By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–At a marathon session Monday night, Henry County Mayor John Penn Ridgeway and several county commissioners voiced no confidence in Henry County Medical Center CEO Lisa Casteel and one commissioner asked for her resignation.
The main purpose of the joint work session between the county commission and the hospital board was to consider a request from the hospital to borrow $4.5 Million, but that was not discussed until the conclusion of the heated three-hour session.
A clearly frustrated Ridgeway chastised Casteel for a number of reasons, including the length of the hospital’s presentation, allegations of bullying that have been made against Casteel, lack of vocal support from employees and hospital board members, lack of morale among hospital staff and more.
“I’ve lost all confidence in you,” Ridgeway told Casteel. He called on her to “do what’s right for the community” and said, “I leave it in the board’s hands.”
Ridgeway noted that he had told Casteel to only hit the highlights during the hospital’s presentation but instead it stretched on. “You don’t listen. This isn’t personal, but the people here just don’t support you.” He noted that a large number of people have spoken to him about Casteel and the hospital “and the silence from people who support you in this community is defeaning.”
Ridgeway and several commissioners said staff members are afraid to speak to Casteel about their complaints because they are afraid of being fired and said allegations of bullying by Casteel are common.
After outlining a long list of complaints against Casteel and questioning her about them, Commissioner Marty Visser said, “I don’t think you have the support of your staff. The hospital is not a good environment and it comes down to leadership. It comes down to you. The county support is not there and we’re very concerned about this hospital.”
Visser said, “I respectfully ask you to resign as administrator.”
Visser read a letter from Dr. Blake Chandler who said he was contemplating leaving the hospital, even though he had worked at HCMC his entire career. As read by Visser, Dr. Chandler’s letter talked about a “lack of leadership” and that “we’ve hit rock bottom.” Visser said, “Is Blake Chandler leaves, that will be a big blow to this hospital.”
Casteel noted that the hospital had built several programs for Chandler over the years and she said she’d be happy to discuss his complaints with him.
Visser listed several instances where Casteel’s leadership and/or inaction was a problem, including mold in the surgical center, rumors that she tried to broker a deal to sell the surgery center to St. Thomas Hospital, staff turnover, and more.
Casteel said the report she received indicated no mold problem, but Ridgeway said the hospital’s former facilities director had wanted to address the board about the problem but was told by Casteel he could not, which Casteel denied.
Casteel also denied allegations about brokering a deal to sell the surgery center and said HCMC is no different from other hospitals in its staff turnover in the past two years of the COVID pandemic. Visser asked her about paying travel nurses higher rates than hospital staff. She said travel nurses do get paid considerably more but that is what is paid to the company that hires them and that the situation is the same at other hospitals, not just HCMC.
Commissioners asked about the staff turnover rates. Casteel said, “Some don’t want to work in a COVID environment. Some want to work from home. Some do go to being a travel nurse. But we don’t come here every day wanting people to leave. We come here every day wanting people to stay here.”
Commissioner Dell Carter asked Casteel why none of the board of trustee members have stood up for her and Rev. James Travis (county commissioner and hospital board member) stood up and said, “I’m a part of the community and I support Lisa.”
He criticized “people who get personally involved in something they have no knowledge of. They don’t have the facts. Look at the financials and the charts. The hospital is not going broke. We are not at risk. But you believe it because someone who has a personal vendetta against this lady is saying it. You should sit in her shoes.”
Commissioner Paul Neal also voiced support for Casteel, noting, “You have no idea what she’s had to deal with.”
Also voicing support for Casteel was Board Chairman Dr. Scott Whitby and fellow physician Dr. Andrew Lundberg. Dr. Lundberg said, “We need to get everybody together and get all the facts before we turn this into a Salem Witch Trial.”
Dr. Whitby spoke of unfounded rumors surrounding Casteel and the hospital, notably the rumor that was being spread on social media last week that the hospital could not meet payroll. “These accusations are just made up.” He also pointed to rumors that Casteel is trying to sell the hospital. “It would be functionally impossible for her to do that,” he said, noting that many of the accusations against the hospital and Casteel are “personal and venomous”.
At the conclusion of the session, Ridgeway said, “We need to talk about the $4.5 M bond issue, which is what we’re supposed to be here to talk about” and asked Board Member Troy Buttrey for his opinion.
Buttrey said, “This is a good time to borrow money. Locking in 2.81 percent for 10 years would be a proactive thing to do. It would be the right thing to do financially.”
Ridgeway said the commission will consider the request at the December 20 commission meeting.
County Commissioner Marty Visser questions Casteel
County Mayor John Penn Ridgeway
Rev. James Travis voices support for Casteel
Photos by Shannon McFarlin