Hospital board and city council meet together

The Sonoma Valley Health Care District Board of Directors and the Sonoma City Council came together for a rare joint meeting on Wednesday night that Mayor Ken Brown dubbed the best one they’d ever had. The two groups used to meet on a regular basis, and Brown had called this meeting so they could discuss how they might better work together.
The council and board members discussed a wide range of general topics relating to funding and public health. They closed by encouraging their respective staffs to work more closely and by voicing support for continuing their own joint meetings on an annual or more frequent basis.
Hospital CEO Carl Gerlach outlined the hospital’s top concerns, saying that they are very focused on keeping patients for ambulatory surgeries in Sonoma Valley, which could be a significant funding stream. Currently, 75 percent of those surgeries go out of Sonoma. Other top concerns included recruiting primary care physicians to the valley and improving behavioral health services in the county.
Gerlach also presented some information about the recent $12 million bond issue. He said funds will become available Feb. 24 and they will be applied first to retire outstanding revenue bonds amounting to $4 million. Then the money will finance a site assessment and detailed planning. “Before we do any of the work we need to do, the engineers need to finish the site assessment,” said Gerlach. “The first thing to do is to describe what you’ve got.”
He clarified that the parcel tax is used for ongoing operations, while the bond is for hard, fixed assets – what he defined as, if you turn the building over and shake it, it wouldn’t fall out.
Gerlach also discussed the hospital’s failure to qualify for a SB 306 extension that would allow the hospital to continue to use the central wing for inpatient services from 2012 to 2020. He said they could continue operating the hospital after 2012 without qualifying for SB 306, but that they would prefer to have the flexibility and that his staff is working with Senator Patricia Wiggins.
Councilmember Joanne Sanders noted that they would be spending a lot of money and asked if they had any preference for local businesses in awarding contracts. The city recently passed guidelines giving preference to local firms. She also asked how green elements would be integrated into the design.
Gerlach said they were being integrated, especially those including heating, cooling and energy. They did a detailed survey of the building and do qualify for a $2.1 California Energy Commission low-interest loan.
“We’re highly sensitized to the need to be as green as possible,” said hospital board member Dr. Dick Kirk. Councilmember Laurie Gallian also pitched for water conservation.
The nine elected officials assembled (hospital board member Peter Hohorst was absent) also touched on how they might work together in a more formal way. Boerum proposed a staff task force rather than a governance committee, which might have Brown Act complications. Several parties from both groups voiced support for better communication.
“The Lord gave us telephones and e-mail – let’s use them,” said councilmember August Sebastiani. Councilmember Steve Barbose said, “I don’t think it will be a huge drain on staff time. Spend it now or spend it later.” “I think it’s important,” said Kirk, “the public know the right hand and the left hand are in communication.”
The reality of communication breakdown was illustrated when the hospital board asked about the possibility of tapping more city redevelopment funds – which was greeted by laughter by the council members. “If there are funds there, we’re here,” said hospital board chair Bill Boerum. “We have a long line of folks,” answered Brown, “who have realized the ability to tap into that.”
City manager Linda Kelly pointed out that the hospital had recently received funds for roof improvements, among other projects. “So how much more do you have?” said Boerum. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
“This councilperson is not interested,” said Sanders. “We’ve already gone in $20 million just since I’ve been around and I haven’t been around that long.” She said it seemed especially problematic since property taxes are dropping.
Boerum closed by saying he’d like the staffs to continue working together and for the meetings to continue on an annual basis. Brown agreed, saying, “This is by far the best joint meeting of the council and the board that I’ve attended.”