KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The mayors of Alcoa, Maryville and Blount County are claiming the CEO of Blount Memorial Hospital was not appointed legally.

Following Don Heinemann’s retirement announcement, the hospital’s board of directors then announced that Dr. Harold Naramore had been appointed as the new CEO on June 9. Mayor Clint Abbott of Alcoa, Mayor Andy White of Maryville and Mayor Ed Mitchell of Blount County sent a letter on June 13 to the board about concerns that the process laid out for choosing a new CEO was not followed.

The mayors said they had been contacted by several Blount County citizens, businesses and members of their legislative bodies. The two main concerns include “whether proper Public Notice was given for the special called meeting” where the new CEO was chosen and “whether the By-Laws of the organization were followed in the selection process of the CEO.”

The hospital’s by-laws lay out the criteria for a new CEO in Section 4.6 3(e) “Flow Process of CEO Selection.” The process designates the steps needed for the board to take when choosing a new CEO. The mayors claim that the process was not followed and if it was they want to board show examples of how it was followed.

“It is our feeling that the process was not handled in accordance with State law for adequate notification of the special-called Hospital Board meeting and that there was a failure to follow the hospital’s own By-Law in the selection process of the new director,” wrote the mayors in the letter.

The letter ends with the mayors asking for a response within seven days of June 13.