Health agency's board selects candidates

An Augusta mental health center is edging closer to finding a permanent leader.

ADVERTISEMENT

Have a thought? Go to the Forums or Chat.

Subscribe  E-mail this story  Write a letter to the Editor  Printer-friendly version  Get news on your PDA  Get e-mail headlines

A CEO search committee for the board of Community Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia has narrowed a list of more than 30 applicants to four candidates, committee Chairwoman Janis Hammar reported in an e-mail to the center. She was unable to attend Tuesday night's meeting.

The candidates were to be interviewed by phone today and then narrowed to two finalists who would be presented to the full board. Board member Stella Nunnally questioned whether the full board shouldn't see all four candidates, but the board did not act on her suggestion, and it was unclear when the two finalists would be presented.

Acting Executive Director Phil Horton, who said earlier he did not want to be a candidate, said the center's leadership should also be part of the process.

"This leadership team has been together for two years, and it has done a phenomenal job," he said. "I think they should have a say."

The center has been without a permanent leader since January 2002, when Mike Brockman was suspended and later fired in the midst of a state investigation of alleged corruption and cronyism. He and former Rep. Robin Williams were indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with conspiring with others to steal $2 million through the center. The men have pleaded innocent. Two earlier CEO searches ended with a final candidate who ultimately did not take the job.

Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213 or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Wednesday, September 29, 2004 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle