By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council is looking for some answers to the problems that plague Skiff Medical Center asking tonight that a representative of the Skiff board appear before the council next month to explain why hospital employees continue to contact the council members to voice concern on its operation.
Newton Mayor Chaz Allen brought Skiff Medical Center's problems up for discussion at the conclusion of tonight's council meeting by directing the city attorney to report back to the members on the city's administrative and financial responsibilities concerning Skiff Medical Center operations and its designation as a city-owned hospital.
"I want to know what our responsibilities are administratively and financially," the mayor said. "I've received a number of calls on what's going on at the hospital. I'd like to have it clarified, and known to the public, what our responsibilities are. I urge transparency."
Other council members also noted that they have received inquiries about the state of affairs at Skiff in recent days.
"They definitely have got problems over there," said council member Jim Plumb. "The stress level is out of control."
Council member Marv Morris suggested that a representative of Skiff be invited to the council at its next meeting to explain the circumstances that have led to council members being called, a point the mayor adamantly agreed upon.
"I think that's a great idea," he said.
But council members pointedly said Skiff representatives should be prepared to answer the questions council member constituents have raised in the past several days.
"I hope they are prepared when they come because there is a lot to be discussed," Plumb responded.
Skiff's operational losses totaled more than $2 million in the last fiscal year.
Early last week, interim Skiff CEO Francie Jahn notified hospital employees that B.E. Smith, the firm that recently concluded its operational assessment of the hospital following the resignation of several top administrators, would continue its study of Skiff operations for another six months. The note to employees was sent a week ago today with notification the Kansas-based consulting assessment team would begin its analysis the following day.
The initial operational assessment conducted by B.E. Smith, that the Skiff board of trustees agreed to pay up to $70,000 to provide, has not been released to the public. The Newton Independent has made a request to obtain that document under the provisions of the Iowa Open Records Law, along with contracts pertaining to the Kansas-based firm's continued study of hospital operations and associated interim director documents, but has received no answer as of this date.
At its last monthly meeting in July, the Skiff board accepted the resignation of long-time member Nancy Noth effective Sept. 1. At last month's meeting, the board also voted to approve the appointment of Progress Industries Executive Director Dan Skokan to fill the remaining two years of Noth's unexpired term. The terms of board members Gary Kahn and John Lee expire at the end of the year. The two were non-committal when asked last week by the Newton Independent about their plans to seek re-election in the November city elections.
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