Cunningham to Lead Hospital Board
February 4, 2011
Florida Keys News - Marathon Free Press
Friday, February 4, 2011
BY MARC PHELPS Free Press Staff
mphelps@keysnews.com
Michael Cunningham will lead the Board of Trustees of Fishermen’s Hospital after its former chairman was removed amid ongoing harassment allegations.
At a meeting held Jan. 31, the board elected Cunningham as chairman and Daniel Samess as vice president, according to a press release.
Cunningham and Samess have been on the board for the past year and have been actively involved in the board’s selection of Quorum Health Services to provide services in connection with the transition of Fishermen’s to local governance.
Cunningham replaces Clyde Burnett, who was removed by the board last week after he agreed to settle Marathon City Clerk Diane Clavier’s request for an injunction amid allegations of continuing harassment. He initially signed a confidential agreement to stop harassing her in 2009 and resigned his job as Marathon city manager.
Cunningham told the Free Press the board had chosen not to nominate and select a seventh member to replace Burnett at this week’s meeting, but hoped to fill the spot at next week’s meeting.
The board is in the midst of directing the changeover at the hospital from management by Health Management Associates (HMA) to self-management with administrative functions handled by Quorum Health Resources. The transition is expected to be complete by July 1.
“We have a lot of work to complete over the next 12 months and I greatly appreciate the confidence my fellow board members have in me to finish leading the transition process,” Cunningham said in a prepared statement. “QHR has done a great job so far and everything is right on track as far as moving the hospital forward.”
Other board officers remain unchanged and include Ginger Snead, secretary, and Peter Chapman, treasurer. The board is rounded out by board spokesman David Kirwan and physician Peeter Jakobson.