Editorial
news-press.com
James Green and Lois Barrett should resign from the Lee Memorial Health System Board of Directors.
They miss way too many meetings to serve effectively on an elected board responsible for overseeing a public health system with 95 percent of the county's hospital beds and a $1 billion annual budget.
Green, who was appointed to the 10-member board in 2000 and has been re-elected three times, has been particularly irresponsible.
The News-Press reported Thursday that the substitute teacher has missed an astounding 42 of 79 scheduled meetings between January 2009 and May 20, 2010, or 53 percent. He missed more than he attended.
Green says his work schedule does not permit him to attend many of the hospital board's daytime meetings, and claims that the board's schedule is "prejudicial to working people."
That may be true, but it is hardly an excuse for missing meetings. Green knew what the demands of the office were when he ran for it; he just doesn't meet them.
We have called for Green's resignation before, after he was jailed in December 2008 for violating probation on a bad check charge. We felt the probation violation raised doubts about his character. This is worse. Missing meetings is a direct and severe failure to do his duty, and his lame excuses are downright arrogant.
If he won't resign, his board colleagues should ask the governor to remove him from office and replace him with someone willing and able to serve.
Barrett, a seven-term member of the board, missed 26, or one-third, of the 79 meetings in the period reviewed by The News-Press.
She could not be reached for comment, but in the past has said illness prevents her from attending some meetings.
She has given the hospital system and the public a lot of service, but if she can no longer do the job, she should resign. The public's right to be represented trumps sentiment.
