Questions About Beaumont And The Children’s Hospital

EL PASO –Some two weeks ago, ABC-7 first reported on the board makeup envisioned by backers of what was a then-proposed El Paso Children’s Hospital.

There’s some uncertainty about who will be a part of the new hospital’s first big step. Three separate, authoritative and credible sources said that William Beaumont Army Medical Center would get to appoint a board member.

Now, Beaumont officials say that’s not the case. On Nov. 2,ABC-7described parts ofa conversation with Deneece Knight, director of the Thomason’s Children’s Hospital initiative. On Nov. 11,ABC-7 shared parts of Celina Avila’s discussion with Dr. Carlos Gutierrez, president of the El Paso International Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Both of them said Beaumont would get to nominate one of the board members.Clarence Davis, the spokesman at Beaumont said he’d never heard of such a plan.

“Who’s saying that Beaumont would have a seat on the children’s hospital board? Because nobody here is aware of that,” hesaid.

ThomasonCEO Jim Valenti said contact with the military hospital continues. “We have been in discussion with the commanding colonel at Beaumont since the very beginning,” he said.

Davis said making appointments to the board would be in conflict with military rules.

“My understanding from the colonel at Beaumont is that he had been in contact with military attorneys who say there isn’t a conflict,” said Valenti.

As it happens, every timeDavisreferred ABC-7 toValenti at Thomason,he wasreminded that Valenti had a very different story.

Still, Davis said he stands behind his story, but also kept deferring to Valenti’s. The plan calls for three original board members for the children’s hospital to select the rest of the board. Two members will come from Thomason, two from Commissioners’ Court, one from Texas Tech Health Sciences and two “at large” members.