MY TURN: Neighbors, let's talk about the Panhandle Health District
DART’s purpose is to encourage and support competent, qualified leaders and governance of our public institutions. Recent developments suggest that good governance and thoughtful decision-making are not occurring with the Panhandle Health District’s board. This may be a concern similar to what we saw in the past at NIC and are currently seeing with the Community Library Network.
Whether you realize it or not, you have likely relied on a service from Panhandle Health District (PHD) at some point. From performing restaurant inspections and providing healthcare services to helping ensure the safety of our drinking water, the functions of PHD are critical to our communities. That's why recent Board of Health decisions have our board concerned.
Let's start with what hasn't changed. The district's mission matters, and so do the people who carry it out. That's why it was troubling that at least a dozen employees, including the Executive Director and head of Human Resources, resigned last month.
Let's start with what hasn't changed. The district's mission matters, and so do the people who carry it out. That's why it was troubling that at least a dozen employees, including the Executive Director and head of Human Resources, resigned last month.
Then the Board of Health held a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3. After an executive session, the members present voted to appoint one of their own, Dr. Thomas Fletcher, as interim executive director, with pay and benefits equal to those of the outgoing director. Dr. Fletcher took part in that vote.
We're certainly not attorneys, but here's how it looks to us: When a board member votes to give himself a paid job, he has a personal financial stake in the result. Idaho has a conflict-of-interest law, Idaho Code § 74-404, that seems designed for this kind of situation. If he had stepped aside, or resigned, to be considered like any other applicant, the board would not have had enough members present for a quorum and could not have taken any action at all.
There's a bigger picture, too. The board hires, evaluates and sets pay for the executive director. If that person is also a sitting board member, his colleagues are responsible for keeping him accountable. Most of us would find that awkward (if not questionable) at our own workplace. Additionally, if the appointment turns out to be improper, we could challenge decisions made by the interim director and later board actions that rely on him.
For these reasons, we encourage the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney to review this situation carefully and act as Idaho law requires. Kootenai County has an appointed Board member who participated in this vote, and the meeting was held in Kootenai County. Certainly, any of the five counties with appointed Board members should consider asking questions, as well.
Some people may say the Board can reconvene and fix it. That would be a good idea, but if the original actions potentially violated the law, the Board can't ignore its choice to take them. If any of us broke the law, we'd expect to answer for it and face any applicable penalties. Public officials should be held to the same standard, regardless of party or title.
Whatever your politics, this is about basic fairness, following the rules, and good governance. We hope you'll attend upcoming Board of Health meetings, ask questions, and expect answers. It's our health department and our tax dollars, so holding our leaders accountable matters.
On behalf of the DART Board of Directors, Nick Arambarri, Chris Fillios, Lynn Fleming, Kris Jamtaas, Nancy Jones, Joyce Lider, Rick Palagi, Michael Viale, Phil Ward (Kootenai County Residents)
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DART is a nonpartisan group of community members dedicated to informed, civil and cooperative civic engagement, leadership and governance