Chattanooga Times Free Press file photo of Erlanger at Hutcheson building.Proposed changes for Erlanger at Hutcheson’s tri-county hospital authority board would increase the number of trustees and change how they are appointed.
All three counties – Catoosa, Dade and Walker – must approve changes. Catoosa County officials call the moves reasonable and necessary, but Dade and Walker officials said Thursday they have not discussed the issue and need more information before acting.
The hospital authority – the governing board for Hutcheson, which has lost millions of dollars in the last year – now has nine members: four from Walker, three from Catoosa and two from Dade.
One proposed change would give Walker and Catoosa five trustees and Dade three. The other gives county commissions more power over board appointments.
Catoosa County commissioners approved the resolutions Friday at a special meeting, then sent them to the other counties’ lawyers and to local lawmakers, Catoosa County Attorney Skip Patty said.