Minutes of the
North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry
August 23, 2021
Video Conference Meeting
The North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry met by video conference on Monday, August 23, 2021, at 7:00p.m. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the results of the Summer 2021 Clinical/Practicum Examinations and for other purposes as outlined in the Agenda. Board members participating on the call were: Dr. Mike Johnson, President, Dr. Michael Haines, Secretary-Treasurer, Drs. Scott Philippe, Jerry Ellington, Charles Sikes, Ms. Emily Nicholson,, members of the Board.
Dr. William Rafferty, Executive Director, Mr. Johnny Loper, legal counsel, Mrs. Janice Peterson, Executive Administrator, and Samantha Hardison, Administrative Coordinator were also participants in the video conference.
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 p.m. by Dr. Johnson, President of the Board, after which he read the “ETHICS AWARENESS & CONFLICTS OF INTEREST REMINDER” as required by the North Carolina State Ethics Commission. A copy of the”Reminder” was posted to the agenda so each member could review. There were no reported Conflicts of Interest reported by the Board Members.
Approval of Minutes. On a motion by Dr. Ellington and seconded by Dr. Philippe, the Minutes of the August 13-15, 2021 Board meeting were unanimously approved.
Report of the President. Dr. Johnson did not have a formal report given the short period of time since the last meeting. However, he did indicate that he would have remarks to make on specific matters at the appropriate time as this meeting progressed. On a motion by Dr. Sikes and seconded by Ms. Nicholson, the remarks of the President were unanimously accepted.
Report of the Executive Director. Dr. Rafferty reviewed the proposed Retinal Policy incorporating suggested edits to the policy from the Board’s last meeting. On a motion by Dr. Ellington, seconded by Dr. Sikes, the Board unanimously approved the Retinal Policy. The Policy will be added to Board Policies on the Board’s website and all licensees will be required to sign off on the Policy as part of their 2022 license renewal.
A motion to accept the Executive Director’s Report was made by Dr. Phillipe, seconded by Dr. Ellington and passed unanimously.
Session with Board Attorney.
At 7:10 p.m., the Board’s attorney, Mr. Loper,. joined the meeting. Mr. Loper participated in Dr. Rafferty’s presentation to the Board of a new draft of the proposed Policy on Wide-Field Retinal Photography and in a discussion by the Board of the request of Dr. David Reynolds for the restoration of the license of Dr. Reynolds from inactive status.
On motion by Dr. Ellington and seconded by Dr. Sikes, the Board voted unanimously to approve the version of the Policy on Wide-Field Retinal Photography presented by Dr. Rafferty.
On motion by Dr. Phillipe and seconded by Dr. Ellington, the Board voted unanimously to approve the restoration of the license of Dr. Reynolds. The terms and conditions under which Dr. Reynolds license was restored are contained in the letter agreement dated September 2, 2021 between Dr. Reynolds and the Board.
Thereafter, on a motion by Dr. Sikes and seconded by Dr. Ellington, the Board voted unanimously to go into closed session in accordance with GS 143-318.11 (1) and (3) and GS 90-121.5. The purpose of the closed session was for Mr. Loper to provide updates, counsel, and advice to the Board on the status and possible resolution of the requests of Dr. Ben Hobbs and Dr. Sam Hobbs for restoration of their respective licenses.
Dr. Rafferty and Mr. Loper confirmed that the Board was familiar with the factual background of the Hobbs matters. Dr. Rafferty noted that both Dr. Ben Hobbs and Dr. Sam Hobbs had complied with all requirements set by the Board for them to be eligible to take the clinical examination; that each of them had taken and passed the clinical examination (subject to confirmation of the results later in this same meeting); and that the Board now needed to determine under what conditions their licenses would be restored. Mr. Loper then discussed a list of potential provisions to be included in consent orders by which the licenses would be reinstated and responded to questions from the Board regarding those options. While the Board took no vote in this closed session, the discussion did lead to a consensus among the Board members on the appropriate provisions of the Consent Orders by which the Hobbs’ licenses would be restored.
The Board then excused Mr. Loper and began a discussion of examination results.
On a motion by Dr. Ellington and seconded by Dr. Sikes, the Board voted unanimously to return to open session. No motions were made and no votes were taken on any matter presented or discussed while in closed session.
On motion by Dr. Ellington and seconded by Dr. Sikes, the Board voted unanimously to instruct Mr. Loper to draft Consent Orders regarding Dr. Ben Hobbs and Dr. Sam Hobbs consistent with the discussions held in closed session. The full Board will then approve those drafts for presentation to the Hobbs’ attorney Jim Wilson for his review and comment. Once executed, those documents will be public records.
Determining the Results of the Examination. Having reviewed the scoring of the Summer 2021 Examinations in closed session, in open session it was moved by Dr. Philippe, seconded by Dr. Ellington, and carried unanimously, that the following applicants be notified of their having achieved a passing score on the Summer 2021 Clinical/Practicum Examination and that they are to be duly licensed to practice the profession of optometry in North Carolina; further, that their names be entered in the Board Registry with license numbers assigned as follows:
2655 | Hana Gabriella Arencibia |
2656 | Cassidy Lee Coleman |
2657 | Hannah Covey |
2658 | Neha Dada |
2659 | Marissa Joan Ferris |
2660 | Hannah E. Glenn |
2661 | Molly Rebekah Glover |
1905 | Samuel Ryan Hobbs |
1953 | Ben L. Hobbs |
2662 | Marie Elizabeth Huegel |
2663 | James R. Huggins |
2664 | Brook Lavinder Keaton |
2665 | Casey R. Krug |
2666 | Sarah Kwon Lee |
2667 | Meagan Miles |
2668 | Brandee Elizabeth Nelson |
2669 | Ashley Outar |
2670 | Greyson F. Ramos |
2671 | Erika Lynn Ridgway |
2672 | Veronica Elizabeth Schuver |
2673 | Emily Scully |
2674 | Amanda Lauren Smith |
There being no further business, on a motion by Dr. Ellington, seconded by Dr. Sikes, and carried unanimously, the meeting was adjourned.
Approved 11/4/2021