Scroggins, Beedy Newest Health District Directors

Lake Fork Health Service District’s five-member board of directors continues to evolve following last summer’s turmoil.
On the heels of last month’s resignation of board chairperson Shawna Shidler, a second surprise resignation this week was the board’s treasurer, Becky Campbell, whose resignation letter was dated Monday, March 26.
Campbell, a new appointee to the board since August 10 last year, was instrumental in drafting the health service district’s 2018 budget and, since August last year, has contributed 652 volunteer hours to the health district.
In her letter, Campbell referred to the age and health of both she and her husband, Ed Campbell, and their “on-again-off-again plan to move.”
Her decision to leave the board is made with “sadness,” she stated, but comes at a time when “two good candidates are interested in being on the board… the timing seems right.”
At a special workshop and meeting of the health district board on Monday evening this week, those two candidates — Scott Beedy and Jamie Scroggins — were present in the audience and made brief statements prior to their unanimous appointment to the board.
Both Beedy, a new member of the Medical Center Endowment Committee, and Scroggins, who initially applied for a vacant board seat last summer, emerged as likely candidates following advertising to fill the vacancy caused by Shidler’s resignation.
In his statements to the board at meetings on March 19 and again on Monday, March 26, Beedy referenced his prior career as a CPA and financial work with the hospital in Spearman, Texas.
His work at the Texas hospital, he said “was very challenging… health care is not easy.” Beedy’s employment in 3,500-population Spearman was as Chief Financial Officer for the hospital, a nursing home and rural health clinic. A new Lake City resident since retirement last year, Beedy said his reasoning for applying as a member of the Lake Fork health board was to “pitch in and help out wherever I can.”
From her seat in the front row on Monday, Scroggins stated she was willing to answer questions. She praised the medical center, observing that it was the high quality of both the medical clinic and Lake City school which initially prompted her and her husband, Lake City Community science teacher and coach Dan Scroggins, to move to Lake City.
“It was a huge factor in deciding to move here.”
Scroggins noted that it is very important to “retain and maintain highly qualified people at the medical clinic.”
Scroggins said she was ready and willing in any way possible to maintain the medical center’s high quality.
Scroggins’ March 12 application letter for a seat on the health board states “I see this as a service to my community and fellow taxpayers, and feel I would have a great deal of insight and experience to contribute.”
In her parting remarks from the board, Becky Campbell characterized the health district board as a “cohesive” group working toward the same goals and objectives, and she expressed her hope with new board membership “that will continue.”
Campbell emphasized prerequisites of board membership to the two applicants, noting that they must be “totally committed and objective” without allowing personal feelings or peer pressure to enter into decisions.
Beedy responded, “I’m coming in clean and with a fresh perspective.” He referred to his position on the endowment committee and said he anticipated no conflict of interest. “We should all get along, we’re here for the same purpose.”
The vote to accept Campbell’s resignation and appoint Beedy and Scroggins to the two vacant board seats was unanimous with ‘aye’ votes from board members Janel Warren, Jerry Johnson and Mike Schell, the latter attending the meeting via conference phone.
Schell drew laughter in asking Scroggins whether “she really wants to do this?” Schell continued by characterizing the health district board as a “great group” and particularly crediting the outgoing Campbell “for the great job which she has done… I know I couldn’t have done it.”
“I appreciate what you have done far more than you realize,” he told Campbell.
Board chair Janel Warren also praised Campbell’s work on behalf of the health service district. “You arrived on the board at a time when the community needed you. You dug in and gave 150 percent… we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Monday’s meeting to appoint the two new directors was also attended by conference call by the incoming clinic director, Dr. Gina Carr, who expressed excitement and anticipation for her arrival at Lake City Area Medical Center on a full-time basis. The medical board has finalized a contract with Dr. Carr which has now been forwarded to her for signature after being reviewed by an attorney.
Included in the contract is two weeks’ time off on an annual basis for training and education.
The exact positions and length of terms to which the two new board members will be named is yet to be decided and will be finalized at the board’s next regular meeting on Monday, April 16.
The board’s prior treasurer, Becky Campbell, had just been appointed to a four-year term following cancellation of the health district’s scheduled May, 2018, election as a result of lack of candidates.
At her resignation last month, Shidler had two years remaining in her term; with cancellation of the May 1, 2018, election, incumbents Jerry Johnson and Mike Schell were respectively appointed to two and four-year terms on the health board. Janel Warren — who has filled in as chairperson since Shidler’s resignation, was also appointed to a two-year term.