Dr. Barry Mink earned a second four-year term on the Aspen Valley Hospital board of directors, while Dr. Mindy Nagle won her first, in last night’s board election that saw seven candidates running for two seats.
Mink, the only incumbent who ran, received the lion’s share of the votes, 944, while Nagle earned 604 votes.
The next closest candidate, developer and real estate broker Chuck Frias, got 400 votes. Paramedic Deborah Hutchinson, the only other medical professional running, received 320 votes. The remaining candidates received votes in the double digits: attorney Mark Rothman had 90 votes, attorney and law professor Albert Slap had 63 and attorney and businessman David Missner had 49.
“I’m very happy and appreciate the community’s confidence in me and hope to do my best and keep the momentum going,” Mink said Tuesday night.
Mink said that the main issues occupying the hospital board in the next few years will be the hospital campus expansion plan and employee housing.
The hospital, which was built in 1977, wants to add 144,000 square feet to the current 70,000 square feet it occupies.
Mink said he thinks voters were sending a message with the election of two doctors to the hospital board. Nagle, an obstetrician-gynecologist, is effectively taking the seat of Dr. Greg Balko, who served one term on the board and did not seek re-election, urging her to run instead.
“In the prior four years we had a younger doctor and myself, the older doc, able to bring the right formula and combination to the board, understanding the dynamics of medical care and patient care in this community,” said Mink. “This vote reflects that the community wants to see that balance continue and supports this concept.”
Mink called Nagle “very committed” and said she will “bring the interests of the younger community and medical staff to the board.”
Nagle could not be reached Tuesday night.
