HOSPITAL HIKES INTERIM BOSS'S PAY; ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE GETS RETROACTIVE RAISE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Antelope Valley Hospital directors have approved a pay hike for the hospital's interim chief executive officer that will nearly double his salary.

Bob Anderson, the hospital's chief financial officer named to replace ousted administrator Bob Harenski, will earn $253,632, which includes $1,200 a month for a car allowance and to cover expenses.

``We brought him to what he would be making at the 50 percentile nationwide,'' said Dr. John Manning, board chairman. ``That's the average of CEOs at hospitals of similar size as measured by bed size and net revenue.''

The board voted unanimously at Wednesday's meeting to grant the pay raise retroactive to July 10, when Anderson was appointed to the post. The retroactive pay totals $38,880.

Anderson was earning an annual base salary of $137,000 as chief financial officer.

Anderson was named interim chief executive officer when the board placed Harenski on leave in July amid controversy over his six-figure salary.

In September, nine months after extending Harenski's contract for four years, the board gave him a $275,000 buyout to leave.

The hospital board voted 3-2 last month to hire an executive search firm, Witt/Kieffer, to look for a new hospital administrator, a process hospital officials say will take about six months.

The board also has hired a health care financial and planning company at $20,000 a month to provide an interim CFO.

Under his last contract, Harenski could have been paid up to $379,419 a year, less than the $536,000 he made in 1997. It called for a base pay of $285,000 annually, with an incentive plan that would have awarded him a bonus up to 20 percent if the hospital met goals set by the board.

In addition, the contract called for Harenski to get a car allowance of $1,200 a month, six weeks of paid vacation, 12 days of sick leave and 10 holidays a year. The contract allowed him to cash in half of the vacation and sick days.