Ayers selected to take Wilkinson’s seat on Hospital Authority Board

Mark Wilkinson, chairman of the Stephens County Hospital Authority Board, had earlier announced his intention to stop down from his role on the seven-member Board when his term expired this year. 

Board member Bo Dotson’s term, along with Wilkinson’s, expires at the end of this month.

At the Hospital Authority Board meeting earlier this week, the Board voted to approve Phyllis Ayers to fill Mark Wilkinsons seat, and Bo Dotson was reappointed to continue serving. 

New board officers will be elected in the October board meeting along with the installation of the new board members .

The officers that will be voted on are the Chairman and the Vice Chairman. The Treasurer, who oversees the Finance Committee, will also be voted on. Members and leadership of the Building and Grounds, Personnel and  Credentialing committees will also be appointed.

Van Loskoski, hospital CEO, said “We are very excited to welcome Phyllis to the Hospital Authority. In her previous role as the County Administrator, Phyllis has attended numerous Hospital Authority meetings and is very familiar with the structure of the Authority and the role of the Authority in hospital operations, so I foresee this being a smooth transition.”

Loskoski added that the Authority meeting this past Monday was one of mixed emotions. 

He said “We are all extremely appreciative of the work Mark Wilkinson has done over the last 24 years he has served on the board. His leadership has helped see the hospital through very difficult times. It is not an overstatement to say that very few people have done as much to ensure the success of the hospital as Mark.”

He added, “There were plenty of times during his tenure when it would’ve been an easy decision to step down from the board because of the difficult situations facing the hospital, but his resolve, understanding of the importance of Stephens County Hospital to our community, led him to stay with us. It speaks volumes of his character that he has stayed with the Authority through the challenging times and only now that he sees the hospital’s sustained improvement does he take this opportunity to step down. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him well in this next stage of life.”

The October meeting of the Stephens County Hospital Authority Board is scheduled for October 16.