Special Meeting of Board of Trustees

Carson-Tahoe Hospital trustees expressed frustration and confusion at a presentation on hospital's future.

Past and projected revenues were lined up alongside the master plan's $63 million wish list as well as the $29 million needed for equipment and infrastructure replacement over the next decade.

But in light of the complexity and gravity of the topics, trustees Pete Livermore, Jo Saulisberry and Caleb Mills said they were frustrated they did not have time to study the information before the meeting.

"We didn't get the information that was presented on the slides, which should have happened," Mills said. "Any time any information is presented to the public or board, at least the board should have it beforehand, so we're not caught unawares."

"I didn't receive the information before the meeting, and I found it very complex and hard to understand," Saulisberry said. "Why didn't we receive these materials beforehand? I thought we would be prioritizing what we want to do, and what we can afford. I felt pressured like we have to do this now."

Chief executive officer Steve Smith said that no information had been sent to board members before the meeting because the board and the public had seen the information in previous presentations.

"I didn't see that it was necessary," Smith said. "None of this is new, exciting, or different."

Trustee Pete Livermore admitted to being a little confused by the meeting's process, but after the next day's meeting with representatives from potential affiliate Universal Health Systems, he feels capital needs may not be a primary issue right now.

The hospital board is considering four options that could direct the hospital's future, including affiliation with health care entities Universal and Sutter, organizing as a nonprofit, or remaining a county hospital.

Livermore said once an option is chosen the hospital's financial future could be altered.

"From Universal's perspective, if we choose them, they may decide a new hospital is more appropriate than the master plan," Livermore said. Universal is proposing to sell the hospital, and officials would be looking for about 25 acres to build.

"If Universal is chosen, their vision is that we need a new hospital," Livermore said. "They are going to invest their money in a facility that can be competitive in the market place."

According to Smith the master plan is more of a vision and idea, but it was adopted to be the goal and direction. It is fluid, but at the same time rigid.

"The master plan says we're going to stay here," Smith said. "Why would I look anyplace else for land to build. The only direction I've gotten from the board is in the master plan, including purchase of land in the super block."

Richard Moore, a retired hospital administrator and interested citizen, feels any decisions concerning the master plan are premature.

"They have the cart before the horse," Moore said.

He feels officials should only be looking at capital improvements over the next couple of years rather than the 10-year projections because of the proposals, including affiliation, that are now on the table.

Meetings to consider all affiliation options and proposals are scheduled to be presented to the Board of Trustees and the public in late January, the time and place to be determined. Members of the board are expected to narrow those options in late February.