There were four new faces at the table when the board of directors of the Sun Country Regional Health Authority met for their Dec. 1 open business session at Tatagwa View in Weyburn.
Newcomers Marilyn Garnier from Redvers, Brian Romaniuk, Carlyle; Leigh Rosengren, Midale; and Murray Setrum, Coronach, joined recently re-appointed board members Marilyn Charlton who is chairwoman of the board, along with Karen Stephenson, Derrell Rodine, Robert Brickley and Gary St. Onge.
The four new board members were appointed to the board by the provincial Ministry of Health.
Audrey Trombley, who had served on the board for a number of years, was not re-appointed and former Estevan representative Lori Carr was asked to step down, earlier this year, once her candidacy in the next provincial election was confirmed.
Carr’s resignation has left St. Onge as the only Estevan representative on the regional health authority’s board of directors.
The board’s last open business session had been held in late September with the new appointees then being confirmed by Health Minister Dustin Duncan in the interim period.
The board fielded a financial report from John Knoch, the region’s vice-president of finance that indicated there was a slim surplus heading into the eighth month of the fiscal year.
“A surplus of $2.7 million, or $2.2 million after capital adjustments represents about five days of operation in this health region,” said Knoch, referring to the overall budget of just over $153 million for health care in southeast Saskatchewan.
“October funding for various contracts showed a plus factor, but that will be eliminated when the November statement comes out,” he said.
Knoch and Marga Cugnet, the health region’s president and CEO, said the surplus situation was helped along through vacancy management systems that reflect favourably on the bottom line. In other words, by leaving some well-paid positions vacant for a few months, the health region administrators were able to keep expenditures in check. They noted that this situation includes a reduction in benefit payments as well as salaries.
“Repairs and maintenance expenses are higher than budgeted,” said Knoch. He said that was a reflection on the condition of some of the region’s 28 buildings that required some unexpected cost inputs to keep them usable and safe. “Some had to be addressed right away, others have discretion,” he said.
Board and management travel expenses have been kept well within budget, he said and a recent Workers’ Compensation Board rebate helped bolster the numbers on the revenue side.
Knoch later reported that the demolition of the old Marion Health Centre in Radville, which has been replaced by a new facility, had been completed with a final review needed for a summary report before the file on the old structure could be closed. “But, it was done on schedule and close to budget. It was a bit over expectations. The SaskWater Management Agency had some questions regarding asbestos removal, but that had been handled correctly, so there were no issues there,” Knoch said.
