Records Request & Comments - Sept 9, 2021 North Lake County Hospital District

I looked at the website for the meeting on the 9th and it is a bare agenda and abysmal. NLCHD continues to be the LEAST transparent of any local government I have visited in Lake County, FL.

There are no overviews of proposed millages or budgets, and no resolutions for each on the website.

As you and some Board members know, I used to attend all NLCHD meetings for my Fiscal Watchdog blog FiscalRangers.com and post articles THERE. and made videos of meetings posted on my FiscalRangersFlorida YouTube channel HERE:  

After looking at the bare website and lack of info for a BUDGET and MILLAGE approval meeting that is THIS week, I am BACK. It is clear that transparency is needed once again on the NLCHD activities.

Please send me by email the following and anything else you have sent the Board for this meeting.
- Proposed millage overview
- Proposed resolution for the millage
- Proposed budget overview
- Proposed resolution for the budget.
- A full copy of the proposed budget
- A full meeting packet sent to the Board (which should be on the website).

- List of Board members and their contact information which used to be featured on the website but are absent now.

- All presentations of documents and powerpoints or videos given to the Board at the last meeting. These should have been posted to the website with the minutes.

- A digital copy of the audio recording of the last meeting on August 12. 

- Copies of the current employment agreements with both the CPA, Patricia Sykes-Amos and attorney Meredith Kirste. Please include invoices paid to them for the last 6 months.  

- I did find the separate minutes of the prior meeting and have that.

Questions:
1. Why are the above or a detailed meeting packet not on the website? Generally, most governing boards post them or final versions on the website 3-7 work days before the meeting. No explanation is on the agenda page on how to request packets.

2. Why aren't the presentations and documents provided by the hospitals and clinics not on the website within 2 days after the last meeting? 

3. Why haven't any meeting videos been posted to the website since last September (A YEAR AGO).  

3b. Why aren't links to the video of the meeting on the website within 5 work days of the meeting, or posted live to a YouTube account? Since I know the County staff record the video and give it to one of you for uploading to the website, I would expect it to be done quickly.  

4. If you have Zoom meetings, why aren't they recorded, and are zoom users enabled so they can record the zoom meeting at home?

To the Board:
It seems the administration of the NLCHD has regressed since the renewal bill was passed. I strongly suggest the Board do the following:

1. Announce an RFP for a new attorney and new accountant. I have visited all the cities in Lake County, plus districts like for water, etc. and new blood is needed.

2. Announce an rfp for a LOCAL website operator to manage the website under the direction of the BOARD, not the attorney or CPA. The existing website, which was required by the reform local law passed several years ago required a website, and it has regressed to be an embarrassment, unorganized and not easily used or transparent. I searched all over for the Board names and contacts, and finally found them buried at the bottom of the homepage/agenda.

3. Establish a clear policy that complete meeting packets be emailed out FIVE workdays before a meeting AND be posted the same time on the website.

4. Establish a policy that the website provider will upload the meeting videos to the website or to a linked YouTube channel within 2 work days. I suggest it be a live upload to YouTube like Mt. Dora does (they publish it to Facebook). Do NOT let any concerns about ADA issues delay the video publishing. Pay the cost to do it, or get a different attorney.

5. I understand that clear medical category statistics on how the medical service reimbursements have not been provided by the hospitals and clinics or auditor. It doesn't have to cite names, but just costs per service category divided by patient count to get an idea where the funds are going, and to determine if the services are medically necessary. Modify the contract with the auditor to mandate such a quarterly and annual stattistical report. 

6. Seriously consider making a Board proposal to DRASTICALLY reduce the hospital (at least) and clinic subsidies when they are supposed to absorb indigent care (in my understanding) in return for being granted non-profit status. Remember, apparently only six Florida counties (subject to verification) have this type of voluntary tax. All the rest of the Florida Counties do not have this subsidy program. In this year of pending hyperinflation, cutting taxpayer costs should be primary. 

Thank you,