[Vision2020] Gritman general board member resigns

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (July 17, 2017) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Gritman general board member resigns
Another says several won't support top officers' actions

The president and CEO of the Latah Credit Union has resigned from the 30-member general board of Gritman Medical Center after its members were asked to sign a letter supporting the 10-member Board of Directors and the hospital's administration.

The resignation comes after a closed meeting last week to strip B.J. Swanson of her board memberships and explain the directors and administration position in light of criticisms by former chair Swanson of how new chair Greg Kimberling was handling conflicts of interest. Swanson resigned from all her hospital affiliations before the boards could meet.

Lowell H. Stevens wrote on Friday, "I have submitted my resignation from the General Membership to Mr. Kimberling and will not be attaching my signature to the letter. It does not portray the meeting in a positive light and appears to be a mean-spirited, in your face, rebuttal. I know I never voiced a vote in favor of the motion, and am ashamed that I did not speak up at the moment when I had the chance. The motion was unnecessary and to publicly broadcast it as unanimous, as was relayed in yesterday's paper was just as unnecessary."

He said he hopes the board and administration "can all find a way to come together without extracting a pound of flesh."

Stevens was replying to an email sent to general members with "talking points" and a letter of support for the board of directors.

"If you are comfortable having your name signed to this letter that will go in the papers, please write back and let me know," wrote Danielle Breed, executive assistant to Gritman CEO Kara Besst. "If you have concerns, questions, or suggestions, please let me know that, as well."

General board member Sharon Harris of Kendrick, a consistent support of Swanson, emailed the Daily News on Saturday that she and some other general board members are not signing a vote of confidence for the Board of Directors.

"I didn't hear anything at that meeting that indicated change," she wrote. "There was only an effort to justify all of their existing actions by blaming all wrong on BJ. Out of one side of their mouth they spoke of treating all with respect, while bashing BJ out of the other side."

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
  
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