Following an attorney general’s opinion, the Erlanger Health System board says it plans to hold a “do-over” meeting to discuss and vote again on $1.7 million in management bonuses.
But local lawmakers said Friday that the gesture may not be enough to keep them from taking more drastic measures against the board — including asking certain politically appointed members to resign.
Board Chairman Donnie Hutcherson wrote to state lawmakers on Friday that, following Attorney General Herbert Slatery III’s opinion regarding the state’s open meetings law, “we believe it would be in the best interest of the public we serve to have an open discussion at the February 26 board meeting about each of the four resolutions presented in December.”
One resolution at the Dec. 4 meeting approved the bonuses for 99 top managers at the public hospital. The decision caused an uproar among the lawmakers, who were outraged that the board discussed the bonuses behind closed doors before the public vote.
Slatery’s opinion, requested by lawmakers and delivered Wednesday, said state law does not permit public hospital boards to discuss issues like compensation in secret.