Hospital ponders: what now?

Even given short notice, the Sonoma Valley Hospital Board of Directors’ post-bond meeting Wednesday night was packed. Fifty or 60 “usual suspects,” some standing, some lined up outside the door, listened to the board, grumbled among themselves about the time–were the board members trying to trick people by having the meeting at 5 p.m., and not 6 p.m., when the prior meeting (cancelled) would have been over, and a few, after the board members made their own comments and opinions, offered suggestions, criticisms, predictions and complaints.
“I thought there’d be more from the audience,” said board member Bill Boerum, who called for another bond measure, this time for the whole amount, and for a commitment to securing the Carinalli property as a priority. He handed out a table which he said described but did not explain the voter turn-out discrepancies between the successful Measure B, and the failed Measure F.
The table showed the number of registered voters had barely changed, from 20,148, for Measure B, to 20,138, for Measure F. But the number of ballots fell off sharply, from 10,893 to 9,915. It was that, he said, that caused the disappointing 61.8 percent “yes” vote. The chart showed that Measure B had gotten 8,058 “yes” votes cast, to the 6,102 “yes” votes cast for Measure F. The problem,” he said, “was that we ran out of money.” The campaign for Measure B had cost $105,000 in contributions, but they’d had only $73,600 for Measure F. “Obviously,” he said, “these were two different kinds of turnout.”
The discussion among the board members proceeded along two lines of thought. First, go back to the public for some kind of financing, either right away, or later, or in November. And second, do whatever is necessary to get and keep the Carinalli land. While Boerum said he made a written appeal for this, the sentiment for it on the board was not very strong. “My concern,” he said, “is if you don’t have that land, then there’s no future of the hospital. Because then you’re stuck right where you’re stuck, and then, it’s over.”
The public comments ranged from one supporter of Measure F, who said if the board made clear to the public that the objective is to upgrade and stabilize the facility, they could pass the bond, to another who said the board needed to talk less and listen more. Another thought that while the ER issue is understood, the hospital issue is not understood, and that a coalition should be brought back. Another said if another bond was put in, there needed to be a better public relations campaign to explain it properly. Another said it was a myth that the Chamber of Commerce was against the hospital – that business generally supports the hospital. No representative from the neighbors’ group, who opposed a new building on the Carinalli property, was present.
Hospital CEO Carl Gerlach said, in conclusion, that he would present a financial report on present operations to the board when they meet in regular session next Wednesday.