourselves: Can we afford it? No, we can't afford it, with inflation like it is. But, what we can do as commissioners, if and when the hospital board makes their presentation to merge or not to merge, we can do the best we can for the people of Beaufort County," said Booth. "There's too many outside people telling me what to do, how you want to do it; but what you've got to do is remember the people that own the hospital are the 47,000 people that live and reside in Beaufort County."

    Democratic commissioner candidate Sonya Shamseldin answered the question by saying that she wasn't sure what needed to be done, but that the county needs to make a decision soon, so that jobs and care won't be negatively affected.

    "Before I can make a real informative decision which way to go, I need to hear more from you, the taxpayer, because it is your hospital," she said.

    Unaffiliated commissioner candidate Bertie Arnhols said that the county should not involve itself in the future of the county-owned hospital, as none of the commissioners or commissioner candidates have experience in hospital administration.

    "Get out of the way. That's what they can do: Get out of the way," said Arnhols. "On every one of them's watch this occurred...Hold them accountable. Do not let them have control or any say in what happens to this hospital... Let's leave it in the hands of those who have the ability and the skills and the knowledge."