Maverick County Hospital District Audit reports $4.78 Million Operating Loss during 2014-2015
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors received a presentation by BKD, LLP, the District’s Auditors, regarding the 2014-2015 fiscal year Audit Report at their Tuesday, March 1, 2016 meeting, advising them that the local hospital district sustained a net operating loss of $2,490,773 during 2014 and another $2,297,565 operating loss during 2015, totaling $4,788,338 during 2014 and 2015.
The financial news was gloomy as Chris Clark of BKD, LLP advised the MCHD Board of Directors that the cash and investments of the local hospital district had decreased by $1,436,536 during 2014 and another $502,239 during 2015, totaling $1,938,775 during 2014 and 2015.
The Audit reported that the District’s net nonoperating revenues did increase by $1,068,344 during 2015 compared to 2014 in which they had decreased by $45,530.
The Audit Report for 2014-2015 did not have any qualifications, that is, received a clean auditing report concerning no financial improprieties and discrepancies in the District’s financial records.
After reviewing the 2014-2015 Audit Report, the MCHD Board of Directors approved the Audit Report with three votes in favor and one abstention. Board Chairman Juan Manuel Farias, Vice-Chairman Ronald Hixson, and Secretary-Treasurer Humberto Duran approved the 2014-2015 Audit Report while Trustee Ricardo E. Calderon abstained from approving it. Calderon has been an ardent advocate against the MCHD Board approving annually deficit budgets balanced with District reserve funds. Calderon’s pleas to his fellow Board members to approve balanced budgets have gone unheeded.
On other Hospital District business, the Board was unable to reach a uanimous consensus on a person from among applicants to fill the Board vacancy arising from former Board Chairman Joaquin L. Rodriguez’s resignation in May of 2015. The Board approved to readvertise for any Maverick County citizen interested in serving on the Board and being appointed to fill the vacancy to apply for consideration. The Board’s Bylaws require unanimous consent in naming a person to fill a Board vacancy.
The MCHD Board also approved to authorize its Legal Counsel Alex Fuller and Chief Executive Officer Terri Patlan-Contreras to research and investigate the Uncompensated Care Hospital Affiliation Agreement with Universal Health Services doing business as Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center and present a report with recommendations to the Board at their next meeting in March 2016.
The MCHD Board also approved to authorize its Legal Counsel and CEO to research and meet with Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center regarding the District’s Medical Office Building Lease Agreement and present a report to the Board with recommendations at its next meeting in March 2016.
The Board also approved to appeal the Texas Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision affirming the Railroad Commission of Texas grant of an open surface coal mine permit to Dos Republicas Coal Partnership to the Texas Supreme Court due to public health concerns arising from coal mines in the community.
