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MMC nurse seeks $42K vacation pay
By CHARLYN FINN
Vacation pay for a Memorial Medical Center employee may reach $42,000.
MMC board members voted 5-1 Tuesday to allow CEO Buzz Currier to set up a process in which Certified Registered Nurse/Anesthesia Terry McClain may be reimbursed $42,000, or $700 per diem for missed vacation days. McClain missed 60 days of vacation time in 2004 and 2005 due to the lack of a second CRNA at MMC.
McClain in 2004 received an annual salary of $180,000 and was raised to $190,000 in 2005. In February 2006, the hospital board raised McClain to $205,000 a year. The board had hired CRNA Greg Cowart at a salary of $200,000 and raised the salary of McClain, then department head, so his would be above Cowart's.
In April, the situation changed again and Cowart was made full time anesthesia department director when CNRA Sam Weber was hired. McClain and Weber each agreed to work part time for $140,000 a year.
Now McClain's contract will undergo another amendment if the board approves the above proposed change in June. To pay off McClain's vacation time, trustees asked Currier to prepare an amended contract which will be brought back to the board in June.
The medical member of the board, Dr. Reza Malek, was paged out of the meeting before voting. Bob Artero voted against the proposal.
“I don't know why that amount was agreed on,” Artero said. “Why didn't Buzz tell us when we were negotiating the contract? Every meeting you (Currier) make excuses saying ‘I am going to do better next time.'”
Currier says McClain must either be paid off or allowed to take his vacation with the hospital hiring a CRNA from an agency at a cost of $1,230 a day.
Jamie Jacoby, MMC finance director, said if MMC paid McClain per vacation day missed based on his salary in 2004 and 2005, McClain would be reimbursed $692 a day for the 2004 year and $760 a day for the 2005 year. However, McClain has agreed to accept $700 a day.
“As per previous conversations, since Mr. Weber and I are now under the half-time contract, I have 60 days of unused vacation that I would like to sell to MMC for $700 per day,” McClain stated in a memo to Currier. “The total would be $42,000. Thank you.”
Currier explained the departure from contract regarding McClain's vacation.
“During the time we were without a second anesthetist, Mr. McClain provided coverage which interfered with his ability to take vacation promised in his contract,” Currier said. “I assured him that he would not lose his 37 days of benefit time annually and that he could carry it over. Because he did not take vacation we were able to save a great deal by not using locum tenens coverage at some $1,230 daily.
“Mr. McClain has accumulated some 60 days of benefit time and if we had to cover while he used it, it would be a a rate of some $1,230 daily or $73,800. Mr. McClain has agreed to sell the time at $700 per day or $42,000. This represents a rather large amount on the one hand, but a savings of $31,800 on the other. Given that this is a subject of a contract previously agreed to by the board, I feel compelled to make payment but to keep you informed given the size of the payment. I have authorized payment to Mr. McClain in the amount of $42,000 this date.”
Board members thought otherwise and are requiring McClain's contract be amended before there is any exchange of $42,000.
“My concern is the procedure we are going through to arrive at this,” said trustee Bob Bonar. “I would like for us to do it correctly next time. His (McClain) contract is use or forfeit vacation time. We need to come to the board with this and go through those channels. If it is going to exceed $25,000, through commissioners court or $10,000 we come before the hospital board. We need to do things to not put us at odds before commissioner's court. Buzz did what was best for the hospital, but, we need to follow our commitment to commissioner's court.”
Member Larry Korenek agreed.
“I accept that but we should have done that yesterday,” Korenek said.
Currier said MMC only needs to go before commissioner's court for purchases over $25,000, but not for a vacation payoff decision. Currier said he made the decision he had to at the time.
“Sometimes I have to deviate,” he said.
Dr. Malek said the hospital cannot do without a CRNA and there was no way Currier had time to come before the board.
“There was plenty of time to go to the board about those 60 days,” Bonar replied.
“If an occasion arises such as this the chief executive officer can do this,” Ben Comiskey, former county auditor, said.
“The board has always been willing to meet for special meetings,” Bonar replied.
“Now we have three CRNAs so this should take care of this problem,” Comiskey said. He added that in the future Currier should make a point of following procedure or ask for an amendment to a contract in a timely manner.
“Pay the money, modify the contract and hope next time it does not happen again,” said Jack Wu.
Currier said when the board changed McClain's contract, it did not occur to him to pay off McClain for his vacation time.
“But when I made the decision I notified the board within five days and I think that was timely.”
In other business, board members approved the reappointment of Dr. Harish Chanda to the medical staff and the extension of privileges to Drs. Peter Paul Rojas and Anne Wagner.
They also OK'd purchase of a Mammo Processor for the radiology Department for $11,600 from SourceOne, and agreed to buy a Cardiac Ultra Sound for $87,801. This purchase needs the approval of county commissioners since it exceeds $25,000.
Comiskey, Korenek and D. J. Williams were appointed to a committee to study possible changes to the MMC retirement program.
MMC board members voted 5-1 Tuesday to allow CEO Buzz Currier to set up a process in which Certified Registered Nurse/Anesthesia Terry McClain may be reimbursed $42,000, or $700 per diem for missed vacation days. McClain missed 60 days of vacation time in 2004 and 2005 due to the lack of a second CRNA at MMC.
McClain in 2004 received an annual salary of $180,000 and was raised to $190,000 in 2005. In February 2006, the hospital board raised McClain to $205,000 a year. The board had hired CRNA Greg Cowart at a salary of $200,000 and raised the salary of McClain, then department head, so his would be above Cowart's.
In April, the situation changed again and Cowart was made full time anesthesia department director when CNRA Sam Weber was hired. McClain and Weber each agreed to work part time for $140,000 a year.
Now McClain's contract will undergo another amendment if the board approves the above proposed change in June. To pay off McClain's vacation time, trustees asked Currier to prepare an amended contract which will be brought back to the board in June.
The medical member of the board, Dr. Reza Malek, was paged out of the meeting before voting. Bob Artero voted against the proposal.
“I don't know why that amount was agreed on,” Artero said. “Why didn't Buzz tell us when we were negotiating the contract? Every meeting you (Currier) make excuses saying ‘I am going to do better next time.'”
Currier says McClain must either be paid off or allowed to take his vacation with the hospital hiring a CRNA from an agency at a cost of $1,230 a day.
Jamie Jacoby, MMC finance director, said if MMC paid McClain per vacation day missed based on his salary in 2004 and 2005, McClain would be reimbursed $692 a day for the 2004 year and $760 a day for the 2005 year. However, McClain has agreed to accept $700 a day.
“As per previous conversations, since Mr. Weber and I are now under the half-time contract, I have 60 days of unused vacation that I would like to sell to MMC for $700 per day,” McClain stated in a memo to Currier. “The total would be $42,000. Thank you.”
Currier explained the departure from contract regarding McClain's vacation.
“During the time we were without a second anesthetist, Mr. McClain provided coverage which interfered with his ability to take vacation promised in his contract,” Currier said. “I assured him that he would not lose his 37 days of benefit time annually and that he could carry it over. Because he did not take vacation we were able to save a great deal by not using locum tenens coverage at some $1,230 daily.
“Mr. McClain has accumulated some 60 days of benefit time and if we had to cover while he used it, it would be a a rate of some $1,230 daily or $73,800. Mr. McClain has agreed to sell the time at $700 per day or $42,000. This represents a rather large amount on the one hand, but a savings of $31,800 on the other. Given that this is a subject of a contract previously agreed to by the board, I feel compelled to make payment but to keep you informed given the size of the payment. I have authorized payment to Mr. McClain in the amount of $42,000 this date.”
Board members thought otherwise and are requiring McClain's contract be amended before there is any exchange of $42,000.
“My concern is the procedure we are going through to arrive at this,” said trustee Bob Bonar. “I would like for us to do it correctly next time. His (McClain) contract is use or forfeit vacation time. We need to come to the board with this and go through those channels. If it is going to exceed $25,000, through commissioners court or $10,000 we come before the hospital board. We need to do things to not put us at odds before commissioner's court. Buzz did what was best for the hospital, but, we need to follow our commitment to commissioner's court.”
Member Larry Korenek agreed.
“I accept that but we should have done that yesterday,” Korenek said.
Currier said MMC only needs to go before commissioner's court for purchases over $25,000, but not for a vacation payoff decision. Currier said he made the decision he had to at the time.
“Sometimes I have to deviate,” he said.
Dr. Malek said the hospital cannot do without a CRNA and there was no way Currier had time to come before the board.
“There was plenty of time to go to the board about those 60 days,” Bonar replied.
“If an occasion arises such as this the chief executive officer can do this,” Ben Comiskey, former county auditor, said.
“The board has always been willing to meet for special meetings,” Bonar replied.
“Now we have three CRNAs so this should take care of this problem,” Comiskey said. He added that in the future Currier should make a point of following procedure or ask for an amendment to a contract in a timely manner.
“Pay the money, modify the contract and hope next time it does not happen again,” said Jack Wu.
Currier said when the board changed McClain's contract, it did not occur to him to pay off McClain for his vacation time.
“But when I made the decision I notified the board within five days and I think that was timely.”
In other business, board members approved the reappointment of Dr. Harish Chanda to the medical staff and the extension of privileges to Drs. Peter Paul Rojas and Anne Wagner.
They also OK'd purchase of a Mammo Processor for the radiology Department for $11,600 from SourceOne, and agreed to buy a Cardiac Ultra Sound for $87,801. This purchase needs the approval of county commissioners since it exceeds $25,000.
Comiskey, Korenek and D. J. Williams were appointed to a committee to study possible changes to the MMC retirement program.
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