Hospital board decides to stick with Acting CEO, chairman resigns | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: Our reporting ranks have been temporarily depleted, so we absolutely appreciate the asistance of our friends at the Beaufort Observer for allowing us to publish their article here below.

    The Beaufort County Health Systems board met Tuesday night (7-13-10) and decided not to employ an outside "interim CEO or management team" but to stick with the existing Acting CEO, Susan Gerard with the assistance, as needed, of the previously hired consultant. They voted to continue with the "succession plan" included a provision to increase Gerard's compensation package in recognition of her amended duties. The details of that were to be hashed out in closed session.

    The first clip begins following a motion by Sandy Hardy to discuss what to do about the CEO position in closed session:



    The second clip is a continuation of the discussion, with a short break, of whether or not to hire an Interim CEO.



    The third clip is a continuation of the discussion on the CEO issue:



    The fourth clip is the wrap-up of the discussion and the vote. Voting for the motion to continue with the "Succession Plan" with Susan Gerard as Acting CEO were: Peacock, Sadler, Roberson, Gray and Richardson. Voting against the motion were: Hardy, Potter, Bonner and Piland. (Note: Peacock cast the deciding vote, after replacing Sandy Easley on the board).



    The board also went through the proposed Request For Proposals virtually line by line and finalized it to be distributed to the ten affiliates that have previously expressed an interest in taking over the Health System. The finalized version of the RFP will be posted here when available from the Hospital staff.

    The Board also received an Offer to Purchase, delivered earlier in the day in writing and verbally by County Manager Paul Spruill following the action of the County Commissioners on Monday night to purchase land and some buildings owned by the Hospital as a means of allowing the Hospital to meet its debt obligations to the County. The Board took no action after Spruill explained that the County needed an answer by the end of the month.

    But the sparks that flew in the meeting came in the opening when Chairman Sandy Hardy resigned as chairman after making an impassioned defense of his actions since the last formal meeting with regard to University Health Systems (Pitt Memorial) and the attempt by some of the board members to call two special meetings. Hardy will remain on the board, but not serve as chairman. Alice Mills-Sadler, the current Vice-Chair was selected to be the "Interim Chair" as she expressed in her acceptance.



    Another rather strange turn of events came near the end of the discussion of the RFP. Board member Hood Richardson proposed that an item be included in the RFP asking for proposers to specify how they proposed the Accounts Receivables ("billables" he called them) be handled. The board rejected the proposal. We'll have more to say about that issue in a later article.

    Delma Blinson writes the "Teacher's Desk" column for our friend in the local publishing business: The Beaufort Observer. His concentration is in the area of his expertise - the education of our youth. He is a former teacher, principal, superintendent and university professor. With his permission, we are more than happy to publish Mr Blinson's most insigtfull articles on the evolving condition of the Beaufort County Medical Center.