The Upper San Juan Health Service District (USJHSD) Board of Directors, which oversees Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC), is seeking a new board member following the recent resignation of Mark Zeigler.
Zeigler’s resignation was acknowledged at the April 23 meeting of the board, with board chair Kate Alfred thanking Zeigler for his many years of service and time on the finance committee and as the board treasurer.
She called him a “very valuable” board member.
Zeigler resigned via letter addressed to Alfred on April 17, with that letter expressing Zeigler’s frustration about recent actions of the board.
“I am very unhappy and frustrated with the position PSMC and the Upper San Juan Health Service District BOD have put me in,” Zeigler wrote. “I was voted onto the BOD to give feedback, direction, knowledge etc. to help with the guidance of the hospital to serve our amazing community that I have been serving for over 20 years. Since it has been voted last year to open a Wellness Center in the old Dr. Pruitt building my hands have been tied on how I can perform my job that I was voted in to do. I am saddened that PSMC and the BOD’s main objective of a Wellness Center is Physical Therapy and that all other services that this community highly needs that a true Wellness Center serves are not being addressed.
“I hope the best for the hospital and I have enjoyed serving the community on the BOD to the best of my ability. Now that ability has been taken away from me, I give you my resignation from the Upper San Juan Health Service District BOD.”
Zeigler owns a local physical therapy practice.
The board last year approved a new sports medicine service line for its new medical wellness building located at U.S. 160 and South Pagosa Boulevard, which formerly housed Dr. Jim Pruitt’s medical practice.
At a special meeting on April 11, the board approved a revised renovation budget for the building and saw renderings of the facility that show, among other things, a physical therapy gym space, exam rooms and a group exercise classroom.
In presenting the plan to the board, Chief Administrative Officer Ann Bruzzese noted it was the most economical plan the architect could come up with, with CEO Dr. Rhonda Webb previously telling the board there are not enough funds to renovate the upstairs.
Bruzzese noted that using the upstairs would require an elevator, and other changes were also out of the budget.
Bruzzese explained that PSMC included a placeholder of $1,650,000 for the renovation in its budget, but that the guaranteed maximum price came in at $1.8 million.
She further outlined that it is known there will be some structural repairs, that the electrical may need to be upgraded, that new fiber will need to be run from PSMC’s main building, that patient tables are expensive and that the parking lot has to be torn up and redone at an estimated cost of $350,000.
That put the estimate at $876,000 over the budget, including owner contingency funds.
She then delved into how the overage would be covered, reminding the board it has $1 million in “free” money from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in the budget and that other things from the budget will be cut or postponed to make it budget neutral.
Bruzzese later noted that the purchase price of the building served as the grant match.
Later in the discussion, Chief Financial Officer Chelle Keplinger walked the board through things that could be cut or postponed from the district’s almost $4.7 million in planned capital expenditures this year, such as projects that are unlikely to be ready to be done this year.
She added that other things would be shifted to next year and others, such as for machinery, were only placeholders.
She also noted the district will continue to seek grants and donations to help with the project and other capital needs.
According to a staff report for the board, the 2024 capital projects are slated to be funded from $2,253,488 in grants, $825,000 in donations and $1,611,025 from PSMC.
Board member Jason Cox noted he applauds staff for being creative and keeping the budget in mind in getting the new facility on board.
In response to a question, Bruzzese noted the goal is to have the renovation done toward the end of November.
The board resolution approved unanimously at the meeting — board members Zeigler and Gwen Taylor were absent — includes a new capital budget for the medical wellness building of $2,526,945.
Board vacancy
According to an ad placed by the USJHSD, interested people can apply for the board vacancy until 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.
Qualified candidates must be an eligible elector (registered to vote in the state of Colorado and either a resident of the district or own taxable real or personal property in the district).
The district comprises all of Archuleta County and small parts of Hinsdale and Mineral counties.
Self-nomination forms are available on the PSMC website, www.pagosaspringsmedicalcenter.org, or by contacting Heather Thomas at Heather.Thomas@PSMedicalCenter.org or (970) 507-3815.
Qualified candidates interested in serving on the board must submit completed self-nomination forms to the USJHSD no later than 4 p.m. MST on Thursday, May 9.
randi@pagosasun.com
