Pictures from the very interesting KVHD board meeting June 2

It's been said that criminals often return to the scene of the crime...

As cases are parsed out against the Kern Valley Healthcare District, it's own health teetering on the brink of uncertainty, the cafeteria of the hospital filled with faces only a defense attorney could love.

With the hospital welcoming it's auditors this next week, paying the interlopers sent in because of a continuing default cycle which has occurred on an old debt insured by the office of Cal Mtg.
HFS, the financial company who has recently been bankrupting Sierra Kings in Reedley after former KVHD CEO, Pam Ott, moved on from here during a serious crisis financially and criminally, to relocate in Reedley.

HFS just last week concluded it's audit at Sierra Kings and found that Ott was able to get into the GOB monies there and use them against the purposes they were voted in and paid for by the public.

The elder abuse criminal case will reopen it's court doors in two weeks to resume the preliminary hearing to decide whether or not there is enough evidence to go to trial.

And then there was the meeting in light of all that is going on.

Sharon Brucker, the Chief Nursing officer during the nursing center meltdown of 2006 and 2007, stands in the doorway, looking down at the audience member who is questioning the financial report given by Chief financial officer Chet Beedle.

Brucker has been seen in court showing support for Dr. Pormir as they both know that certain details in the cases need some readjusting. And certainly Brucker, who ran the nursing facility for several months in 2006, would be interested in this meeting.

But in the front of the picture we see a former board member during the "Ott era" one of what I called the "sticky three" quorum of board members who continually voted together as the record will show. Casas, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, voted with their CEO, Pam Ott, and were instrumental in helping her leave before the Attorney Generals investigators were inundating the hospital.

Bob Jamison quietly sits at most meetings giving very little information and answering no questions of the audience, such as myself. He was once chairman caught on tape yelling at community members who questioned the audience, now sometimes caught sleeping during meetings and not paying attention as others give their reports.

Jamison is a strange bird, in that he is both KVHD board member and radio station DJ. In 2007 he hit the airwaves to attack anyone not supporting Pam Ott. The word had been out that people died in the nursing center, but Jamison backed his CEO with the power of radio. Or at least local radio. (The whole transcript is on this blog: It's called here's your witness Jerry Brown

Strange conflicts like this abound at KVHD and this one is no exception.

Long time counsel for the board, Scott Nave, (left) hired to give the board members sage advice on how to proceed with their business and keeping them out of trouble, or out of the sight of trouble, or something like that, takes a moment with his new CEO, Tim McGlew. The two spoke frequently during the meeting as there is some fear that too much "new information" has hit the streets and people are wondering what is really going on.

Getting public information has been difficult at best, as six month old requests still have not been met. The public's role is one of having to only observe the hospital board and administration, participation has been limited even as requests have been made for community ad hoc boards have been ignored.

But the picture of the night is long time board member who can be traced back to some of the original dealings and decisions which caused the hospital to sink into a cycle of debt which has left them able to spend money unwisely, just not able to pay their real bills.

Armstrong received a message from me that the hospital again has the opportunity to investigate itself, and as the 20 year bench warmer is seen here choking on words like "criminal activity," and even maybe his own name.

The board was given a similar letter last year asking then for an internal investigation answering how the hospital has survived financially as the lawsuits are coming from everywhere and everyone. The board has not made the decision to really scrutinize itself and find out what is wrong. The liability may reach the board level soon if they do nothing and possibly allow at best unethical activities to occur.

The board is unable to understand much of what it votes on and is never really given direct information and is expected to "vote for" all the consent agendas passed under their very noses. It's a clever game, but not one that will win the day for new and better healthcare for the valley. And I'm sure the people of Reedley, that group of board members, learned that they must watch closely monies and management: that's something not learned here at KVHD.

Armstrong is leaving the district this year, his seat up for grabs. Currently, known to be running for his board seat is John Blythe, who is a long time resident of the valley, his family owns "Paradise Cove" and a young movie producer. He has studied the financial history of this board and is aware of it's many failings which concern him just on a personal level. He also is driven to get this district cleaned up and deal with the money lenders.

But the man of the night was fiance manager Chet Beedle who fielded questions regarding the new management company who the hospital "must" use and also pay for, to help them get out of the hole and pay off Cal Mtg.'s insured bonds.

However, Chet went around the world with his stories as to the debt, the relationship with Cal Mtg. and audience members as well as some board members, asked questions trying to get clarification. But clarity wasn't the approach as the board missed much of the crucial information in the report without question.

When Beedle opened up his report, the figures were bleak, and he asked the community to pay so they could get out from under the revenue bond payment that they have to make with Cal Mtg. credit.

He is talking about a general obligation bond to pay Cal mtg. and raise property taxes in the district. He is asking for a bailout, but nobody has taken a dime in paycuts at the top, but the community must do it on it's own.

How can the CEO and CFO act alone on this as the board only voted to have them look into the feasibility of this bond, not to actually ask for it. Is that legal?

The board has not unified or voted on this bond, but Chet jumped ahead and asked for the money anyway. Board members said nothing. No discussion or refutation. Following the standards for board procedures are not necessarily practiced in their entirety at the meetings.

My guess is that there is a lot some board members don't know and would have voted differently had they known.

Beedle's explanations ranged from issues in 1999, when Chet hadn't arrived, to long winded stories about the new line of credit which is really quite simple.

As things heat up these meetings will too. Hope they can pay for their air conditioning or more people will be sweating.

Coming next: "Cracking the Da Vinci Code."