Former Colorado Springs Councilman Randy Purvis said he has his suspicions about why the former Memorial Health System Board of Trustees gave Dr. Larry McEvoy a $1.15 million separation package.
“I wonder if there wasn’t a little bit of ill feelings on the board’s part,” Purvis said Friday.
“To borrow that old Janis Joplin line, ‘Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.’ The Board of Trustees, thinking they’re out of a job in four or five months, there’s nothing left to lose so what the heck, give McEvoy a sweetheart deal on his way out the door.”
Four types of spending:
1) Spend your money on yourself.
2) Spend your money on someone else.
3) Spend someone else’s money on yourself.
4) Spend someone else’s money on someone else.
Number 4 is the most empowering and gives the greatest psuedo-impression of altruism. It is the elixir/drug of choice of politicians and non-profit CEO’s/Boards. It coincidentally also has the least personal accountability.
The peril is avoidable but not without predetermined accountability consequences.
Nothing left to lose but the respect of most of the city. The former board members will apply for board positions in the future and I do hope they are, each and every one, turned down; politely, of course.
Daniel,
Seeing how you don’t appear to be an ignorant person, I have to conclude that you and Wayne are deliberately being misleading to generate web hits to your articles. You do know that Memorial is a city business not supported by taxpayers right? In fact, you won’t even find it on the city web page under city agencies. Memorial Health System is a 501(c)3 nonprofit level-II trauma center with three hospitals – Memorial Hospital Central, Memorial Hospital North and Memorial Hospital for Children – and outlying clinics throughout Colorado Springs. Memorial Health System is owned by the City of Colorado Springs but receives no tax revenues to operate. Why is the Gazette being misleading and intellectually dishonest when they refer to the Memorial payout with lies such as “This waste of public money” and “wanton disregard for public assets” ” a decision against using litigation to retrieve the public’s money” ” public servants who are otherwise so cavalier with our money”. No taxpayer money goes to Memorial and no money made by Memorial can go back to the city. Why the lies?
“Memorial Health System is owned by the City of Colorado Springs”.
The City of Colorado Springs is funded by sales taxes from the citizens of Colorado Springs. So Memorial is indirectly funded by taxes from the people that live in Colorado Springs.
John: That’s a stretch “MHS is indirectly funded by taxes………..” Would you care to share the logic and justification as to how you arrived at this statement? I’m curious. MHS as never received taxpayer dollars. Those who say it has are throwing out a canard.
The only monies paid by the city (tax payer money) was in 1943 when the hospital was purchased. In 1948 the city council passed an ordinance allowing the city to impose a property tax to keep Memorial afloat financially if the hospital got into financial trouble. This property tax was never implemented and foolishly repealed last year due to fear mongering by some individuals on the sustainablity commitee. This ordinance was a safety net for Memorial and now it is gone.
Vote “NO” on the leasing agreement in August. There are better ways of doing things.