• The board accepted its 2002 audit and discussed its budget for 2003. The board is expected to approve a budget in January.

• Chief operating officer Tom Kooiman updated the board on the status of Washburne Court, which is being changed to assisted living. PAHCS will be the general contractor for work done under $10,000 but will advertise for sealed bids for electrical, sprinkling and plumbing, and general construction.

• Acute care administrator Bev Mueller listed the current construction projects and their estimated completion dates, including overall project completion by March 2003. Cardiac rehab will move starting in December; a second operating room will be open in January for general surgery and after two weeks of acclimation will offer orthopedic procedures; construction in the business office will begin in January, taking two to three weeks to be completed, during which registration will temporarily be located in the lobby; outreach renovation will be completed by the end of February.

• Paynesville resident Paul Bugbee addressed the board to recognize the joint efforts by bystanders, paramedics, nurses, and doctors to save his father's life last summer.

• The board certified elected hospital district representatives and swore them into office: city of Richmond, Vickie Ruegemer, 476 votes; city of Lake Henry, Sarah Olmscheid, 41 votes; Paynesville Township, Kay Spooner, 266 votes; Roseville Township, Joe Musel, 18 votes; Union Grove Township, Dr. Mike Hansen, 218 votes; and Zion Township, Donald Thomes, 138 votes.

• The board gave chief executive officer Steve Moburg the authority to negotiate, along with a few board members, with the city of Paynesville over PAHCS's share of a stormwater sewer project along Washburne Avenue. The city has asked PAHCS to contribute $47,395 of the estimated $111,618 cost of the project.

• The board was informed that PAHCS and Dr. Randall Jacklitch are currently negotiating a rental agreement for part of the former Integrated Health Clinic.

• Dr. Randy Nelson reported to the board that a final decision was expected by Friday, Dec. 13, among the three candidates for the clinic administrator position.

• The board approved provisional privileges for Janet Jacobson, PA-C, and temporary privileges for Kyla Rice, an RPAP student. The board reapproved privileges for Randy Nelson, DO, and Randall Zimmerman, MD, to the active staff; for Hector Ho, MD (neurosurgery), Richard Jolkovsky, MD, (cardiology); Jerome Keating, MD, (urology); Keith Leavell, MD, (pulmonology); David Lindgren, MD, (OB/GYN); John Matsuura, MD, (urology); Manuel Moran, MD, (general surgery); Hoang Nyguyen, MD, (radiology); and David Webster, MD (neurology) to the consulting staff; and for John David Anderson, Pharm.D.; Gene Beavers, PA-C; Sherree Engen, CRNA; Gregory Friederichs, OD; Wendy Worner, CRNA; and Keith Zimmer, CRNA, to the ancillary staff.

• The board approved turning three overdue accounts for collection. The three accounts total nearly $15,000.