WEDNESDAY
February 28, 1996

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Ledwidge

They came, they saw, they competed

FROM THE spectacular opening ceremonies (right) last Thursday night at the Lonsdale recreation centre,
through heated competition — that’s North Van's Maura Beaton competing in the vault event at Capilano
College (above) — the 18th-annual B.C. Winter Games were an overwhelming success for both athletes and
North Shore communities. (See page 2 and 3 for local medal winners and more action photos.)

& Bright Lighte.................13
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BD Presi Gh... cscs B
BN. Shore Alert...............8
B SPOPEE....0... ee rsecnsccneeesn BO
@ TY Listings...................32

arts

 Cenuck
organist Mike
Foster: 15

@ Pierre says
au revoir: 18

THE MERGER of health services on
the North Shore under the new North
Shore Health Board (NSHB) has cost
Lions Gate Hospital (LGH) the ser-
vices of its president and chief execu-
tive officer Bob Smith.

By Martin Millerchip
Contributing Writer

And the price of that loss will be close to
$250,000 in severance pay plus almost $80,000
in banked and outstanding vacation pay.

One of the stated intentions of the NSHB's
management plans is to achieve “efficiency in
health care."

Lions Gate Hospital board chairman Grant
Spitz announced Tuesday that Smith will step
down us of Feb, 29.

Lynette Best, former vice-president nurs-
ing/patient care services, will become Acting
Chief Operating Officer with Smith available
“for consultation during transition.”

Although final details of the severance pack-
age had not been confirmed to press time, the
News has learned that Smith's contract’ was
amended in 1992 to provide for a separation
allowance of 18 months salary “for termination
without cause.”

Smith’s annual salary is presently $140,000
plus additional benefits totalling $24,597.92.

Hospital CEO Smith
negotiates $300,000
separation package

Smith. who was appointed LGH president in
LOR8, says he's sorry to be going and Tony
Angel, NSHB vice-chairman wishes he was
staying.

“We felt there was an important role for him
to play in the delivery of health services. We
certainly thought enough of his record to ask
him to stay on,” Angel told the News.

Angel insisted that the circumstances of
Smith's departure had nothing to do with the
NSHB.

But the recent selection of the NSHB's chief
executive officer, to whom Smith would report,
clearly defines the reasons for his departure.

The NSHB is one of 20 new regional health
boards in the province. It will have the jurisdic-
tion to plan and budget for LGH as well as for
community and public health.

The board was one of the first regions to
have its Health and Management Plan approved
by the Ministry of Health in December 1995.

Selection of a CEO wits the next step.

The final decision came down to a choice
between Smith and Dr. Inge Schamborzki.

Schamborzki, a former patient’ services
senior vice-president at Vancouver General

Weather

Thursday: Mainly sunny
10°C, low -5°C.

Nal \Vegncenver:
\Writn Gags
FOS

Hospital, had chaired the regional planning
commitice that setup the NSHB.

Schamborzki's selection as CEO was
announced by the NSHB on Jan. 15.

Minutes of the Jan, 23 LGH board executive
meeting report Smith explaining that his ability
to lead the LGH organization was compromised
in the eyes of staff,

A written legal opinien provided to the same
meeting notes that the NSHB's overall control
of planning and policy for the region “will lead
to significant diminishment of Mr. Smith's cur-
rent role.” .

The report concludes: “... itis reasonable for
the (LGH) board to proceed on the assumption
that the implementation of the (NSHB)}
Management Plan could result ina fundamental
breach of Mr. Sinith’s employment agreement
tantamount to his constructive dismissal.”

Angel wrote to LGH board chairman Grant
Spitz on Feb. 12 asking “that you continue to
employ Mr, Smith in his curtent capacity and
that you obtain the approval of the NSHB prior
to making any alterations to the terms of his
employment.”

In a subsequent letter Angel confirmed that
“the current compensation package for the
President and CEO at Lions Gate Hospital will
be maintained.”

But with Smith clearly feeling compromised
and with probable legal cause for breach of con-

See LGH page &