Council OKs Central Health board member

Health care executive’s appointment had raised conflict-of-interest fears.

Despite initial hesitation about potential conflicts of interest, a divided Austin City Council decided Thursday to appoint to the Central Health board of managers a high-ranking official with a major hospital system that competes with the health district’s hospital and other facilities.

The council voted to approve the appointment of Julie Oliver in a 6-5 vote after a closed session discussion. Council Members Ora Houston, Jimmy Flannigan, Ann Kitchen, Delia Garza, Kathie Tovo and Ellen Troxclair voted for the appointment.

Her appointment had raised some eyebrows due to her position as division controller at St. David’s HealthCare, a competitor of Seton Healthcare Family, which partners with Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district.

Central Health has strong ties to Seton, which operates Central Health’s safety-net hospital, Dell Seton Medical Center, and teams up with the district through a nonprofit to provide health care services to the uninsured and underinsured.

“I’m just really excited that I’m able to use my talents, my experience and put it to use in an area I truly have a passion in: helping deliver health care to people who need it most,” Oliver said Thursday. As for potential conflicts, she added, “I honestly don’t think overall it’s going to be an issue.”

At a hearing on her appointment last month, Oliver pledged to recuse herself from any discussions and votes that would have implications for St. David’s and said she wouldn’t do anything to purposely harm Seton’s financial interests.

From left, Max Cortez, 17, Roman Ruiz, 16, Andrew Evans, 17, Andrew Powell, 17, Gabriel Langley, 17, Vincent Stevenson, 16, and Ian Afflerbach, 16, gather on the south steps of the Capitol before starting a session of Boys State on Thursday.