Trapnell out as CEO

Image
Body

A “CEO transition” is now in place after the Elberton-Elbert County Hospital Authority voted during a called meeting Friday to make the transition away from current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kerry Trapnell. 

The motion, made by vice-chairman Max Black and seconded by executive committee member Scott Wilson, also authorized the hospital’s “legal counsel to proceed with this CEO transition.” 

The vote was taken after the authority met in a two-hour closed session for the purpose of “​​privileged consultation with legal council pertaining to pending or threatened litigation, settlements, claims, administrative proceedings or settlements” and “discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action, dismissal, periodic evaluation or rating of a Hospital officer or employee.” 

The hospital is represented by Michele Madison of Morris, Manning and Martin, LLP, an international law firm with an office in Atlanta. Madison attended Friday’s meeting and spoke to the council during the closed session. 

The meeting was called May 31 after the authority previously voted to place former CEO Kerry Trapnell on administrative leave after he made a $25,000 contribution, from hospital funding, to Take Back Georgia, a non-candidate, independent political action committee (PAC) that had connections to former gubernatorial candidate David Perdue and former President Donald Trump. 

Trapnell was placed on leave until the authority could hear the results from an expenditure search audit, which was originally authorized through an engagement letter to the hospital’s auditors, Draffin and Tucker, after Chairman Leon Jourolmon consulted with the hospital’s attorney in April. 

“Upon discovering the payment to a PAC, we engaged our attorney within 24 hours to begin the process of an audit,” Jourolmon said in a statement read after the vote. “We followed up with our audits team and our attorney on a weekly basis. We have received legal advice regarding our relationship with the CEO at this meeting today. We have decided to transition from the current CEO and we have asked our attorney to proceed with this process.” 

The vote was taken without executive committee member Kam McClary and authority members Tammy Dalton and Dr. Dan McAvoy as they were absent from the meeting. 

The authority did not release any results from the expenditure audit search. 

Jourolmon said Trapnell’s contract does include clauses regarding early termination. 

Jourolmon also declined to answer further questions in-person after the meeting, citing that questions could be sent to him via email for consideration. 

The Elberton Star has requested Trapnell’s contract and the reports from the hospital’s auditors regarding the results of the search. The Star has also contacted Jourolmon with followup questions regarding the meeting and audit. 

Jourolmon said Chief Operating Officer Tammy Harlow, who has been acting CEO since the executive committee initially temporarily suspended Trapnell May 23, will continue as acting CEO. 

Trapnell was suspended after the executive committee met May 23 until the full authority met May 24. After the full authority meeting, Trapnell was placed on administrative leave until today’s meeting. 

Trapnell was not present during the meeting. 

See Wednesday’s edition of The Star for more information.