Changes at Fairfield Memorial Hospital will be forthcoming as the result of a possibly illegal paper ballot vote by the Hospital Board, which ends the medical institution’s 20-year management agreement / relationship with Palmetto Health.

In addition to supplying a chief executive officer (currently Larry Dozier) and providing his salary and fringe benefits, Palmetto Health allows Fairfield Memorial access to discounts on supplies through its group purchasing arrangement. (For a more detailed list of what benefits Fairfield Memorial received from the contractual relationship, see accompanying story.)

Palmetto Health is a South Carolina nonprofit public benefit corporation consisting of Palmetto Health Richland and Palmetto Health Baptist in Columbia and Easley.

The current contract between the two parties expires on December 31, 2007.

The Vote

As is provided for by the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, the Board went into a executive (non - public) session to discuss the proposed Palmetto Health contract and its approval.

No votes may be taken in executive session so the Board had to vote on the contract in public session. Prior to a proposal on the contract, the Board voted 5 - 2 in favor of using paper ballots, rather than a voice vote on the contract.

Following the vote, it was announced that four Board members had voted against the contract, while three Board members supported a continued relationship with Palmetto Health.

Board Chairman Jim Futrell identified himself to The Herald Independent as one of the people who voted against using paper ballots.

According to media attorney Jay Bender and South Carolina Press Association Executive Director Bill Rogers, a member of a body which receives tax dollars may request a record, by individual member, be taken.

Section 10 - 4- 90 of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act reads in part, “All public bodies shall keep written minutes of all their public meetings. Such minutes shall include, but need not be limited to: 3- the substance of all matters proposed, discussed or decided and, at the request of any member, a record, by individual member, of any votes taken.”

“They can do that (paper ballots) unless one person objects,” Rogers said. “(Using paper ballots is) improper, but not illegal. It still looks bad. Why would they do it?”