Why are you running for this office and what 3 major goals do you want to be measured by if you are elected?

I want to assist the process of getting the community to better relate to MCHD and a position on the MCHD board provide me the opportunity to build a stronger organization for the citizen of Montgomery County.  

My three main goals are:

1. Lower taxes or stop raising taxes annually. The main goal is to support the No-new-revenue tax rate.

2. Promote the Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP) to the public.

3. Build better communication between Senior management and the Board on every level.

Do you have any experience with EMS or medicine?

No, but I have owned a proffessional security service company for 20 years and have respunded to hundreds of emergenc situations.

Should Disrtict employees take home District vehicles and if so for what purpose?

So, for the most part I do not believe that most District employees should not take District vehicles home, but there are a handful of employees who have to because it is absolutely necessary for proper job performance.

Should the Medical Director answer to the Board?

Yes.  The Medical Director should answer to the Board and to the CEO. The Board should have oversight of that position as well.

Is it the responsibility of the Board to monitor the spending of the District and verify expenses?

It is the responsibility of the Board.  All members should review the information provided by management before each Board meeting and ask questions about it afterward.

Should Board members have complete access to all areas of the District?  Why or why not?

I believe in full and open disclosure. However, access should be requested.

Should Health Care Assistance Patients be required to have drug testing in order to receive assistance?

I am not certain that HCAP requires drug testing, but I am generally open to this.  But I am also open to hearing the alternative point of view.

Do you believe Board members should be allowed to ride along with EMS crews and spend time with Alarm and other departments?

Absolutely, I think it is part of full and open disclosure and it could provide the Board members with insight into the challenges employees and management face.

The Board is to set Policy, should it have any say in procedures?

I assume all of the procedures in place and proper and needed.  However, I think Board members should be able to provide input into possible improvements. 

Should Board members attend the MCHD Budget workshops and hearings?

Yes. All Board members should be attending MCHD Budget workshops and hearings.  If the Board is going to be providing oversight then they need to understand the costs and expenses as presented by each department.

Should salaried employees be paid overtime?

No, unless an employee is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), a salaried employee should not be paid overtime. They have signed an agreement to be available when needed.

The Board is not supposed to micro-manage, but should they trust and verify?

Yes.  The Board’s task is to provide oversight, not management.  However, as part of the oversight process they need access to all data so they can verify that management’s meeting MCHD’s goals and objectives.

Is there anything in your background of an embarrassing nature that should be explained before your election? Arrests/Convictions? Bankruptcies?

No, not at all.

Should District employees have open lines of communications with Board members, without fear of reprisal?  Why or why not?

Yes.  The Board’s job is to provide oversight.  Employees should be free to communicate with Board members and not be afraid for their jobs.  Problems cannot be resolved if there is backlash for speaking out about a problem.

Should any first responder injured in the line of duty have their ambulance charges absorbed by the District?

Yes, since ambulance service is one of the services that MCHD provides they should be able to provide the service to its employees and the District absorbs the cost.

Do you believe the Board should have access to all MCHD reports and records, excluding patient records?

Yes. Board members to review all documents except those that are covered by HIPAA.

Is it better to build stand alone EMS facilities, co-locate with fire departments, or purchase existing facilities and modify them?

I think that every situation is different.  I think it should come down to analysis, for the most part, of what works best to protect the taxpayer.  I think all options should be considered.

Do you believe Board members should be allowed to ride along with EMS crews and spend time with Alarm and other departments? Explain your rationale.

Yes.  I believe doing a ride along with an EMS crew would provide a Board member with more understanding of what MCHD employees have to deal with during a shift.

Should the Medical Director be an employee or a contractor?

The Medical Director should not be an employee.  The Medical Director should be a contractor. 

Should Board members have open lines of communications with all employees of the District?

Yes. As I indicated in a previous answer it is important that there be full and open disclosure and for that to happen there must be open lines of communication.

Should District employees living out of the county take home emergency vehicles?

No, unless it is absolutely necessary for the particular job hired to do.

What is your opinion about Merit Pay versus COLA pay raises?

I believe both Merit Pay and COLA pay raises should be considered. It depends upon the employee.  Frontline employees might respond better to COLA and senior management might respond better to Merit Pay.