Hospital board loses longtime member
The nonprofit corporation that runs the borough hospital in Soldotna is seeking a new board member following Dolly Farnsworth's announcement that she will retire, effective today.
"Dolly has done a tremendous amount of service not just for the board, but for the community as a whole," said Diana Zirul, president of the CPGH Inc. board of directors. "This was a very difficult decision for her. She did it for personal reasons. We're going to miss her very much. She brings a lot of information to the board and a lot of history to the board."
Zirul said the board will consider who should replace Farnsworth during its next meeting, Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Iliamna Room in Central Peninsula General Hospital. She said she does not expect to advertise for applicants.
"We're looking at applications now on file and at nominations the board members have submitted," she said.
Farnsworth declined to be interviewed, but said she has served on the hospital board for nine years. Zirul said Farnsworth started when the hospital board was actually a service area board and the borough contracted with Lutheran Health Systems to run the hospital.
In 1993, Lutheran Health Systems proposed to supply top managers only, rather than keep responsibility for running the hospital. The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly created CPGH Inc. and leased the hospital to it. Farnsworth was on the original CPGH Inc. board.
The hospital staff, formerly employed by Lutheran Health Systems, became employees of CPGH Inc., which contracted with Lutheran Health Systems to provide top managers. In 1998, the corporation ended its relationship with Lutheran Health Systems and hired its own managers.
Farnsworth served three years as president of the CPGH Inc. board and now is its vice president, Zirul said.
She said Farnsworth will be remembered for her ability to work with the borough, her awareness of community needs and her efforts to ensure that central peninsula residents do not have to go elsewhere to find health care.