Simmering hostility between the management of Estes Park Health and its charitable fundraising arm, Estes Park Health Foundation, spilled into the public arena Tuesday afternoon when Kevin Mullin was shut out of his workplace at the Foundation office, cut off from computer and telephone access, and all access to Foundation equipment a memo from EPH CEO Vern Carda (see PDF below) announced.
Other than historic news releases that remain on the EPH website, all mentions of Mullin’s tenure with the facility have been erased.
“Effective immediately, Estes Park Health is terminating all contact between Estes Park Health and Mr. Kevin Mullin, not as a patient seeking treatment if needed, but in his official capacity as President of the Estes Park Health Foundation,” Carda’s memo said. While not said explicitly, the action came following a 2.5-hour executive session of the EPH board of directors Tuesday morning.
It took nearly 1,300 words to detail how Mullin had overstepped his boundaries as EPH Foundation president several times in taking actions Carda said were beyond Mullin’s assigned duties and actions that Carda considered to be disrespectful of the needs and wishes of Estes Park Health, including seeking support for long-range Foundation fundraising projects without EPH leadership approval.
In response, Mullin filed a formal notice of grievance with the EPH board of directors noting, “I have been subjected to discrimination, bullying, intimidation, and a hostile work environment for the past year due to the behavior of your CEO, Mr. Vern Carda.” (see PDF below)
“Unfortunately, I cannot be silent any longer as the situation has become untenable. I request that Vern Carda cease and desist with this behavior immediately, and that the Park Hospital District Board of Directors initiate an independent investigation into this matter and the reports of my current and past colleagues who have had similar experiences, Mullin said.”
The most particularly egregious issue for Carda appears to be Mullin having discussed the completion of a Community Health Needs Assessment with a UC Health representative. Talking about EPH not filing that report would lead to a compliance issue with regulatory requirements, particularly as it appeared EPH has missed a filing deadline, Carda’s letter to Foundation board members said.
However, Mullin’s email record of communications appears to be the introduction of a collegiate introduction of an individual who performs needs assessments for several health organizations in Northern Colorado. In the email Mullin wrote, in part, to Carda, “I told her I would pass along the info and if you are interested in a proposal for next year, you will contact her.”
Carda said this “resulted in serious potential detriment to Estes Park Health and Estes Park Health’s relationship with an essential clinical and business partner.” In addition, Carda said, as explained in an earlier Estes Park Health Board Meeting, based on an opinion from our Legal Counsel at Hall Render, The Park Hospital District, dba Estes Park Health, as a Special District governmental entity, is exempt from the requirement to complete and file a Community Health Needs Assessment.” According to Carda’s letter, Mullin asking UC Health about the assessment filing was “highly inappropriate, irresponsible and harmful,” he said.
Other issues Carda detailed in a memo to Foundation board members marked “Private and Confidential” noted that Mullin had not adhered to agreed-upon processes “that 1) all official business-related Estes Park Health Foundation contacts with Estes Park Health and its employees would be channeled through Vern Carda, Estes Park Health CEO, and 2) fundraising projects will generally not require Estes Park Health financial resources without explicit Estes Park Health CEO approval.”
Specifically, Carda pointed to a potential fundraising campaign that Mullin was discussing at all levels across both organizations prior to receiving his approval for the concept. Carda’s list of reasons why Mullins’s campus privileges were being withdrawn also included Carda not being the individual giving tours of the Estes Park Health facility, “it has become apparent that his (Mullin’s) disregard for the interests and perspectives of EPH is beyond repair.”
“This new ‘issue’ is another attempt to undermine my work and denigrate my reputation and standing that I have spent years building within this community,” Mullin said. “I have been subjected to bullying and intimidation by Mr. Carda. I have tried to work through this situation, do my job, and maintain my silence for the sake of preserving the Foundation’s public profile and avoid bad PR for either organization.
Estes Park Foundation offices are located on the grounds of Estes Park Health. His badge access to his office already has been terminated and he is being denied access to all Estes Park Health facilities in his official capacity as President of the Estes Park Health Foundation. In the announcement Carda made to the Foundation board members, he noted that all access to computer, telephone and other information technology applications maintained by Estes Park Health also has been terminated.
While Mullin is being given an opportunity to remove any personal items from his former office within Estes Park Health, he can arrange for supervised, time-limited access by contacting Carda but he is expected to promptly return all materials and devices that are the property of Estes Park Health, including laptops and phones.
Issues over money
Speaking on background, members of the Foundation told the Estes Valley Voice that at the heart of the tensions between EP Health and the Foundation is that the Foundation has nearly $5 million in assets and according to the most recent financial report presented by the EP Health Finance Subcommittee at a meeting on Aug. 27, 2024 the hospital is showing an operating loss of $3,041,428 for the six months ending June 2024.
The argument has been made that the Foundation should provide more money to the hospital for operations. The concern on the part of some Foundation members is that donors have specifically given money for capital projects and not operations.
The Foundation provided funding in 2023 to purchase a new fluoroscopy unit. In 2021, the Foundation raised more than $545k of the $1.1 million needed to fund the purchase of a new MRI machine.
Also in 2021 the Foundation fully funded the purchase of new radios for EP Health’s emergency medical services because Rocky Mountain National Park changed their radio system which impacted EPH’s EMS’s ability to communicate with RMNP during requests for medical assistance.
In 2020, the Foundation funded personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff, retrofitted seven rooms to negative pressure rooms, underwrote the cost of two COVID-19 direct real-time RT-PCR assay testing systems, paid for COVID-19 tests for uninsured residents of the Estes Valley, and helped fund costs associated with vaccine administration not covered by government funding for vaccines administered by Estes Park Health.
Despite having more than $3 million in operating loss for the first six months of 2024, the EP Health Finance Subcommittee reported in its slide deck that the hospital it is “on target with budget.”
At the July EP Health Board meeting it was announced that board member Drew Webb would no longer be serving in a liaison role to the Foundation. Several Foundation board members who reached out to the Estes Valley Voice on background said there had been contention between Webb and members of the Foundation board over the role of the Foundation to provide more money to EP Health from the Foundation’s endowments.
While the mission of the Foundation is to serve as a charitable fundraising organization, the Foundation and EP Health are separate organizations with their own boards. The members of the EP Health Board are elected by the voters in the Park Hospital District and the board of the Foundation are selected by other board members and then elected to serve.
Members of the Foundation have called a special meeting for Thursday evening at 6 p.m. It is expected that some Foundation board members will call for Mullin’s firing.
Efforts to reach Mullin for comment were not successful.
According to the Estes Park Health Foundation website, the current members of the board include Teresa Mueller, Chair; Kevin L. Mullin, President, Rut Miller, Secretary, Sue Cooper, Treasurer, Dennis Hoshiko, Vice Chair; Vern Carda; John Cooper (Director Emeritus); Scott Dickinson; Ingrid Drouin; Debby Hughes; Tim Hull (Director Emeritus); John Knudtson ; Larry Leaming; Carl Robicheaux; Andrea Escorcia Rodriguez; Mike Romero; Max Salfinger; Andrew Selig,; Dwight D. Stanford; Rodney Unruh.
Members of the Estes Park Health Board are David Batey, Chair; Drew Webb, Vice-Chair; Steve Alper, Treasurer; Bridget Foust, Secretary; and Cory Workman, Member-at-Large.
Yup- have to agree with Foundation President Kevin Mullin.
In fact, these are allegations that may be a pattern.
Side Bar: Kevin’s Counsel might want to peruse CCRC’s data base going to the same, or similar, allegations against EPH…
Beyond that- spread sheets and evidence need to be provided the taxpaying shareholders- but guessing EPH will back down- unless overwhelming!
Is EPH dumping majority shareholder status to dodge Liability going to PPLC and COVID?
Or just dodging liability in general?
* Since Congress is NOW conducting hearings on COVID mixing etc.?
Yup- have to agree with Foundation President Kevin Mullin.
In fact, these are allegations that may be a pattern.
Side Bar: Kevin’s Counsel might want to peruse CCRC’s data base going to the same, or similar, allegations against EPH…
Beyond that- spread sheets and evidence need to be provided the taxpaying shareholders- but guessing EPH will back down- unless overwhelming!
Is EPH dumping majority shareholder status to dodge Liability going to PPLC and COVID?
Or just dodging liability in general?
* Since Congress is NOW conducting hearings on COVID mixing etc.?
I’ve had the privilege of working with Kevin Mullin in the nonprofit community here in Estes Park. Kevin’s leadership is defined by his collaborative nature, forward-thinking vision, and exceptional fundraising expertise. He is deeply committed to doing things with candor and producing real, positive outcomes for the organizations he serves.
Through our work together on various boards and committees, I’ve seen Kevin’s depth of knowledge and professionalism firsthand. Beyond his role as an executive leader, he is a respected nonprofit scholar, professor, and serves on several prominent statewide boards. His contributions to the industry are widely admired and make a significant impact, both locally and beyond.
It is deeply disheartening to witness the current situation, especially knowing the honesty, integrity, and kindness Kevin consistently demonstrates in his work and in our community.
Sorry Kevin. Exactly what seems to have happened to others. Admin needs to have a tight grip on things to keep control because they have no idea of what they are doing. If one does anything that they would “deem” over reach, because it might make them look bad or incompetent, they will come after you. Even if your actions are truly in the best interest of the hospital.
Admin has lost 2.5 million dollars this past year, they have closed invaluable services for the community, they do not know what they are doing. They have no idea of how to recruit and retain providers and or services that could potentially off set the expense of valuable services that would otherwise be a deficit to the facility. Checks and balances… one service supports the other service etc…
Not to mention, there is no telling how many thousands and thousands of dollars the hospital has lost on travelers because they can’t keep staff. Bullying, condescension, manipulation and avoidance is all the admin knows.
I am not sure where the board is on all of this. Do you not have ears and eyes?
The problem here is not Kevin Mullin. The common denominator here is the EPH administration and the EPH BOD. FIRE THEM. KEEP MR MULLIN
Thanks again to the Estes Valley Voice for lifting another veil of secrecy. I can’t say I’m surprised that the current hospital management and “elected” board have extended the toxic workplace culture to their fundraising arm. I am highly in favor of a community needs assessment which would most likely indicate that senior services such as in home hospice care and skilled nursing care for chronic problems are at the top of most of our wish lists.
Kevin’s 37-page narrative backed up with supporting documents and exhibits offers further insight into the atmosphere at EPH, as brought out in the numerous articles recently published by the EV Voice.
Kevin is a person of impeccable character and professionalism, as well as a thoughtful, meticulous individual as demonstrated by his detailed and straight-forward recitation of the facts. This compares most favorably when weighed against the 2-page screed of nefarious and unsubstantiated claims put forth by the EPH CEO.
This is such an unfortunate situation, not only for Kevin, but also for the caring, generous and kind-hearted healthcare providers at EPH. I have never encountered a physician, nurse or front-line employee who was anything less than courteous and compassionate.
The Park Hospital District elected board owes a duty to the community and taxpayers to conduct an independent and thorough investigation of this matter and be transparent in sharing the outcome with their constituents.
I was Kevin Mullin’s Executive Assistant at the EPH Foundation from the time he arrived until I retired in the spring of 2021. He is a man of integrity and one of the kindest, hardest-working, most selfless people I have ever met. This whole situation is unfortunate, unnecessary, and distracting.
EPH’s actions were 100% appropriate and in my opinion overdue! The allegations from Mr. Mullin does not accurately depict the circumstances. His verbiage to defend his petty passive aggressive behavior is what he does! There are others that can confirm this behavior pattern from him. He becomes quite a different individual when you don’t agree or conform with his ideas and sure uses his “gift of the gab” to produce these illustrious explanations. Wish he put that much energy into mending a situation that could easily have been mended almost 2 years ago. Sadly Pride and Passive Aggression will not allow him. Does not see him put the Foundation and support to EPH first, which is the Foundation’s mission statement
There are legal barriers and implications (including revocation of 501c3 status and LOTS of fines) if Foundation funds are misappropriated; ie. not used to the donor discretion or in accordance with the mission of the foundation which clearly states what it does support and what it does not support (hospital overhead/debt)
Mr. Mullin using donor funds appropriately and in line with the legal fiscal responsibilities SURELY seems like a sound reason for Mr. Carda’s temper tantrum…..(this is sarcasm if you can’t tell)
There are legal barriers and implications (including revocation of 501c3 status and LOTS of fines) if Foundation funds are misappropriated; ie. not used to the donor discretion or in accordance with the mission of the foundation which clearly states what it does support and what it does not support (hospital overhead/debt)
Mr. Mullin using donor funds appropriately and in line with the legal fiscal responsibilities SURELY seems like a sound reason for Mr. Carda’s temper tantrum…..(this is sarcasm if you can’t tell)
To the anonymous poster and lone comment disparaging Kevin Mullin, let yourself be known. You are the least common denominator in this thread of support and praise for the Foundation’s leader of nearly a decade.
To the EPH Board, especially David Batey, I have watched you fail to pull EPH from financial and administrative duress since 2019. Being exempt from a CHNA does not mean you should not conduct one. Your leadership choices for the hospital have consistently led to less, not more, service to the community which you exist to serve.
Do better, Estes Park Health. You should employ thoughtful, informed leaders who care about the health and well being of this community. Rural hospitals have a hard go. You need all the help you can get. Not all communities tax their citizens to keep their hospital operational. Cutting yourself off at the knees by ridding yourself of your foundation president is not the solution.
EP Health Board and CEO Vern Carda’s actions raise more questions than answers
I am a full-time, year-round resident of Estes Park. I love our community, and I have received outstanding, friendly, and prompt medical care from EP Health over many years. My wonderful primary care physician is there, and I go to EP Health for blood work, radiology services, and occasional consultations with specialists as needed.
I read with concern about the action by Vern Carda, CEO of EPH, blocking Kevin Mullin’s access to EPH, for reasons that are not at all clear. As President of EPH Foundation, Mullin has overseen numerous upgrades to EPH facilities, and acquisitions of state-of-the-art equipment, that have benefitted countless members of our community and enabled us to receive these services in town rather than having to travel an hour or more each way out of town. From his record, it is clear that Mullin has served our community with skill, integrity, and dedication.
I have no inside information about what is happening at EP Health. Most of what I know is from what I have read in the Estes Valley Voice. But the action of the EPH Board, led by Carda, suddenly barring Mullin from all access to EPH, raises alarm bells and many questions. The very limited explanation given by Carda to the Estes Valley Voice for why this has been done is, at least so far, unpersuasive. So far, no evidence or documentation has been provided to substantiate the EPH Board’s allegations or to justify their action. All discussions of the EPH Board relating to this matter have apparently been held in executive or private session, with no public ability to hear Board discussion of options, ramifications, or reasons to support any such action against Mullin. At best, this lack of transparency and the sudden, complete barring of Mullin from access to EPH, creates an appearance of either personal reasons of certain Board members, or an effort to move control of the Foundation and its funds to someone more amenable to Carda’s goals, rather than the good of our community. The lack of transparency and documentation leaves one wondering, what are the EPH Board’s real reasons for trying to remove Mullin from leadership of the Foundation?
EP Health is a government-owned hospital, paid for in large part with our property tax dollars. The residents of Estes Park are entitled to know why the Board is making what looks like a power play to control the EPH Foundation and its funds. We need to know if it is certain members of the Board of EPH that should be changed, rather than the Foundation President. I believe there needs to be an independent investigation, with evidence and documentation, of all reasons for the actions of the EPH Board and Carda as quickly as possible, to straighten this all out. We need for the Foundation’s President to be restored to full access to EPH as soon as possible, so that the Foundation can continue to function at full capacity, for the benefit of the residents of the Estes Valley. If the Board believes its action is justified and necessary, they should not object to an independent investigation.
I read about this mess. I have a question about the hospital board’s no confidence vote in the foundation. That seems weird since the foundation is a separate entity. And their so called reasons are lacking. But is the hospital board allowed to take votes in executive session? I never heard anything about this no confidence vote until now and it made me think of that Estes Valley Voice article about all of their secret meetings. Something is not right.
What has been the follow-up to this? Did the Foundation Board agree with the Hospital Board’s actions?
I spoke to my neighbor, they are on the Foundation Board. They will make their final decision tomorrow. The Hospital Board has been trying to get the foundation endowment funds since last year, they want to close their budget hole since they are going broke waiting for the merger. Kevin told the Foundation Board that with endowments, you are supposed to spend the interest only and not the principle. The Hospital Board and Vern decided it would be easier to get this money if they got rid of Kevin and so here we are. They will now close the foundation and take this cash. This is disgusting and someone needs to do something.
Yes, SOMEONE does need to do something, which I feel should be EVERYBODY needs to do something. If you truly feel strongly regarding Estes Park Health’s future, please attend the Estes Park Hospital board meetings. There is one on Wednesday, September 25, at 5:30pm at the Town Hall. Enter through the Police Department door. Or if you cannot attend in person, go to eph.org, board, meeting information, and register to attend online. Thank-you for your support of your hospital!
We have known Kevin Mullin since he began working for the Estes Park Health Foundation. We have found him to be a very thoughtful and kind person, as well as a true professional who cares deeply about Estes Park Health and the Estes Valley community. Mr. Mullin has done a great job getting funds for the Foundation which are used to provide assistance to EPH within the parameters set by the Foundation. He is quite knowledgeable regarding the laws and requirements regarding the Foundation and its donors. He is also very knowledgeable regarding HIPPA rules and regulations and what is and is not allowed, and he knows that patients’ needs come first.
In reading through this article, as well as the attachments, it appears to us that Mr. Mullin has done nothing wrong. It does look like perhaps there was a failure to communicate on the part of Mr. Carda. Mr. Mullin has done donor tours around the times of major projects supported by the Foundation for as long as he has been here, which is almost 10 years. It seems normal to us that he would continue to do as he had been, since he continues to work for the Foundation, unless hospital policies were changed. If that indeed happened, then it should have been communicated to the Foundation so that Mr. Mullin could make the necessary changes to his marketing strategies.
As for the Community Needs Assessment, it appears that Mr. Mullin did not address the needs assessment with the UC Health representative, but instead merely passed the information on to Mr. Carda, as I would think would be expected. While it is always good to tighten the budget where it makes sense to do so and run the hospital in a fiscally responsible manor, the bottom line isn’t the only important item for the hospital. Just for the record, we would think, required or not, EPH would want to know what our community feels its needs are, and should do a Needs Assessment anyway. Then, if the community needs were greater than what the hospital could provide financially, it would be up to the community to approve a mill levy increase in order to maintain or add those needed services. However, it does not appear that Mr. Carda feels this Needs Assessment is necessary, as well as Employee Satisfaction Surveys or Employee Exit Interviews/Surveys.
We would think that it would be quite difficult for the EP Health Foundation to replace Mr. Mullin, especially in light of the upcoming affiliation that has yet to be completed. It appears to us that there needs to be a “meeting of the minds” between Mr. Mullin and Mr. Carda (and David Batey and Drew Webb) to work through their differences and get their jobs done, above board and to the utmost benefit to both Estes Park Health and the EPH Foundation.
Jim and Gail Cozette