Bob Montion, the former chief executive of the Tulare Local Healthcare District, isn't just being sued by the district -- he's a candidate for its board of directors.

This week was the opening of the period for candidates to take out papers and file nominating signatures to run for office. As of this afternoon, Montion is the only candidate to file for one of the three Tulare hospital board seats up for election in the Nov. 4 general election. He qualified for the ballot today, according to the Tulare County Elections Office.

Incumbents Deanne Martin-Soares, Parmod Kumar and Roger McPhetridge have until Aug. 8 to file to run for re-election.

Montion retired in March 2007 after about 10 years as the district's head honcho, citing health reasons. But in November, the district filed a civil suit against him in Tulare County Superior Court, alleging among other things that he breached the terms of his severance agreement by making disparaging and harmful comments about the district and its board of directors.

For his part, Montion filed papers with the court asking a judge to toss the case as a SLAPP suit, or a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation -- a suit aimed at shutting down a person's right to free speech and political expression.

A court hearing in the case is set for July 29.