Maverick County Hospital District noncompliant with State Law; Board to Meet January 22nd

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The Maverick County Hospital District (MCHD) is in noncompliance with Texas state law regarding the filing of its 2012-2013 Financial Statements and Audit which requires the MCHD to file it by January 1, 2014. Although the MCHD Board of Directors are having a regular Board meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2014, to hear a presentation and acceptance of its 2012-2013 Financial Statements and Audit, the MCHD once again violated its own state law which created the local hospital district which expressly requires it to file its financial statements and audit annually by no later than January 1st of each year.

On the January 22nd MCHD Board agenda is item No. VI-B regarding the “Discussion and acceptance of Annual Financial Audit by Weaver LLP,” the MCHD Auditors. It is expected that the 2012-2013 Financial Statements and Audit of the MCHD will report another significant loss of the hospital district assets by approximately $1,980,000 (million) while the operating expenses are projected to be $2,500,000 (million) greater than operating revenues in 2013. The financial hemorrhaging continues at the MCHD.

Also on the agenda in the Visitor Recognition section for the January 22nd Board meeting is a presentation by Richard Prati, Chief Executive Officer at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, and Joel Morales, Chief Financial Officer at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, on the third quarter report regarding the community benefits provided by Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.

Under the Old Business section, the MCHD Board of Directors will hear an update on Time Warner Cable’s costs to transmit the Board meetings live on a cable access channel similarly to the City of Eagle Pass and Eagle Pass Independent School District and a discussion regarding the terms of the contract with law firms on the Prompt Pay Laws.

Under New Business, the MCHD Board will also hold its annual election of Officers for the MCHD Board of Directors and appointment of Committees for 2014, Currently, the MCHD Board Officers include Juan Manuel “Chuco” Farias as President, Maverick County Treasurer Rito J. Valdez, III, as Vice-President, and United Medical Centers Clinic Manager Humberto “Beto” Duran as Secretary-Treasurer. Joaquin L. Rodriguez and Ricardo E. Calderon are Board of Directors, as well.

The MCHD will also hear a presentation of Financial Reports for the month of November 2013 by MCHD Chief Executive Officer Elcira Bares and Chief Financial Officer Terri Contreras followed by the Administrator’s Report by CEO Elcira Bares.

The MCHD Board will go into Executive Session to hear several matters including the Chief Executive Officer Elcira Bares’ contract of employment and Physicians contracts of employment, the Bibb Street real property bidding offers, and pending litigation matters and then proceed to go into Open Session to take possible action on any of the Executive Session items.

The Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors meeting on January 22, 2014, at 12 Noon at the Second Floor Administration Conference Room, located at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive, in Eagle Pass, Texas is open to the public. The public is welcome to attend the MCHD Board of Directors meetings.