Hospital Board — Northern District, Seat 1: Jim Meister

Age: 75

Hometown: Elizabeth, N.J.

Occupation: Retired CEO, Kings Super Markets, Inc.

Previous political offices: None

About: I was chairman of Mountainside Hospital, Montclair, N.J., and Vice Chairman of Atlantic Health System, where I participated in the first successful merger of four hospitals in N.J. I am a full-time Sarasota resident for 18 years. I was appointed to the SMH Board in July 2015 and am chairman of the audit committee and vice chairman of the finance committee.

Why do you want to serve on the hospital board?

My desire to continue my role as a current board member and to play an active part in helping SMH meet the health care needs of our community and to keep SMH a not-for-profit hospital.

What qualifies you to oversee the fiscal health of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System?

I have the experience, both from my business and many not-for-for profit board roles, particularly in hospital governance, to work with my fellow board members and management team to ensure that SMH remains financially healthy and one of the premier healthcare providers in our country.  

What is your position on how the hospital board should use and manage its taxing authority? Do you have a position on whether the current millage rate should be raised or lowered?

I will exercise my fiduciary responsibilities to all of the residents of Sarasota. This responsibility requires that we maintain a sound balance sheet, provide the capital to grow and guarantee that the taxpayers’ interests are met at the board table. We have been able to hold the line on millage rates for last two years and need to continue to work hard to grow our services and meet the changing healthcare needs of our community while managing costs and remembering that we represent the taxpayers. I believe our management team, our physicians, nurses and over 5000 employees are dedicated to providing the best care in a cost-effective manner. 

If elected, what do you believe should be the top priority of the board during your term?

We need to be true to our mission of providing health care services that excel in caring, quality and innovation throughout Sarasota County and to ensure we achieve our vision of providing our community with the best healthcare system in America!

A proposed hospital in Venice is just one of the ways SMH has attempted to grow over the past few years. Do you favor or oppose pursuing a hospital in Venice? Why?

I fully support our pursuit to build a new hospital in Venice. I believe we can best serve the community and its growing population by locating to a more convenient and accessible location for those living in Venice and other areas of Sarasota County. North Port and its surrounding areas would also benefit by reducing precious travel time by providing  both urgent and non-urgent care until we can move ahead to build a hospital in North Port.

What is your position on building a hospital in Sarasota County's largest city, North Port?

SMH plans to build, in partnership with John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, a new pediatric specialty outpatient care clinic on a second floor addition to our 24/7 Emergency Room and Health Care Center. We believe this additional service addresses one of the demographic needs of the younger population base. We also believe that North Port is in need of and will get a new hospital. Before this commitment is made, there needs to be an increase in the number of primary care and specialist physicians to support a hospital being built in the North Port area. That would make a new hospital financially feasible. The medical community is key to the success of any hospital! We are working together with North Port to make this happen.

What is your position on doing what Venice and other communities have done — selling and privatizing the hospital system and using the proceeds in a community foundation?

I pledge to keep SMH a not-for-profit hospital serving the residents of our community and not the shareholders of a for-profit company. SMH for over 90 years has been a community hospital … we need to keep it that way!!!!