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FOOK �.4�7 P.,kU 658 negative situation. When you get one negative situation, you forget about all the positive things that are going on in this Hospital District. Mrs. Ingram emphasized that there have been many changes made because of public input. Joyce Smith noted that with regard to financial disclosure they have started using the financial form the County uses in qualifying requests for funds from various nonprofit organizations. The packet that is given out has a lot of financial disclosure and will help them make decisions on requests for programs by determining where the money is going and how they want to use it. Doctor Broadus Sowell related that he served on the Hospital District Board of Trustees back when they operated the hospital and it was not satisfactory. He wished to read the following statement into the Record: S. F. Sowell Statement. congratulate the Board of County Commissioners for arranging t;.is meeting.. I have been frustrated with the manner in which �o;tplaints concerning the relationship between the Indian River County Hospital District and Indian River Memorial Hospital, Inc. :.ave been handled and are being handled. The two boards seem disinclined to make substantive change in the contract that would restore taxpayers, through their elected District Board representatives, a greater voice in Hospital policy and expenditure of money. Amendments to the original contract added to .the Hospital's advantage and some cost the taxpayers hundreds;': of thousands of dollars. An example is amendment four that relieved the hospital from its obligation to complete repayment of the 1973 and 1975 bonds and interest before it made a single payment., The contract.--, between the District and Hospital gave.the hospital almost:`complete control of operations and _left the District little;,power except to act as the ultimate guarantor IQf Hospital revenue bonds and the payor of costs over which.had.no control. The District was left essentially unable to changejItha.ngs. with which it :disagreed. If it disagreed. The;; agreement to ;pay': the Hospital 95% -of :charges for indigent patients was -.-fair iri' 1`985 but became outmoded with changes that brought av6rage;collec ris'. from most' other":payers down to approximately 50% of charges; th medicare and medicaid paying even .Less. It has only' -been within the past two years that- either the. District or Hospital showed an inclination to*. change t�iatA arrangement. Instead, both floundered around looking for a=way to change the public's perception of the contract while -`leaving the 95% payment of charges intact: The current discussions:: -between .he' two boards appear aimed at the minimum changes necessary t0,cbmply. with state law rather than restoring meaningful control -to the Cistrict. C MARCH 21, 1996 -I