The rare and elusive
EDITOR: I was very excited this morning to have spotted the rare and elusive Sebastopudlian cyclist exploring its new habitat! It’s only my second sighting since the habitat was installed last summer.
Judi Scherrer
Sebastopol
No on Measure A
EDITOR: Your endorsement of Measure A and the subsequent vote by the Palm Drive District Board are bad for the taxpayers of the Palm Drive Health Care district. [Editor’s Note: Sonoma West Times & News has not endorsed Measure A and doesn’t make electoral endorsements.]
Over the past several years, the troika of Dennis Colthurst, Gail Thomas and Dan Smith have managed to increase the debt of our district to unmanageable levels and yet they continue to give away the store. The recent vote to charge AAMG a $275,000 annual lease is further evidence of their lack of financial responsibility to the people of the district. This lease at 46 cents per square foot is way below market for commercial properties, which average over $1 per square foot. The expenses of maintaining the property will result in almost zero dollars being returned to the district. How do the current board members expect to maintain the property when the lease payments will hardly cover the day-to-day maintenance, let alone the endless repairs that are needed by this building. If the conversion of the license to Acute Care requires the seismic upgrades that have been ignored over the years, the district will be thrown into more debt. Is AAMG going to pay for the upgrades? Not likely.
The $5 million price for the sale of the property ignores its true value (it’s worth several million more) and is cheating the district voters out of more funds that can be used to pay down the creditors that Dan, Dennis and Gail have managed to rack up under their “leadership.”
The idea of community hospital is a hope that has long passed. The insurance companies and the federal government long ago showed that they do not want small community hospitals through their ever-shrinking reimbursement. The time has come to close this pipe-dream down, pay off the creditors and fold it up. We cannot afford the luxury of feeding more and more money while watching the debt grow. The debt will grow if this lease and sale are allowed to take place. Vote no on Measure A.
Frank Mayhew
Former Palm Drive Health District Board Member and founder of the West County Healthcare Foundation
Sebastopol
League forum thanks
EDITOR: Our forum Friday evening was a smashing success! It’s estimated that 150 people attended, asked thoughtful questions and listened intently. Every one of us had an integral part in making this forum successful!
Thank you, Linda, for bringing up the idea of having a League forum on this issue in the first place and for keeping us on track as timekeeper.
Thank you, Julie and Jennifer, for being doorkeepers and welcoming people. And thank you Jennifer for also being the runner to make sure people’s questions got consideration.
Thank you, Donna, for being the liaison with the panelists and for moderating, skillfully weaving audience questions in with ones that had been submitted to the panelists beforehand.
Thank you, Leona, for joining me in sorting questions, for handling logistics the night of the forum, and for arranging to have KOWS record our event for later broadcast.
Many thanks, Carol and Mary, for your tireless work on the questions and getting the word out; Carol, especially for your articles and updates in the West County Gazette on changes Measure A will bring.
Thank you, Press Democrat, for your timely editorial on getting the facts before you vote, and to you, Martin, for your article on changing the hospital to long term acute care, and Measure A.
Big thank you to E.I. for your timely article on the sale price and terms of the hospital sale that sparked astute audience questions at our forum.
And thank you, Laura and Rollie, for your ongoing coverage of Palm Drive. We are glad Sonoma West Times News continues to educate the people in west county on timely progress and issues of concern.
Sukey Robb-Wilder
Sebastopol
