City Manager barred from RMC Board meeting

The Regional Medical Center board barred Anniston City Manager Brian Johnson from attending its called meeting Tuesday, even though he had been appointed to the organization last week.

Johnson says the decision was illegitimate. However, RMC board chairman Greg Kernion says the move was proper because the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Johnson and the city itself.

The standoff Tuesday was part of a larger struggle between the city and the board over whether the board is a public entity, how autonomous it is from the city and how much information about the Anniston-based hospital it must provide government officials when requested. City officials argue they just want to know more about the hospital's inner workings to help it thrive. Meanwhile, Kernion says the city's motive in gathering information is to sell the hospital to fill its own coffers. Something City officials dismissed.

Once the meeting began, the board went into executive session, out of public view, but not before asking Johnson to leave the room. Kernion said the closed session was called to discuss the good name and character of an individual, namely Johnson, and the city itself.

Before leaving, Johnson made an official statement for the record, protesting the meeting and the request that he leave. Johnson said the Anniston City Council appointed him to the board Sept. 22 and that he had a right to sit in on the meeting.