After some debate over whether the new contract provides enough assurances that Alliant Management will not make decisions without the board's input and concerns that the length was more than needed the board approved the Hospital's contract with its management firm.

Board Attorney Jeff Hoover assured those on the board that the contract could be canceled by either side with minimal notice at any time during the 5-year term.

He also assured them that the firm agreed to language requiring all possible consultation on important issues.

No votes against the contract were heard.

An in-depth presentation on a self-insurance program though the Kentucky Hospital Association was heard, with the only action being a request for a quote on professional liability and malpractice insurance.

Brian Brezosky and Chris Guise, with the KHA program, explained that though they may not be the cheapest option, once a member they would be sure of continued coverage and it was possible to regain some of what was paid in as premiums through dividends if claims were low.

The board was told that the feasibility study, needed for loans or grants to expand and renovate the hospital, was progressing and a report on the hospital's debt capacity should be delivered in January.

It was pointed out that if that report did not show the hospital could carry enough debt for the desired construction work the study could be stopped at any point to save the hospital money.

With what the board considered insufficient data on the proposed mobile mammography and MRI systems the board tabled that discussion until an anticipated financial projection could be done on the proposal.

The board approved the expenditure of about $10,000 for purchase and installation of a generator to protect the hospital's central computer system from power outages.

It was noted that when work had to be done to the hospital's power system the computers were shut down, but restarting all the systems required days of work by a number of staff from departments throughout the hospital.

Interim CEO George Walz noted that the expenditure was in the capital budget and that it likely would cost less to install the protection that it had cost to return the system to full functionality.

"Once all records are digital the system must be up all the time," CFO Ken Kimsal noted.

After that approval the board gave the go-ahead to another purchase. Walz  said the washer-sterilizer system at the hospital was over 20 years old and repair parts were getting hard to come by.

The board approved the budgeted expenditure of over $50,000 for a new system.

When it came to money the board had good news as Kimsal said the hospital was ahead of budget again in October.

The net figure for the month was $81,058 and for the year to date it was $310,814. With both figures in the black it was noted that the previous year the hospital was out performing the previous year's figures and the budget for this year.