Board to meet with CEO search firms

April 10--The board negotiated a mutual separation agreement with hospital CEO Stephen Thames at a special meeting Thursday morning.

Under the terms of the agreement, Thames will step down as superintendent in exchange for the county-owned hospital paying his $475,000 annual salary until his contract ends Dec. 31, 2017.

The remainder of his contract is worth about $1.27 million.

He is eligible for standard Cobra separation benefits, which means he would keep his health insurance coverage, according to a letter of separation signed by Thames. The letter will be accepted Monday during the special board meeting.

Thames will continue to work at the hospital until April 30 or until the board fills the interim CEO position, whichever comes first.

Hospital attorney Kevin Cullen said on Thursday that the board plans to meet with firms that would handle the search for an interim CEO.

The board will discuss candidate qualifications and selection of an interim CEO with an attorney during closed session.

The hospital board is also expected to take action to approve the mutual separation agreement.

Cullen said no names of individuals were mentioned during the two-hour closed session on Thursday.

The agenda on Monday also includes an item authorizing Board Chairman Donald Day to execute an agreement for the interim's employment.

The separation announced on Thursday ended several months of unrest between Thames and many doctors, as well as the hospital's nursing staff.

About 100 physicians took a straw vote March 11 and voted no confidence in Thames' leadership and maintained that stance until the CEO resigned.

Eight physicians also refused to work at Citizens until Thames left.

They cited concerns with patient safety and described a hostile work environment while Thames was in charge.

Thames was hired in June 2013 as chief financial officer and was then hired as CEO when longtime administrator David Brown retired six months later.

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