New hospital CEO to be paid $195,000 annually

The Sonoma Valley Hospital board voted unanimously at its Feb. 28 meeting to sign a contract making Carl Gerlach the hospital’s new chief executive officer at an annual salary of $195,000, plus a $500 monthly car allowance.
“Hell of a bargain,” is how Dick Kirk, chairman of the hospital board, described the salary to the Sun after the meeting ended.
“This is a much lower salary than Bob was receiving,” Kirk continued, referring to the $240,000 annual salary of the hospital’s former CEO, Bob Kowal.
The hospital board decided to wait until after the Tuesday, March 6 vote on a parcel tax to help fund hospital operations before it negotiates Gerlach’s severance package.
But board won’t give Gerlach more than one month’s severance pay, Kirk said.
That is a contrast to the multi-year contract that the hospital had with Kowal. When the former CEO signed a separation agreement with the hospital board on Jan. 31, he received a year’s pay as a consultant.