NEWS

Marketing firm to refund West Volusia Hospital Authority for advertising

Mike Finch II
mike.finch@news-jrnl.com

DELAND — The West Volusia Hospital Authority Board of Commissioners agreed Thursday to recoup about $21,000 from the marketing company that was hired to boost the agency’s image with the local public.

The finer points of the agreement came under some scrutiny after the hospital authority’s client rolls became flooded with more and more participants in the last year. The DeLand firm Hill and Hollis Enterprises was to produce two video commercials and bus bench advertisements to promote services offered by the agency.

Hill and Hollis was paid the last installment of a $100,000 contract in August. A unanimous vote by the board would allow them to take back about one quarter of those dollars.

“It all came together at one time — the extension of the awareness as well as the need. I think we’ve done what we can do and appreciate the $20K,” said board chairwoman Barbara Girtman.

Only three commissioners were present for the meeting: Girtman, Judy Craig and newly appointed member Dolores Guzman, who now fills the seat vacated by the late Ross Dickinson. Commissioners Andy Ferrari and Kathie Shepard were not present.

The hospital authority recently approved its largest budget in years, a $20 million spending plan that accounts for expected increases in specialty care and possibly higher enrollment. It was funded by raising the district property tax rate by 50 percent. 

“There has been discussion that we’re not the best-kept secret anymore,” said Craig. “If that $20,000 could come back it could help to cover some of the little extras.”

Harper Hill, chief executive of the marketing company, said the production and designs for the advertisements and video have been completed.

“Just remember, all of those items are still going to be in our library, and still available for use. If for some reason in the future you want to move forward with that it’ll make it easy for us to do,” Hill said.

Hill said the rest of the contract, which includes writing press releases and attending community events, will still be fulfilled.