Dateline: February 24, 2005
Board action prompts Graham's resignation
By
Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise
The
Donley County Hospital Board delivered an ultimatum to district
administrator Alan Graham during a special meeting Monday night, calling
for him to step down immediately or face termination.
The
unanimous decision came after the board met with its attorney, James
Shelton, in closed session for half an hour.
Graham
formally resigned Tuesday morning, board president Don Thornberry said.
“The
board decided we needed a change,” Thornberry said. “Alan Graham has
done a good job, and he is part of a team that has brought a lot of
respect to the hospital district and Medical Center Nursing Home.”
Thornberry
refused to state publicly any reason for the board’s decision.
“This
is just going to be better for Alan and better for the hospital
district,” he said.
Assistant
Administrator Holly Eads has taken charge of the district’s
administrative duties, and she said the board will hold another called
meeting this Saturday at noon to determine the district’s next steps.
“We
will begin advertising for an interim administrator,” Eads said. “We
have to have an interim in place within 30 days.”
Monday’s
action followed a regular meeting on February 14 in which the board met
with all MCNH department heads regarding policies and procedures for
ordering and documenting incoming supplies. The board then met in closed
session for over an hour with Eads and afterward voted to close credit
card accounts at Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Sam’s, and Home Depot and appointed
Eads to be in charge of purchasing and receiving for the nursing home.
District
officials refused to say whether or not last week’s actions were
directly related to the action taken against Graham this week.
“We
just needed to improve our procedures,” Eads said.
Graham
said he was surprised by the board’s decision and does not know what
prompted it, but he said he is staying upbeat.
“I
look at it as an opportunity,” he said. “I’ve still got a lot of
things I want to accomplish in my life.”