Hospital board approves strategic planning and introduces new CEO proposal

Published 1:58 pm Tuesday, May 17, 2016

The King County Public Hospital District board of commissioners approved a proposal to hire a local firm to provide strategic planning services and introduced a proposal to appoint a new CEO at the board meeting on Thursday, May 5.

With the desire to have a substantial strategic plan for the upcoming years of operation, the board discussed hiring Marketing Solutions, a local marketing, research and planning based firm based out of Mill Creek, for a total cost of $9,250.

Marketing Solutions, and specifically growth strategist Andrew Ballard, were recommended to the hospital board by city of Snoqualmie staff and council members who have worked with him in the past. Dariel Norris, hospital board president, said Ballard had completed two rounds of strategic planning with the city and was described as the “best facilitator for strategic planning.”

In discussion of the resolution Commissioner Gene Pollard expressed caution at the idea of spending upwards of $9,000 for strategic planning.

“I think it’s too expensive in our financial position,” Pollard said. He then asked for the hospital staff to contact some of the other hospitals Ballard has worked with for their reviews, despite trusting the good impressions from the city.

The other commissioners voiced support of passing the resolution that night stating that they have had time to think and support the resolution at the current price. The resolution passed with only Pollard voting in opposition.

A resolution to appoint Tom Parker, the current interim CEO, to the position permanently was also introduced at the board meeting.

No vote has been conducted yet, but Norris made a motion for the finance committee to develop an employment agreement with market based salary and benefits for the position by May 20 in order to be reviewed by the commission in an executive session before the next regular board meeting in June.

The motion also passed with only Commissioner Pollard voting in opposition due to his dissatisfaction with how soon the motion was introduced.

“This is just a motion. It is not for any other action other than to ask the Finance committee to do what the finance committee does anyhow and It’s probably one of the first times the finance committee has been able to have something to say about what to pay the superintendent and how they would like to carry that contract out,” Norris responded.

The next regular hospital board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 2 at Snoqualmie City Hall.