Two residents interviewed for hospital board seats; commissioners to follow up

Two local residents, Marlene Cook and William Conroy, appeared before the Coffey County Board of Commissioners as applicants for openings on the local hospital board.

Marlene Cook described her business background — she and her husband owned Cook's Plumbing for 38 years — and said she has lived in Coffey County for most of her life. "I just wanna see keep our hospital," Cook said, adding she had experienced billing issues personally and wants the hospital to remain viable and better run. She also said family connections and long-term ties to the community motivated her application.

William Conroy said he recently moved to the area and would like to serve. He described experience in insurance underwriting, managing a manufacturing company, small-business financing, community block grants, revenue auditing in Kansas City and contract management for a health department. "I just like to change my education and experience to help this community have their hospital where it would be a good one," Conroy said.

Commissioners asked each applicant whether they had attended past hospital board meetings; both said they had not. The commissioners thanked both applicants and indicated they would be contacted with a decision; staff told applicants the hospital board meets in the evenings and that the next possible session would be March 3 (a suggested work session date was raised for hospital leadership later in the meeting).

No vote on appointments was taken during the open session; commissioners said they would follow up with hospital leadership and return to candidates with next steps.