Follow the money...Measure M
There were many of us pushing Measure M, the ill conceived general obligation bond, hurriedly thrown together, unworkable architectural drawings, and certainly no true “sharpen your pencil” estimate.
They say when investigating, follow the money, (It’s even a favorite of Jock strap, Bob Jamison) well I can certainly cite some fringe benefits to acquiring “free” paid for by the community, monies. Like CFO, Chet Beedle, said, they could’ve taken depreciation on the new construction to help pay the huge tab when the original, 1986, board and administration drunkenly fell into the arms of Cal Mtg. and their pile of accessible money.
And I’m sure there would be some interest involved. Maybe they could not use the monies for administrative costs, but there is more leeway than you think.
With a 17 million dollar outstanding debt, the administrators and three board members set about with drooling hunger to obtain this 12.5 million dollar bond.
Reminding you (sorry if I’m redundant, but there’s a lot of information) this is exactly at the time the skilled nursing facility was left alone with a new director of nursing and a short staff which we are all aware lead to criminal and civil charges being filed against the district. Along with astronomical costs to the district in penalties and the use of management companies.
But the skilled nursing facility was hardly a priority, even though without it, the hospital would disappear. The main objective in the summer of 06’ was getting bond money.
We became the Measure M gang, and Ma was our leader. We apparently would stop at nothing to obtain these dollars.
Our gang consisted of Ma (top dog), the numbers guy, the spy, the lapdog, media attack, the henchman, the buffer, the firing squad, the idiot, and me, the unwitting reporter with a very low IQ.
I was very much involved in the strategic plots to sell the community the bogus bond, and the scapegoats, Robert and Kay Knight.
In fact, I played one side against the other. I recommended that Bob Knight vote to put Measure M on the ballot. I knew a bit about political maneuvers, so I thought the best way to win the bond money was to have a unanimous vote.
Knight kept telling me that the construction plan was not complete so how could they know how much money they needed. (It’s always sensible in retrospect.)
He also would mention the relationship between Rural Health Design Network and Aspen Street Architects.
I really, really had to work it to convince him to vote with the rest of the board. I told him it’s an opportunity for construction, more services, satisfy seismic SB 1953, bring in new doctors, and I believed every word I was saying.
I was just a parrot of all our ancillary friends who Ma sent me to for information and quotes.
Knight recounted that there were no plans or estimates he had seen. He said there were no estimates from other companies. He said that there was no fair comparison between spending less and retrofitting and remodeling, opposed to a new building.
Looking back, of course, with the first disaster with the construction putting the hospital completely out of line and incapable of paying back those 22 million in bonds, one would naturally want to step forward carefully and cautiously.
Knight said he would agree to do this if he saw some drawings and estimates. I quickly researched through our friends at Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the benefits of a new building as opposed to remodeling. Then I spoke to our architects who won the votes of three of the board members, and they sang the praises of componentized construction.
I went back to Knight with my information and told him to think about the vote. I told him that he would be working with the hospital and not be the bad guy anymore.
I know Mr. Knight voted against his conscience at the August 2006 board meeting, when he sided with the rest of the board to go for Measure M. I could see the hesitation and conflict in his eyes that night.
Eventually Ma admitted to the fact that there was not enough money to do what they wanted to do, what they stated on the ballot they would do with our property tax money. That was after the defeat of the measure and before they began talking about another bond measure. I have her quoted.
So, I wrote a blockbuster article to send off the Measure that you really couldn’t measure in terms of money, type of construction, or feasibility.
That week the newspaper read:
Unanimous Vote for Measure M
The night was right for Kern Valley Health Care
District board member, Robert Knight, as he motioned the board to approve the
general obligation bond measure to be put on the Nov. ballot at last Thursday’s
board meeting.
Knight, who has at times in the past been critical of the
hospital administration, read a small statement pledging his support for the
venture and his intent to unite board members in their quest to complete the
undertaking.
“I have also determined that if I support this bond issue, I then have an obligation to the residents of the district to assure that their tax dollars are spent in their best interest.”
Funny, though, I never told Ma and gang about my plan; it was a surprise.
They always told me that the Knights were subversive and wouldn’t play ball with the rest of the board. They were a negative.
I thought everyone would be happy that I got him to do this and hopefully win the bond measure. And maybe even work together with the board.
I don’t think they liked it too much. Ma asked me why I would be talking to “those” people anyway.
And the henchman and media attack were flat out mad at me about it. Media attack questioned me about it saying that they didn't need Knights vote anyway.
I had made the Knights look good and that was bad. The gang needed to continue the charade with the Knights and I had unwittingly brought them toward the core of the gang where the truth was carefully stored away.
But our gang, who had control of the board and administration, set out to defeat reason by creating a smokescreen.
Politicians were used and endorsed with their good names the flaky general obligation bond, including Assemblywoman Fuller.
Upon hearing of the board’s decision, Jean Fuller, former Superintendent of Bakersfield City Schools and Republican nominee for the 32nd district, State Assembly seat, being vacated by Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy, said she realizes how important the hospital is to the valley.
Fuller, who was born and raised in Bakersfield, and has property in the valley, said she has been coming to the KRV since she was a child with her family. Her parents, along with other relatives, retired to the area years ago. And she said because of their health problems, the only way they were able to stay in the KRV was because there were health services available. “Without that hospital they couldn’t have lived there.”
From her own experience, Fuller believes the hospital is critical to the community and the economy of the area. Without it, without any emergency services, it could create a hazardous situation for residents and those who visit to recreate.
“I just know without the hospital, it’s so isolated,
without the hospital, people would have to drive down the canyon and they could be dead by the time they get there.”
Fuller said she will be supporting the hospital in all its efforts to obtain the funding necessary to meet state requirements and improve the facility itself. “The KV Hospital provides critical care services for its area and residents, and most of the population depends on it. So, I believe this is an important bond to support.”Mrs. Fuller was just one of many who were used for this ill planned bond.
The South Fork Woman’s club received a visit from Ma and myself and asked the organization to back the bond. These women were not easily convinced, in fact, they were a tough crowd. They looked in their book of rules and regulations before they would even consider putting their club name behind this measure.
Ma gave an impassioned speech at the club meeting looking out over some very stern poker faces in the audience. I found my dancing shoes and did a tap dance that Sammy Davis Jr. would have been hard put to follow.
We got our endorsement. (I'm so proud I could hide in a cave)But what came next caused instant cup of soup paranoia: Kay Knight was running for the board. She was on the ballot which would mean if she won, the power structure could be possibly broken apart? The worry, Ma told me, was not that Kay would win, but that the Knights are trying to stack the board.
What?
-----Original Message-----From: Laura Hart [mailto:muymala@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 2:04 PM
Subject: election time
Pam: so, I just heard that Kay Knight is running for a seat on the board. Wow. I got the number of the other fellow who is running and I'm going to give him a call. Thanks, Laura
Laura,
Yep, you can bet that the intent is to have another BK (Bob Knight) backer in office, BK has told me many times that he needs another board member who "thinks like him". He has also told me that I should get a job in the probation department because my tenure is overdue. I checked with legal council and he sees no reason why a husband and wife can't both be on a board (as my ol' daddy used to say.........bad deal, real bad deal.)Brad is calling Dave Freeland to beg him to consider running. He is a bright, well known fellow (ran the Forestry for 35 years and recently retired). Let us pray! Friends of the hospital not yet up and running, but after tinight we will put the Masaratti in 5th and be off & running!
>From: "Ott, Pamela" ">pamelaott@KVHD.ORG>To: 'Laura Hart' ">muymala@msn.com>
Subject: RE: Laura Hart update>Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 10:03:06 -0700>>
Well, here we are another day and clean undies. I did some snooping and Roger Wilson is the fellow who was at the last meeting with the big glassesand gray hair. He is the husband of one of our Respiratory Therapists who works with Bob Knight's last employee/friend, Tom Wright who is the manager of Respiratory Therapy.
Like a good dog I ran everywhere trying to pick up the scent of the board stackers who wished to take power.
This lead to Ma asking “the buffer” who had been on the board for a long time and still is, to run again to ensure that there would not be a second Knight or even a Knight supporter on the board. There were two board seats open, one was Armstrong, and the other was JoAnn Jones who stepped down from the board for a position in the hospital. This was dangerous because two seats would mean the end to the sticky three.
It seems “the buffer” wanted to leave, and several community members who believed in Ma’s propaganda, were considered to be put on the ballot.Though they had the quorum with the board, Ma said it would too risky if Knight won. The henchman's kin was a candidate as well to make sure there were no errors.
Upon my foray into the hospital to speak to the employees, I found that most of them were against the measure. I couldn’t understand that. Why wouldn’t they want the hospital to be improved? It made no sense. (Now it makes complete sense)
Most employees were too freaked to even speak to me. One even told me I was an idiot and walked away. (I thank him for seeing me for what I am.)
But then I met up with an employee who straight up told me he didn’t believe in the management. And he did not think they would properly spend this money, that the plans were no good, that employees were underpaid; he simply didn’t trust them. He was and is Tom Wright mentioned in the email above.When I left his office after the conversation one of gang was outside the door, possibly listening, “the spy.” She would somehow be wherever I was at the hospital. No kidding this is funny really. I would chit chat with someone and suddenly see her standing and watching.
I told Ma her problems with votes are inside the hospital. And I told her about the outspoken employee. Ma arranged a meeting to divulge the secret agenda of this employee.
The gang was going to stamp out this employee and all others who flared up.
I told Ma we should have a meeting including the employees in question before I write the story. I figured if everyone was together there would be some truth told.
The numbers guy may have had some notion that this meeting could come back on them, (and he’s probably correct) so he bocked at the first invite.
But he attended. The only invitee who didn’t attend, was a do-gooder doctor, who escaped this trap, but was shot down in flight in the end.
email Nov.28,2006
I would be happy to be a part of a meeting with administration and Dr. Pormir. I do not consider it appropriate to be a part of a group meeting facilitated by a newspaper reporter that deals with discussion regarding employees salaries when those employees are present. I believe this to be an administrative and Board function that has already been dealt with by the Personnel & Policy Committee of the Board. Therefore, I must respectfully decline to be a part of this group meeting. Nevertheless, I would be glad to express my views on any related matters to the press individually. I will make myself available anytime Wednesday for this individual or administrative only discussion.
Thank you for the invitation
(Later that day….)
I regret that you have employees going to you with wage concerns. There exists a mechanism in established policy and procedure for employees who have grievances of any sort to take first to their manager, then to administration if not resolved and finally to the Board of Directors. This is the chain of command in every hospital with which I have worked for over 35 years. Employees who don't get their way because management and the Board have made the best decisions for the organization will try to "grasp at any straw" that they can in an attempt to circumvent the system. No matter what the "threats" are, if management or the Board give in to the meteoric and allow this circumvention, in my opinion, the organization is doomed and will undoubtedly return to the days of its existence when it teetered on the brink of bankruptcy.
Let me assure you that the salary administration plan and the current management of the Healthcare District is appropriate. As the insurer for our revenue bonds, the Cal-Mortgage division of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development gets a copy of our financials and board packet each month. They have been and continue to be very complimentary. As a matter of fact, there is a clause in the paperwork of the last bond refinancing from 2003 that speaks to the need for the District to get their approval before changing the individuals in senior management.
If the District is to remain successful, we must rely on the management and the Board to make the right decisions for the organization. Those decisions should not be circumvented in any manner by outside organizations. The community has the right and I believe the obligation to elect Board members whom they believe will best represent their interests. Thank goodness that is what our free enterprise system is all about. Should that elected board as a body believe that there should be a management change, then and only then should that take place. The systems are there for all of us . We all need to use them as established and as intended. (okay)
Just let me know when you would like to speak with me, I will gladly and willingly make myself available to you individually or with the administrative team including Dr. Pormir. I would also like to express my personal appreciation for your efforts and know that you are trying to give the community the best facts that you can. I also appreciate your support of our efforts as the management to do the best we can for the organization.
Have a great day!
We had our meeting, which turned out very interesting. There was a lot of sharing about two employees. And many offers of quotes which turned out to be totally incorrect. That taped meeting will be coming soon. The numbers guy made sure I had the correct figures for my article.
What I said was that Tom received double digit salary rate increases while most of the other employees' salaries were frozen. All of these salary increases were granted by Bob Knight. The actual history is al follows:
1) 9/28/97 - Annual increase of xx%.
2) 12/1/97 - Special salary adjustment based upon survey of comparable positions - Increase of xxxx%.
3) 7/1/98 - Special salary adjustment for increased responsibility for Durable Medical Equipment - Increase of xxx%.
4) 9/27/98 - Annual increase of xx%.
I am sending copies of the Personnel Action Forms signed by Bob Knight for these increases to Pam as per her request. I think this tells the story.
(I think it does too.)But there's more to tell...We're not done yet.
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