Tri-City board seat goes unfilled
By: PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | ∞
OCEANSIDE -- A vacancy on Tri-City Medical Center's board of directors went unfilled Monday night after three of the top candidates for the spot dropped out when directors accused each other of circumventing the selection process.
With those candidates no longer in the running, the hospital's board voted 5-1 Monday to let the position vacated by former member Shelia Bryant-Tucker remain open until the November general election.
Dr. Madeline Rodriguez, an obstetrician-gynecologist who previously served as chief of staff at Tri-City, was the first to step to the podium and withdraw after several board members objected to her appointment on grounds that she was not the highest-ranked candidate.
Rodriguez said she would run for the seat in November but would not accept an appointment.
"I don't want to be involved in a board where I do not have the full confidence of the board or the public," she said.
Carlsbad political veteran Julianne Nygaard, who served for 12 years on the Carlsbad Council and for nine years on the city's school board, was next to stand and withdraw her name. Nygaard was ranked third on the board's list.
Blair Benjamin, a retired attorney, member of Oceanside's Redevelopment Project Area Committee, and a person with experience in healthcare and public education in Arizona, was the next to drop out.
Benjamin was ranked first among the five candidates, according to a tally read by board President Larry Schallock.
"I would withdraw my name," Benjamin said.
Also in the mix were certified public accountant Randall Horton, who has vigorously opposed Tri-City's Prop. F ballot measure; healthcare specialist and volunteer Robin Iveson; and community member Jan Wetzel.
Before the mass exodus of top candidates, the board interviewed each, spending three hours asking questions about financial responsibility, leadership and integrity.
Each board member ranked the five candidates.
Schallock and board member RoseMarie Reno added the scores for each candidate, giving Benjamin the top ranking.
Reno immediately made a motion to appoint Benjamin to that spot, but the motion failed on a 3-3 vote, with directors Darlene Garrahy, Ronald Mitchell and David Tweedy voting no.
The board moved on, voting 4-2 to appoint Dr. Rodriguez, the next highest-ranked applicant. But Reno and director Kathleen Sterling cried foul.
"You manipulated your own process," Reno said to Schallock.
"I didn't manipulate anything," Schallock replied, adding that the board had always understood that the ranking was devised as a way of gauging a candidate's general support but was never intended to take the place of a board vote.
Garrahy and Mitchell both said they preferred Dr. Rodriguez because she is a physician and would work well on the hospital board.
-- Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com
More Stories
Advertisement
Larry wrote on Jun 6, 2006 1:12 AM:Based on the reported performance of this board, I cast a vote of no confidence for this group being able to manage a $600 million construction project. Vote no on Measure F.
Helen wrote on Jun 6, 2006 4:05 AM:All I care about is that the board does NOT vote in Randy. We already have enough "Tarnised Sterling" on the board. We do not need anymore.....Let's go for GOLD this time around!
Randy wrote on Jun 6, 2006 4:13 AM:The board was free to choose whomever they wanted to fill the vacancy. But instead they went out of their way to design a "pseudo-scientific" ranking process in a bald-faced attempt to give their subjective personal preferences (which is what they were elected for in the first place!) an appearance of objectivity. In the process, they embarrasssed themselves and wasted the time of everyone who participated in the process. MOre significantly, they squandered the District's precious financial resources on the cost of a needless special election for an unfinished term lasting only a few months!
Randy wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:30 AM:The board should have had no ranking process. They should have accepted applications, interviewed, discussed and voted. The inability to arrive at a decision is, itself, a decision that none met the board's internalized qualifications.
Horton for TCMC wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:36 AM:One would have to ask is the Dr. a paid employee of the organization? If so is this a conflict or does it only give the appearance of an impropriety? Can Government employees sit on boards of the public agency in which they serve? If so who are they going to protect the constituents or their salaries? Perhaps this is the reason why we have a lot of fat cats like CEO Gonzales with $600,000 salaries and absorbent pension funds. Why don’t we have a mike Aguirre in North County instead of a bunch of weasel politicians. Horton is probably the best choice with not conflict of interests and one can hope that he will serve the public.
CPA wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:51 AM:If the current Tri-City hospital board cannot handle a decision as simple as filling a board vacancy for 6 months by appointment, How in the world can you trust them to handle 600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars???
Engineer wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:53 AM:The board is not competent to handle 600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars. Today, go to the polls and vote NO on Prop. F! NO more secrets! NO blank check! NO Taj Mahal!
Marie wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:54 AM:Internal problems at Tri CIty? Another good reason to Vote No on Prop F!
Architect wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:55 AM:This board cannot handle 600 million dollars. Join me in voting NO on Prop F at the polls today! Prop. F guarantees nothing! The hospital board will build whatever, wherever, whenever, however it pleases. A brand new stadium for the San Diego Chargers would cost less than $600 million! Vote NO on Prop. F!
Scientist wrote on Jun 6, 2006 6:57 AM:With $70 million cash in the bank today, Tri-City hospital is not closing its doors if F Fails to pass. The hospital will go back to the drawing board and present us with a proposition on the November ballot with appropriate disclosures, guarantees and accountability. Vote NO on Prop. F today at the polls!
Larry wrote on Jun 6, 2006 7:00 AM:By prizing unity above healthy dissent, the Tri-City hospital board has grown more and more out of touch with the residents that it is designed to serve. It has become like an ingrown toenail. It desperately needs a transfusion of new blood in the November election!
Ron wrote on Jun 6, 2006 7:03 AM:I encourage each one of you to vote NO on Prop. F. Without meaningful disclosures or firm guarantees, the Tir-City hospital board is free to buy land on Pluto with 600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars! Without financial transparency and firm guarantees, there can be no true accountability. Vote NO on Prop. F today at the polls!
Melba.....Vote No On Prop F!! wrote on Jun 6, 2006 7:24 AM:My RECOMMENDATIONS...Vote for Bruce Thompson and No On Prop F!!
Marcus wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:05 AM:Boy oh boy! You guys (at the NCT) keep posting consecutive blog comments, purportedly by different people, but that are OBVIOUSLY written by the same person. I guess the blogger believes that by pretending that multiple people feel similarly that others will jump on the bandwagon. Look at what you have here...posts under different names--Randy, CPA, Engineer, Marie, Architect, Scientist, Larry, and Ron--all written in the same style and each written a few minutes apart. The only thing we're missing is "Surfer" writing in at 7:05 and beginning his post with the word "Dude". The No on F people are irresponsible at worst, shady at best.
Tina wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:07 AM:Vote YES on F... It is about saving lives....If YOU are so unhappy with the board members...maybe ALL of you should not have voted them in....Do NOT re-elect them in November! VOTE YES ON F
Darlene wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:11 AM:The Tri-City board cannot handle a simple decision like selecting a person to serve on the board for six months! Today, demonstrate that you are not as incompetent as the board. Go to the polls and cast your NO vote on Prop. F! Declare your financial independence from a $600 million blank check? The board cannot be trusted with your hard-earned tax dollars!
David wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:13 AM:The primary problem of the hospital is secrecy. They forced the newspaper to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the names of the applicants for the vacancy! Is it prudent to entrust $600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars to an organization that loathes transparency? Vote NO on Prop. F at the polls today!
John wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:14 AM:I will vote for Randy over Sterling any time, Sterling is a big mouth that is self-centered self-absorbed and likes attention drawn to herself.
post my blog wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:15 AM: One would have to ask is the Dr. a paid employee of the organization? If so is this a conflict or does it only give the appearance of an impropriety? Can Government employees sit on boards of the public agency in which they serve? If so who are they going to protect the constituents or their salaries? Perhaps this is the reason why we have a lot of fat cats like CEO Gonzales with $600,000 salaries and absorbent pension funds. Why don’t we have a mike Aguirre in North County instead of a bunch of weasel politicians. Horton is probably the best choice with not conflict of interests and one can hope that he will serve the public.
RoseMarie wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:21 AM:What is so hard about filling a vacancy on the board? Just pick someone already! If you can't choose a competent candidate for the board, you can't be trusted to prudently, frugally spend 600 million of our hard-earned tax dollars. I am sorry. Vote NO on Prop. F at the polls today! Send F back to the drawing board!
Politician wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:24 AM:The last thing the board needs is a doctor. The ER physicians group offers to pay off the campaign debts of every elected board member. Those who accept are already beholden to the doctors! If the doctors want to run the hospital, why don't they put up the $600 million out of their own pockets? Vote NO on Prop. F at the polls today!
Larry wrote on Jun 6, 2006 8:32 AM:This hospital board is so paranoid of diverse thought that it has turned the reins of the hospital over to administration. The board does not set the general direction of the hospital; administration does! Until and unless the board decides to pick up the reins and get the hospital back on track, the future success of Tri-City grows ever more doubtful.
Marcus Jr. wrote on Jun 6, 2006 10:07 AM:There are 600 million reasons to vote NO on Prop. F. Choose whichever one you like, but remember to make it to polls before 8:00 p.m. to cast your NO vote on Prop. F! Send F back to both the hospital board and the drawing board!
Paul wrote on Jun 6, 2006 10:10 AM:The hospital's culture of secrecy is an unbreakable barrier to trust. Without trust, no prudent resident will vote for a $600 million blank check. Without transparency or firm commitments, there can be no accountability. Vote NO on Prop. F at the polls today!
George wrote on Jun 6, 2006 10:28 AM:We face only one issue today related to Tri-City, and that is Prop. F. Spawned behind an inpenetrable wall of secrecy, F guarantees nothing. Without transparency or firm commitments, no prudent citizen can cast a vote in favor of F. Send F back to the drawing board. Today, when you go to the polls, vote NO on F!
Darlene wrote on Jun 6, 2006 10:33 AM:Everyone wants a new and improved hospital, but at what cost? We could build a stadium for the Chargers for less money! With gas prices hovering at more than $3.00 a gallon, who can afford yet another tax? With private rooms at $2 million each, we have lost sight of the frugality that made this country great. Vote NO on Prop. F when you go to the polls today.
vote today wrote on Jun 6, 2006 11:11 AM:JUST GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE NO ON F!!
Lawson wrote on Jun 6, 2006 11:26 AM:Tri-City's board behaving like a 3 ring circus is not news. That is normal. Why would anyone in their right mind write a blank check for $600 million to Tri-City? There is no rational basis to believe that your hard-earned tax dollars will be spent prudently. Today, before 8:00 p.m., go to the polls and cast the only vote possible in good conscience. Vote NO on F!
Lawson Jr. wrote on Jun 6, 2006 11:36 AM:Residents are neither asleep at the wheel nor felony stupid. Thousands and thousands are joining together to go to their polling places to vote NO on Prop. F! NO more secrets! NO blank check!
Lawson III wrote on Jun 6, 2006 11:47 AM:The good thing about the Tri-City Board is that it is free entertainment. The bad thing about the Tri-City board is that it is entrusted with meeting the healthcare needs of 380,000 residents. Today, send the Tri-City board a crystal clear message: we are sick of your misbehavior and we don't trust you with 600 million of our hard-earned tax dollars. Please vote NO on Prop. F before 8:00 p.m.
Dennis wrote on Jun 6, 2006 12:00 PM:F will pass if the opposition stays home today. The minority chose the primary election for F because of the predictable low turnout. Low turnout makes it easier for the minority to get a 2/3 YES vote. Foil their plans by voting NO on F before 8:00 p.m.
Larry wrote on Jun 6, 2006 12:08 PM:No bond should be a matter of trust. If you buy Tri-City bonds, you receive firm commitments of how much you will be paid and when you will be paid. If you vote YES on F, you should receive solid assurances of what, when and where regarding the construction of the buildings. Prop. F guarantees nothing, leaving you with only one prudent option: you need to vote NO on F by driving to your polling place and casting your ballot before 8:00 p.m.
Larry wrote on Jun 6, 2006 12:26 PM:How hard can it be to choose a replacement board member for a scant 6 months? Here's an idea: Write each candidate's name on a slip of paper. Place the slips in a container. Shake the container. Have someone draw a slip from the container and read the name. The name that is read is the replacement board member! Well, at least you would have a board member now instead of an empty chair for the next six months! The current board cannot be trusted with $600. You would have to be felony stupid to trust them with 600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars! Please vote NO on F before 8:00 p.m. tonight.
Ron wrote on Jun 6, 2006 1:15 PM:F uses part of your 600 million hard-earned tax dollars for medical offices for ordinary family physicians on the hospital campus! Why should your money be used to build medical offices for ordinary family physicians? Aren't there any developers willing and able to build medical offices for ordinary family physicians? Why is the hospital using your money to compete with developers? To prevent this from happening, you need to go to the polls before 8:00 and cast your NO on F vote!
David wrote on Jun 6, 2006 1:22 PM:The medical industry has spent over one million dollars to frighten you into parting with six hundred million dollars. That is better odds than Vegas! But you don't scare that easy. You know the hospital is sitting on 70 million dollars of cold, hard cash. Today, show courage in the face of these incessant scare tactics. Vote NO on F!
Surfer wrote on Jun 6, 2006 2:10 PM:Dude! Marcus. I had to go vote this morning. No, I am not Randy. Fortunately, I live just outside of the District so the Tri-City circus is not coming out of my pocket. South Carlsbad rules! I'm elated to be freeloading! Wipeout!
save the taxpayers wrote on Jun 6, 2006 2:27 PM:For the sake of the taxpayers get off your computer and go vote NO on F.
Mecha wrote on Jun 6, 2006 3:00 PM:Vote yes! Atzlan needs free healthcare. The fruits of Reconquista. Viva la raza!
Ronald wrote on Jun 6, 2006 4:05 PM:Reading the article and seeing the lack of common sense of the board especially Sterling and Reno, who never cease to amaze me and must be considered 2 of the most "wacked-out" individuals to serve in public office, I am surprised the administration and staff can function at all. I have always wondered how these people can get elected, but after reading the comments on this page it is self evident. I can only hope "F" does not pass and when the state mandate arrives and the hospital is forced to close or is unable to give proper care due to outmoded conditions and equiptment these people can stand tall and proud and say "Look what I did"
Marcus wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:19 PM:Dude, if you were really a surfer, you probably wouldn't start every blog comment with the word "Dude". Surfers may say "dude"--occasionally--but very few are silly and stereotypical enough to write it.
Randy wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:20 PM:I am really sorry for all the times that I have written against Proposition F. I now see the error of my ways. Vote Yes on Prop F today.
Lawson wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:21 PM:I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. VOTE YES ON PROP F!!!
Architect wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:22 PM:Vote yes on proposition F!!!
Politician wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:23 PM:Vote Yes on Proposition F. Don't let morons with bad talking points prevent your family from having the medical care they deserve.
Taxpayer wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:23 PM:The taxpayers association endorsed F. They never endorse bonds. This must be a good thing to vote for.
Engineer wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:27 PM:For the love of God, everyone get to the polls and vote Yes on prop F!
Scientist wrote on Jun 6, 2006 5:30 PM:I just did a super scientific test...and the result was that the No on F campaign has another agenda. Vote Yes on Proposition F!!!!!!!
4timeloserBusby wrote on Jun 7, 2006 11:26 AM:Hey Francine, there's an empty slot on the TCMC board of directors. Who knows, you might just luck out and get selected to serve...but don't count on it. Nobody likes a loser.
- OCEANSIDE: Killer may be granted parole (6645)
- RANCHO BERNARDO: Cyclist hit by car was retired Navy captain, avid athlete (6157)
- SOLANA BEACH: Pregnant woman, fetus killed in I-5 hit-and-run (5213)
- CHARGERS: Sproles carries Bolts to playoff win over Colts (4357)
- ENCINITAS: Carlsbad has questions about Encinitas shopping center plan (3985)
Advertisement
Videos
Advertisement