The Wallowa County Health Care District is losing two of its top administrators.

Chief nursing officer Laurie Marcum is leaving almost immediately and chief executive officer Dave Harman plans to retire around the end of the current fiscal year.

The two pending departures were discussed at the Monday, Oct. 29 meeting of the districts board of directors.

Marcum will leave her position next week, after accepting a job as a risk management consultant for rural hospitals in the region for Coverys Insurance Services. While a search for her replacement is already underway, Jenny Ward, now head of Wallowa Memorial Hospitals operating room and obstetrics departments, will step in as interim CNO. Some of Marcums responsibilities will also be divided among other hospital managers, including Wendy Hunt, Kala Minville and Ron Wulff.

Following her final nursing report, Harman praised Marcum at the board meeting for her work and many accomplishments at WMH. Shes done a lot for us, Harman said, mentioning her work in obtaining a $400,000 cardiac care/telemedicine grant, initiating the hospitals award-winning telestroke network involvement and reorganizing the nursing department.

Marcum, who previously worked at supervisory positions at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Baker City, succeeded Gail Johnson in the WMH director position in March 2008.

Ive loved being here and it has been my pleasure to serve this district, Harman said. Im excited I will now be able to help multiple hospitals. She is moving back to Baker City, where family members live, and work from a home office there.

At Mondays board meeting, for the first time, CEO Harman publicly discussed his intention to retire next year.

Harman said his intention is to submit a letter of resignation in February stating his intention to leave the position in 120 days.

Actually, I dont want to leave this Wallowa Valley Senior Living to anyone else, Harman said, referring to the new residential care/assisted living facility under construction that is due to open in March. Id like to see it operating smoothly before I leave.

A former 15-year administrator of the hospital in Burns, Harman came out of semi-retirement at age 60 in August 2007 to take over as Wallowa Countys health district CEO. He said he plans to continue living in Wallowa County after his retirement.