CROSBY-The Cuyuna Regional Medical Center Governing Board Monday approved a new board of directors to run hospital operations.
Monday's gathering followed a more contentious meeting in May when the board voted 12-6 to change the hospital from a public facility to a private nonprofit.
On a voice vote, the board approved the list of appointees who were nominated by the executive committee to form the board of directors for the new private 501(c)3 hospital. The executive committee selected them with the criteria of gender and age diversity on the board in mind, as well as trying to pick people from outside the hospital district.
Jolienne Lundquist, who sits on the existing, 18-member CRMC governing board, was concerned the list of recommended board members for the nonprofit didn't include enough local people. She was "surprised and disappointed" by the executive committee's list of recommended members, she said. She later said she would support it anyway.
Richard Schiller, board chairman, responded to Lundquist by saying the possibility of more locals on the new board had been investigated, and the board hadn't found people who were both qualified and interested. Conflicts of interest also played a role.
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The nine appointees' terms are staggered, with some serving partial terms. Three people were appointed to full three-year terms on the new board:
Bruce Kraemer, Andrea Bedard and Dr. Shelley Overholt-Thiesen. Their terms end in 2019.
Kristi Westbrock and Kevin Egan will each serve two-year terms ending in 2017.
Richard Schiller, Dr. Fawn Atchison and Bart Taylor were appointed to one-year terms ending next year.
The discussion on appointees lasted about eight minutes.
Two to three members of the public attended.
In other business, the board also approved the purchase of a new ultrasound machine for $47,700 and several patient carts, the cost of which totaled $41,890.
ZACH KAYSER may be reached at 218-855-5860 or Zach.Kayser@brainerddispatch.com . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ZWKayser .
