Hospital extends contract for CEO

After an uneventful meeting of the board of the Sonoma Valley Health Care District on Wednesday evening, focusing on the EIR requirements of the City of Sonoma for development on the Carinalli property, that body moved into closed session to discuss land acquisition negotiations and personnel evaluations, unremarkable agenda items.
The results, though, were remarkable, as board president Dick Kirk announced in open session afterward, as required by California’s open meeting law, that the board had voted unanimously to offer CEO Carl Gerlach a two-year extension of his contract. No increase in compensation was offered, but Gerlach would no longer be the “interim” head of the community hospital.
Board member Mike Nugent told the Sun afterward that “Carl has done a superb job. Our inability to offer him a raise is a reflection of the difficult financial position that continues to challenge the district.”

Lady Dragons Win!

In a game that lived up to KSVY/SVTV sportscaster Tim Livingston’s pre-game hype, the Sonoma Valley High School Lady Dragons varsity basketball team beat its rival, the Petaluma Lady Trojans, Wednesday evening at Pfeiffer Gym. It took two overtime periods to decide the contest, as the two teams were tied at 55-55 at the end of regulation, and again at 57-57 at the end of the first overtime period.
The hometown girls led by 2 after the first period, 7-5, by 7 at the half, 24-17, and by 11 after three period, 36-25, but the Lady Trojans scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, tying the game with 1 second left on a 3-pointer by guard Mia Greco.
After each team could muster just two points in the first overtime period, the Lady Dragons took command of the game again, scoring 14 points to make moot any thoughts of triple overtime. That win puts Sonoma at 7-1 in Sonoma County League play, with Petaluma at 6-1. The teams are sure to meet again in post-season play.
Senior guard Sarah Semenero continued her All-League season, with a game-high 38 points; she also had 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals. Watch all the action on a taped replay of SVTV’s live coverage, starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, including post-game interviews with Semenero and Coach Sil Coccia.