The search for a new point man, or woman, at Whidbey General Hospital continues.

Until then, Tom Tomasino will remain as interim chief executive officer of the hospital. Previously, his contract as interim CEO carried an expiration date of late-March 2009, but the board of commissioners voted to extend his contract until they decide on a qualified replacement.

It’s unlikely the hospital will be able to hire a permanent replacement by March, Roger Case said at a Feb. 9 meeting.

“The board, in truth, has not decided on the qualities needed,” he said. “It’s going to be several months before we decide on a new CEO.”

In December the board generated a list of attributes it would like to have in candidates, which set off a hail of harsh words from staff and community members alike, who felt the board needed to take the selection process more seriously by setting forth qualifying requirements, such as specific training or education, instead of a list of desired attributes.

Tomasino’s contract expiration date sparked newly-elected board member Grethe Cammermeyer’s attention, prompting her to ask when Tomasino’s interim contract is set to expire.

“Ending in March? Hello?” Cammermayer said, adding that the board ought to step up the process.

A unanimous vote by the board of commissioners—including Anne Tarrant on conference call from Hawaii —extended Tomasino’s role until a new CEO is selected.

Tomasino formerly acted as chief operating officer.

At the time of former CEO Scott Rhine’s resignation, Commissioner Ron Wallin said the board would solicit input from the administration, staff and community so that everyone can be involved in the process of finding a replacement.

“We will not just put together a committee,” he said at an Oct 24 meeting. “This is a chance and we’re going to go forward and improve.”

But Commissioner Roger Case sees the selection process from a different angle.

“The CEO works for the board and with the medical staff. Those are the only people who really care,” he said, of the CEO selection process.

Several people in the audience shook their heads and whispered among themselves in what appeared to be disapproval of Case’s opinion.

During a Jan. 21 day-long workshop, the commissioners met with administrative and medical staff and community members to “find common ground between administration, the board and the medical staff to be able to come together and move forward as leaders of the hospital.”

At the meeting Tomasino said issues surrounding the hospital have reached “a critical point” and that he “feels a great sense of urgency about the hospital and the responsibility the hospital has to the community.”

According to meeting minutes, the majority of discussion concerning CEO selection revolved around making Tomasino the permanent CEO.

While Tomasino attended the conference, he left during the CEO discussion segment.

Tomasino sent a letter to the commissioners, dated Jan. 30, encouraging them to look beyond his qualifications and consider candidates other than himself.

“Today I told the Medical Executive Committee and board president that the board cannot place me in the CEO role without some sort of independent review or search,” he wrote. “If they were to try I would refuse the position.”

“The legitimacy of leadership must not be an obstacle or question to forestall change; it cannot be said or perceived that the CEO was selected for any other reason than they were the best candidates … my own personal integrity requires that the position be vetted appropriately.”

Tomasino assured the board that he will continue his role as interim CEO, and that he plans to vie for the CEO position when the selection process starts.

“To give Tom some assurance, we all know it’s going to take at least nine months to fill the position,” Wallin said.