North Lake County Hospital District

An Unofficial Website to Improve Oversight and Accountability of over $10-million in Property Taxes Received and Spent by the North Lake County Hospital District (NLCHD) in Lake County, FL

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News:  Oct. 24, 2010 - Lauren Richie, Orlando Sentinel columnist, recommends that North Lake County (FL) residents vote for Frances Grossi, Walt Dobruck, Jr., & Richard Riker for the Board of Trustees for the North Lake County Hospital District.  READ it HERE.

News:  Oct. 22, 2010:  Local Lake County Hospitals Cancel Debate with Advocates for improving oversight of the North Lake County Hospital Tax District

Marilyn Bainter and Vance Jochim, who support modification of the regulations that established the North Lake County (FL) Hospital Tax District, were scheduled to appear in a discussion panel on cable channel 22 with representatives from the two local Lake County Hospitals on Tuesday, Oct. 26t, but the Hospital representatives refused to attend, causing the show to be canceled.

Bainter and Jochim wanted to discuss the issues presented on this website, which included the need to modify the regulations to add specific requirements for how the Hospitals spend the approximately $9-million in property tax revenue they will split this year.  Currently, there are NO specific targeted spending areas, or limits on where the funds are to be spent.  That means they could even be spending the money on staff pets, or a private jet, and the taxpayer cannot question it.   Additionally, there is no required "audit trail" or specified record keeping system so the spending purposes can be tracked, even if they were specified.

So, remember to vote for the candidates mentioned on this website:  Grossi, Dubruk and Riker.   DON'T vote for anyone whose last name starts with a "B", because they support the hospitals, and continuation of funding without oversight controls or allowing voters to vote on the spending practices.

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On Sept. 16, five members of the Board of Trustees of the North Lake County Hospital Tax District voted against Board member Marilyn Bainter to continue collecting the 1 mill tax for the Hospitals, and took no action to design better regulations or request State legislators modify the existing law to enhance accountability for where the funds were spent, or to provide more flexibility in the millage rate by setting it to be anywhere between 0 and 1 mill rather than the current practice of choosing EITHER 0 or 1 mill only.   For 30-40 years, the Board members, mostly appointed Hospital advocates, have continued to always collect the full one mill without any specific rules to define exactly where the funds should be spent, or require separate accounting so the spending can be verified.

Further actions:  Support and vote on Nov. 2, 2010 for ONLY the three candidates for Board vacancies listed on this page.  A vote for any other candidate would be for a hospital advocate who will not seek any improvements in spending oversight.

Thursday, Sept. 16 - If you are concerned about the lack of oversight or size of the tax collected, please attend the second required public hearing TONIGHT for the North Lake County Hospital District Board meeting where they hear more public input (please provide some) and vote to collect the $10+ million tax and set the budget.  Read the issues below if you have not done so.

Meeting Location:  Lake County Administration Building (the round one).

Time:  Meet in the multiple story parking structure, 2nd level at 4pm for a "tailgate" party, or meet in the County Commissioner Chamber meeting room at 5pm to get a seat before the 5:15pm meeting starts.

BRING:  Some notes or written narrative to use to provide 3-5 minutes of your opinion on this tax, or the fact that there are no specific requirements where the funds are to be spent, and there are no specific requirements that the Board be able to "trace" where the funds were spent.

Sept. 6, 2010:  See the "news" page for upcoming Board meetings on Sept. 9 and Sept 16 where the Board will be voting on the millage rate to be used for the tax, and the proposed $9.1-million budget for next year.   The public is encouraged to attend the meetings to provide public input on the issues described below. 

See also the new "Reference Docs" tab for attachments related to the above meetings.

 

• Everyone Should Attend the Hospital Board Meeting on Sept. 9, 2010
  North Lake County Hospital District Board Meeting to Approve Millage Rates and Budget of about $9.1 million for 2010-2011.
  The meeting will be held at the Lake County, FL County Administration Building (the round building) on Main St. in Tavares, FL at 5pm on Thursday, Sept. 9th.   Be there a few minutes before 5pm on the entry steps and prepare to provide public input about the pending tax, and the issues described on this website's Home page.   Note:  We have attached the budget, agenda and resolutions for this meeting at the TOP of the separate HospitalInfo page HERE.
• Everyone Should Attend the Hospital Board Meeting on Sept. 16, 2010 - this is the SECOND of two meetings to hear public input
  North Lake County Hospital District Board Meeting to Approve Millage Rates and Budget of about $9.1 million for 2010-2011.
  Regulations require that the District Board have TWO public hearings on the proposed tax.  This second Board meeting will be held at the Lake County, FL County Administration Building (the round building) on Main St. in Tavares, FL at 5pm on Thursday, Sept. 16th.   Be there a few minutes before 5pm on the entry steps and prepare to provide public input about the pending tax, and the issues described on this website's Home page.  Note:  The agenda and related documents for this meeting will NOT be available until around Sept. 12 (Saturday) and will be linked here.