Commissioners reappoint hospital trustees and assign staggered terms amid bylaw questions

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 2 to reappoint and newly appoint members to the Carteret Healthcare Board of Trustees, while spending much of the discussion clarifying which nominees would fill the remaining staggered terms.

Commissioners renominated Cindy Brown to a three-year term and discussed a one-year remainder for Mark Shouse so he could finish ongoing work on a radiation facility project. Commissioners also nominated former chairman Jimmy Farrington to fill a two-year vacancy, Michael Waldrop for a three-year seat, and Pat Joyce for another three-year seat. The board recorded that some trustee terms expire at year-end 2024, 2025 and 2026 and that the board must formally place appointees into the correct expiring slots on the record.

County staff told commissioners the hospital board had recently proposed a bylaws change; commissioners were advised that hospital bylaws require a second vote before the revision is ratified, and the county would wait for the bylaw change to finalize any dependent appointments if necessary.

Commissioners noted one of the reappointments is for a non-voting seat created when the hospital updated its bylaws. The board also said it plans to place Dr. Randall Williams in a hospital seat when the vacancy becomes available and nominated a commissioner (Chairman Chadwick) to fill the commissioner's representative spot on the hospital board.

Discussion focused on ensuring each appointee is placed into the correct expiring term (2024, 2025 or 2026) and preserving continuity for projects under way. Commissioners recorded their votes by voice/raised hands for the appointments; details of individual vote tallies were not specified in the meeting record.