The Pullman Regional Hospital Board of Commissioners opened applications for their seventh spot, which will close July 10.

Jeff Elbracht, board of commissioners president, said the hospital is a public hospital district, so the normal process of appointing a board member is through election. 

But, when a board member resigns in the middle of their term, people can apply to be on the board and current members select a candidate to finish the term, Elbracht said. 

Mike Murphy resigned from his position in June. His term does not expire until the end of the year, so the board called for people to apply, he said.

Alison Weigley, PRH External Relations director, said to be eligible for a spot on the board, an applicant needs to be a registered voter over the age of 18 and live in the hospital district, which is Pullman city limits; an applicant cannot be a hospital employee.

A term lasts six years with no limit on the number of terms someone can do, Weigley said. An applicant will be appointed through the board and would have to run for re-election when the term is up.

Elbracht said the board has 90 days after a resignation to fill the spot, which in this case ends on Aug. 3.

The board has asked for applicants to apply by July 10, which will give them time to review the candidates, he said. A special meeting will be held July 19, where the board will potentially take action to appoint the new commissioner. 

In the case that the board does not take action at the special meeting, they will still have a couple of weeks to take action, Elbracht said. 

“If the Board of Commissioners for the hospital doesn’t self-appoint within that 90 days, then the Whitman County Commissioners take responsibility,” he said. “So, they could appoint somebody if we fail to do so by the August 3 deadline.”

Elbracht said the time commitment for the position includes between two to five committee meetings alongside one board meeting every month. 

Weigley said if a person is interested in applying, they can send a letter of interest and either a resume or curriculum vitae, which is a statement of a person’s educational background and experience, to Elbracht.

She said the address an applicant can send their applications to is 835 SE Bishop Blvd, Pullman, WA 99163.