Two seats open soon on the Marion County Hospital District

Members of the Marion County Hospital District, from left, Rusty Branson, Dr. Ken Marino, Rich Bianculli and Harvey Vandeven, listen during a meeting on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.

Two opportunities to serve on the Marion County Hospital District’s board of trustees are approaching this summer.

Trustees David Cope and retired physician Ken Marino will both end their third four-year terms on June 30, according to the Marion County Hospital District’s website. Their replacements will be appointed by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners

The trustees meet once a month and are not paid.

Previously, trustees could only serve two terms. Several years ago, however, the MCHD negotiated with the county commission to lift the restrictions on the number of terms trustees can serve.

Marion County spokeswoman Stacie Causey wrote the “Gazette” that the county was expecting the vacancies to be advertised in the legal ads of the “Ocala Star-Banner” on the second Sunday of May with a deadline for applications due before the second Wednesday in June.”

The “Gazette” has expressed concerns about conflicts of interest and the transparency of some of the long-term board members and MCHD staff. To help the public stay informed, the “Gazette” started video recording monthly meetings in February and publishing them to our YouTube channel.

Marion County citizens can download the application on the county’s advisory board webpage: MarionFL.org/AdvisoryBoards

The MCHD trustees’ mandate is to improve the health of Marion County’s residents, and they have at their disposal nearly $300 million to do so. They have an annual operating budget of $12 million to spend on a host of programs from playgrounds for children to mental health assistance for first responders.

MCHD started investing approximately $213 million in 2014 when the county, with approval from Marion County voters, decided to lease the county hospital, Munroe Regional Medical Center, to a private healthcare company. The hospital lease has changed hands a few times since then and is now held by AdventhHealth.

The money from the lease came to the MCHD trustees to be used to meet the health needs of Marion County residents.