SUMMARY MINUTES
CHAIRMAN’S MEETING
Indian River County Hospital District Conference Room/ Zoom
March 19, 2025
10:00 AM
TRUSTEES: Chuck Mackett William Cooney Michael Kint Paul Westcott
Allen Jones Kerry Bartlett Karen Deigl
STAFF: Dawn Carboni Jennifer Frederick
Kate Voss Frank Isele
Jennifer Peshke, Esq. Kaytlin Dickens
ZOOM: Anne Posey Barb Bodnar Marie Andress Kim Jeansonne
Lisa Zahner Ann Marie McCrystal
ATTENDEES: Vicki Soule Pat Knipper
Wayne Creelman Bob Atwater
Convene Meeting
Dr. Cooney convened the meeting of the IRCHD Board of Trustees at 10:00 AM by welcoming those participating via Zoom and in person.
Approval of Conflict of Interest Policy
Ms. Peshke provided the Trustees with an updated version of the Districts conflict of interest policy. She reviewed the amendments to the document which included a memorandum of voting conflict form 8B as required by Florida Statutes 112. Additionally, the process for handling conflicts during meetings was outlined, including the requirement for Trustees to announce and recuse themselves from discussions. It was also recommended that the Trustee leave the room to further remove themselves from the conflict during discussion. There was Trustee discussion and Mr. Westcott expressed the need for the board to have the final say on conflict determinations rather than staff, as suggested in the current policy. Suggestions were made to clarify the language in the policy to ensure the board’s accountability and autonomy when announcing their conflict. Mr. Jones raised his concerns about the recusal process and suggested it limits the Trustee ability to contribute their expertise during discussions. The Trustees further acknowledged the need to balance ethical guidelines with practical discussion needs. Ms. Peshke made further clarifications regarding the process of filling out conflict forms and the implications for voting. The majority of the board agreed to support the conflict of interest policy with the discussed edits. Ms. Deigl made a motion to approve the policy which was seconded by Mr. Kint for further discussion. Dr. Cooney asked for public comment and Ms. McCrystal stated that before she was appointed to the District board in 2016, she met with Governor Scott and disclosed her roles on several community boards which the District supported. He assured her that there would be no conflict of interest, as she served on those boards as a volunteer and not as a paid employee. Mr. Atwater of Vero Beach provided his public comment and stated that the current motion should include specific language referencing what is being amended. There was no further discussion, and the motion carried 4 to 3. Ms. Peshke indicated that she would make the changes discussed and circulate the policy for the board’s review at the next meeting.
There was also discussion surrounding additional clarification and understanding of the District Chairman’s potential conflict of interest while serving as an ex officio member of the CCIRH Board of Directors. Mr. Westcott stated that he plans to bring forth a formal motion for the board’s consideration which would approve Ms. Peshke seeking an official attorney general opinion on the matter at next month’s board meeting.
CCIRH Commitment Integrity Committee Nominations
Ms. Peshke stated that John Moore, Esq., who was the District appointed representative on the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital (CCIRH) Commitment Integrity Committee resigned and the Trustees voted last month to more forward in the process of replacing him. Two individuals have been recommended, including former District legal counsel Alan Polackwich and Tyke & Teens CEO Anne Posey. There was Trustee discussion and while all the Trustees respected Ms. Posey and her dedication to the community, they felt that Mr. Polackwich was a better fit due to his legal background. After further Trustee discussion Ms. Bartlett made a motion to appoint Mr. Polackwich to the CCIRH Commitment Integrity Committee, which was seconded by Mr. Kint. The motion carried unanimously.
District Staff Updates
Ms. Frederick stated that recently she, Mr. Isele and Ms. Carboni met with representatives from the Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council (TCHSC), Salvation Army, and CCIRH to discuss challenges those organizations have faced concerning discharging vulnerable homeless patients from the hospital. This discussion also uncovered the fact that the average length of stay at the District supported rapid respite program, provided by TCHSC, is more than 90 days, which results in the organization not adhering to the established guidelines. This also results in inaccessible beds for new patients needing respite, due to the fact that current residents staying past the 90 days have nowhere else to be housed safely. It was further discussed that Mr. Knuckles from TCHSC would be providing his semi-annual update to the Trustees in April and there would be an opportunity to have further discussions surrounding this matter. Additionally, Ms. Frederick provided the Trustees with an updated FY 25-26 funding cycle meeting schedule for their review. She also reminded the board that the deadline for funding application submittal was March 28th.
Next, Mr. Isele stated that the board has had conversations about how to best provide community education to the public regarding health care trends and initiatives in Indian River County. He stated that he has had initial conversation with the Indian River Community Foundation to partner and work on community education campaigns. There was also discussion surrounding any interest in paying for advertising in either TC Palm or 32963, to provide information to the public about the District, however most of the Trustee were not in favor of this approach.
Ms. Dickens addressed the board and stated that the District Annual Impact Report for 2024 has been completed and is now available on the Districts website. The report shows success stories from funded agencies and data on community impact. It was further discussed that future reports will have more detailed data outlining the number of individuals impacted and services encounters to measure the effectiveness of the tax dollars being spent. It was also noted that Ms. Dickens plans to send out notifications to the funded partners informing them that the report has been published.
Other Business
Mr. Isele stated that he attended the District’s Finance and Audit Committee meeting yesterday, in which there was discussion regarding the need to establish a formal capital funding policy. However, during those discussions it was recommended by the committee to not adopt a policy outlining capital purchases but to instead create an exception policy. The reason behind this was that the District should not support capital purchases, however an expectations policy would outline instances where the board could deviate and approve such action. There was Trustee discussion and consensus that future boards should retain flexibility in making capital funding decisions based on unique circumstances.
Next, there was discussion surrounding the Districts Women’s Recovery Residence project and Mr. Isele provided the Trustees with a handout outlining the services provided at the residence, emphasizing it is a sober living environment. It was further discussed that the residence will not provide medical services, including detox or psychiatric care, and will focus on non-medical support such as peer-led groups and life skills counseling. There was discussion surrounding the current zoning approval and Mr. Westcott requested that staff resubmit a zoning verification request which included specific language outlining that counseling services would be provided. The Trustees acknowledged previous confirmations from the county but agreed that more detailed written documentation should be sought to provide better assurance and clarity moving forward. It was also noted that the District staff is currently assessing potential liabilities associated with owning the facility and will present findings to ensure all Trustees are informed. There was also discussion surrounding the RFP process and the development of the same, to find an operator for the Women’s Recovery Residence. Dr. Creelman addressed the board as a member of the public and stated that there needs to be a clear operational plan in place that outlines the program criteria and expectations for the residents. Mr. Isele clarified that the District is not the operator of the recovery residence and those matters would be developed within the RFP and managed by the entity who is chosen to operate the facility. It was also clarified that insurance does not cover any form of sober living recovery costs. There was additional Trustee discussion surrounding the financial viability of the center and if the District would be responsible for making up and shortfalls in operating losses.
Lastly, there was discussion about determining how the off-ramp funding process would be handled, and it was suggested that District staff bring forth their recommendations to the Trustees for consideration. It was agreed that funding levels could be adjusted based on the needs of the organizations, rather than maintaining the same level for the upcoming fiscal year. Additionally, the importance of holding partner organizations accountable for their outcomes was reiterated, and the funding aligned with the strategic goals and objectives.
Public Comment & Adjourn
There was no further discussion or public comment. The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 PM.
