Maverick County Hospital District Board hires new Legal Counsel
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Maverick County Hospital District (MCHD) Board of Directors held its first regular monthly meeting since November 2015 on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at the District’s Second Floor Confernce Room located at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive in Eagle Pass, Texas, deciding to hire a new law firm as the District’s Legal Counsel.
At a previous Board meeting on October 6, 2015, the MCHD Board requested the publication for request for proposals for legal services from Texas law firms. A total of 11 Texas law firms submitted request for proposals, including long time legal counsel Brin & Brin of San Antonio, Texas.
During the January 26, 2016 Board meeting, agena item no. V-B called for “discussion with possible action of Maverick County Hospital District Legal Counsel contracted services.” MCHD CEO Terri Patlan-Contreras advised the Board that 11 law firms had submitted proposals and that she had done a comprhensive evaluation of each proposal. Board Vice-President Ronald Hixson requested that the Board go into Executive Session to discuss this agenda item. Board member Ricardo E. Calderon objected to going into Executive Session and requested that CEO Patlan-Contreras read the list of the 11 law firms that submitted proposals and the results of her evaluation in public for the benefit of taxpayers. Hixson motioned to go into Executive Session and President Juan Manuel Farias seconded the motion. The motion passed on a split 2-1 vote with Hixson and Farias in favor of going into Executive Session while Calderon opposed the motion.
After returning into Open Session, Board President Juan Manel Farias asked if any Board member had any motions to make regarding the District’s legal services contract. Board member Ricardo E. Calderon motioned to hire the Alex Fuller Law Firm of Austin, Texas as the new legal counsel for the MCHD and that the District provide 30 days notice of termination to Brin & Brin and thanked Brin & Brin for their legal services rendered to the District. Board Vice-President Ronald Hixson seconded the motion. During discussion, Calderon amended his motion to award the Alex Fuller Law Firm a three year contract as legal counsel of the District and Hixson agreed to the amendment. The MCHD Board approved uanimously to approve the motion. Board Treasurer-Secretary Humberto Duran did not attend the meeting.
Board member Calderon noted that the MCHD was going to save $18,000 per year as a result of hiring new legal counsel without sacrificing quality or compentency. The District will save $54,000 or greater during the three year term as the new law firm selected charged $125 less per hour than the previous law firm.
The MCHD Board also approved to replace the District’s Medical Office Building’s Cooling Tower with a new unit on a unaimous vote. Hixson made the motion and Calderon seconded the motion. After discussion, the Board approved the agenda item.
The appointment of a new MCHD Board of Director to replace former Board President Joaquin L. Rodriguez due to his resignation was tabled because Board Treasurer-Secretary Humberto Duran was absent from the meeting and the Board Bylaws require a uanimous vote of the full Board.
Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center CEO Richard Prati and CFO Joel Morales were present to provide their hospital’s Quarterly Summary of Community Report. Morales presented the Fourth Quarter of 2015 Report to the MCHD Board.
The monthly Financial Reports of the MCHD from September to December 2015 were not presented due to the Board meeting having to be adjourned early to allow Board Vice -President Ronald Hixson attend personal business. Board member Ricardo E. Calderon opposed adjourning the meeting early because the District’s financial reports have not been publicly read for four months now. Calderon opined that taxpayers deserved to know how its hospital district is doing financially. The September to December 2015 Financial Reports will be presented at a future meeting.
