Jose G. Landa
Staff Writer
The Maverick County Hospital District has put forth two amendments to its statutes that could possibly be approved by the State Congress in the form of bills, thus changing parts of the MCHD bylaws.
MCHD Administrator Terri Patlan Contreras recently traveled to Austin, Texas to meet with State Representative Poncho Nevarez and State Senator Carlos Uresti to discuss and set in motion the changing of the proposed statute amendments, which may only be done by the state that created the hospital district and its bylaws.
The changes being sought by the MCHD are relating to an issue from 2015, when then MCHD Board Chair Person and President Joaquin Rodriguez had stepped down, and Vice Chair Juan Manuel Farias was given the nod to take over the responsibilities of chair person in Rodriguez’s absence.
That fact was then challenged by then Trustee Ricardo E. Calderon on the fact that the district’s bylaws did not include the position of vice chair and president, thus a person could not ascend to the vacant position of chair person.
A Texas Attorney General opinion was then requested and later affirmed that the position being disputed was in place since the onset of the district’s creation, so the ascension was valid.
The MCHD is also seeking a bill that would assist in the appointment of a trustee in case a member resigns, leaving a vacancy. Currently the District’s bylaws only allow an appointment under a unanimous vote by the remaining board, MCHD is seeking to change it into just needing a majority vote.
Contreras presented an agenda item to the Maverick County Commissioners Court on Monday , March 13, 2017 for support from Maverick County on the District’s Statute Amendments.
Judge Saucedo stated that he believed the issues being addressed were of great importance in assuring a fluency within the MCHD and its board.
“This will no longer hold a board hostage if one member decides to do so,” said Saucedo.
Contreras explained to the court what had brought about the proposed changes to the MCHD statutes: past difficulties in filling vacancies within the board due to a resignation. Contreras also explained how appointing someone to a board vacancy due to how the statute currently is structured was also a long, problematic issue that must be addressed and or changed.
Commissioners Court approved the resolution unanimously.
