Chris Melcher
Last week, Memorial Health System Board of Trustees Chairman Jim Moore said that Colorado Springs City Attorney Chris Melcher had “accepted” the $1.15 million separation agreement offered to Memorial CEO Larry McEvoy.
“We’ve consulted with the City Attorney’s Office. I don’t want to characterize him as happy, but I don’t want to characterize him as unhappy. He accepted this,” Moore said.
“He seemed to be satisfied with the various conditions,” he added.
At the request of The Gazette, Melcher on Monday clarified his role in the separation agreement.
“The City Attorney’s role under the Charter is to provide legal advice to the Memorial Health System Board and Council when they consider significant decisions regarding MHS. The City Attorney’s Office does not make those decision,” Melcher said in an email.
“I was asked by the MHS Board to provide legal advice as to the form of a proposed separation agreement for Dr. McEvoy, and the appropriate legal conditions in separation agreements,” he said.
“I provided that advice, which is an attorney client communication. I was not asked, and did not, provide advice to the Board on the monetary or substantive terms of the agreement, and did not advise the Board whether they should proceed with such an agreement,” he said.
This separation package needs to be stopped and re-evaluated. The vast majority of Memorial employees do not approve. And it appears that most of the city disapproves as well.
Let’s give him 6 months severance that was contracted, and move on. He lost the hospital! Why are we rewarding him for failure?
Why is the Board refusing to listen to majority opinion on this? Why must they just look out for their friends? Isn’t this whole process in place in order for people to figure out what is in the best interests of the COMMUNITY of colorado springs?!
It’s not about their friendship with Larry McEvoy. Maybe he’s a great guy. Maybe not. It doesn’t play into it. The board can not play favorites in this. They can’t just yell out “industry standards.”
They must hold themselves to a higher standard. Do what’s best for the community and the employees of Memorial. Don’t just look out for Larry because he’s your friend.
If the Board is so in love with Larry, then they can pass the hat and spend their own money to help him beyond his 6-month contracted severance.
And Larry should be ashamed of himself for even considering this package. He obviously doesn’t have integrity.
I thought he had integrity. But between this and the retention bonus disaster, I realize he was lying to me. I feel betrayed by Larry and by the Board.
This is destroying morale at the hospital. It’s also taking the focus away from all of the amazing work that we do for patients every day. That’s the worst fallout of all of this. Memorial reputation is suffering because of the egos of a Board of volunteers that oversee the hospital, but don’t work there or accept input from the employees that do work there.
INTEGRITY HUH SO NOW YOU WANT TO BE PISSED OFF BECASUE HOW DARE HE ACCEPCT THE OFFER.
i KNOW THIEE WAS MORT TOO THE STORY THEN WHAT WAS BE REPORTED.
SO WILL ALL THE CONSPIRATORS PLEASE STEP FORWARD. lol
IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE POWER OF TORNS WERE NOT AWARE OF THE THE CONTACT BEFORE HAND.NOW MELCHER IS SINGING LIKE A BIRD I KNEW I DIDN’T KNOW I WASN’T THERE I FAILED TO LET BACH KNOW WHAT WAS GOINGTO HAPPEN ECT ECT ECT…..
GO AFTER THE HEAD NOT THE TAIL
lILITHIA
Man up, Jim Moore. Take responsibility for this horrible decision.
Mr. Moore is taking responsibility but he also letting the citizens know that the city goverment (Attorney Melcher, Bach) were aware and did not object.
why did the city council not know or did they? Is this thier way of making the board of trustees look bad, At this point they all sink
Yes, they gave the offer but it smells like a dead rat.
Lilithia
Melchers hand in this fer sure. Colorado College are laughing their arses off that we are now stuck with him.
Lots of rumors regarding Mr. Melcher and his former employment. Surprised the media didnt report that but this town will elect a mayor with allegations of woman beating so im not surprised.
He is Bachs lap dog and undermines the Council and so the citizens. If he knew about this deal why wouldnt he report it back to Council? Melcher hasnt helped them since day one, no wonder why they want and need there own lawyer. This could be a ploy of the City Attorney and Mayor to screw Council, get out McEvoy for UCH, and to show the citizens how much they need to vote for the lease and get it out of the hands of the City. A triple play.
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