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_I <br />problems at the hospital require a meeting and an airing out. They <br />have no particular agenda for today but are here to talk about the <br />issues, answer any questions that come forth, and give as much <br />information as they can about what they are doing and what they <br />plan to do in the near future. <br />commissioner Macht noted that Agenda Item 2 involves <br />discussion of the Hospital District Board of Trustees revisiting <br />the contract with Indian River Memorial Hospital, Inc. He <br />believed this item has been stimulated by all that has gone on in <br />the press relevant to some proposals that were made to conduct a <br />significant part of business out of public scrutiny and in <br />violation of their contract which calls for the Sunshine Law to be <br />observed. There are some other aspects that indicate that perhaps <br />the present and previous Trustee boards have delegated, through <br />contract, more power than is appropriate to the IRMH, Inc. Board of <br />Directors. <br />Commissioner Eggert asked the Trustees' attorney to comment on <br />the effect on our county as a result of the Palm Beach County vs. <br />Everglades Memorial Hospital case. <br />Attorney Alan Polackwich understood there have been some <br />comments that as a result of that case our documents to our <br />hospital are invalid or unconstitutional. He frankly didn't think <br />that anybody can say that. It took them 5 years in that case in <br />two different courts to determine that those documents were <br />invalid. The Circuit Court held that the documents were valid; the <br />4th District Court of Appeal held that they were invalid because <br />the Hospital District had given up too much control. Our <br />documents are not nearly as extreme as their documents. Their <br />documents are pretty unusual. Our documents are more typical of 40 <br />hospitals in Florida that follow the same general format that we do <br />in leasing a public hospital to a nonprofit corporation. <br />Attorney Polackwich felt, however, that the Everglades <br />Hospital case -certainly raises the question about our documents. <br />If we are going to deal with that question, the Legislature has to <br />clarify F.S. Section 155.40 and they are working on -it at this <br />time. Regardless of what happens to that bill, we still have a <br />question. Since the Supreme Court decided not to hear the appeal <br />from the 4th District Court of Appeal, he has advised Chairman <br />Montuoro that he feels our Board of Trustees needs to make some <br />changes in our documents to eliminate any questions that may linger <br />as a result of the Everglades Memorial case. <br />Commissioner Macht asked what specific questions it would <br />eliminate, and Attorney Polackwich believed it would answer the <br />control issue. <br />2 <br />MARCH 21, 1996 <br />