The South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board met last week and voted to take up a publicly submitted resolution at its September meeting.
About 30 people packed into a conference room at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer Thursday evening for the board’s regular meeting.
Hospital staff and leadership gave reports, and Derotha Ferraro, the hospital’s director of public relations and marketing, presented the results of a community health needs assessment. Board members also paused to remember Judith Lund, who served the service area board in various roles over 15 years.
The board also discussed a resolution submitted by a community member. It asks the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly to change the hospital’s operating board from an appointed body to an elected one. It would also require the board to follow the Alaska Open Meetings Act’s rules on public notice and open meetings.
Hospital CEO Ryan Smith told the board South Peninsula Hospital’s nonprofit status means the operating board can’t simply become elected. He said doing so would require ending the hospital’s current operating agreement with the borough.
The resolution itself describes the change differently. It states the borough assembly has authority to approve amendments to the operating agreement and asks the assembly to direct staff to negotiate changes requiring an elected board. The resolution doesn’t address ending the current agreement.
Multiple residents spoke on the resolution during public comment. Homer resident Candy Rohrer was among those opposed.
“They can targetably recruit members where needed with professional skills such as healthcare administration, law, accounting, or executive leadership. There's a strategic focus. They're free from political campaigning, and members can focus on long-term quality, safety, and fiscal solvency of this hospital,” Rohrer said.
Resident Adam Greenwald was among those in favor.
“I'm confident one ideology most of us share is that we want our vote to count. Couple that ideology with the sheer mass and reach of this hospital in our community, it becomes essential that the public be involved in selecting both service area and operating boards,” Greenwald said.
He said an elected board can invite guests in an advisory capacity.
The board takes up the resolution for formal discussion at its September 10 meeting, which will include time for public comment.
