Documents show KVHD knew of financial struggle: July 2010

As the buzz around the town has been about another cost to homeowners aside from a recent water rate increase, shocking electrical bills, a freeze on cost of living increases for those on fixed incomes, pension fund losses, propane, gasoline and food now comes another hand out: more property taxes to help the Kern Valley Healthcare District pay off the revenue bonds which cannot be bankrupted.

The KVHD administration has been talking about putting a general obligation bond on the ballot to pay off the debt, but what they haven't spoken about was they knew this was coming and waited for some now understood reason to act.

A GOB is not a new idea as you will see in the last document, it's been here many times before including Measure M in 2006.

Even Measure M as I mistakenly touted as completely necessary, was to be used to build an addition to the existing structure and utilize the depreciation to pay off what is called the "long term" debt.

The debt itself was a huge mistake on the part of possibly Goldman Sachs, but most assuredly on the hospital board of the time, which was 1985. Imagine this hospital putting out 22 million in bonds that can't be bankrupted and then they could not even finish the construction project this money was to be used for. The nursing center is half the size, so therefore, half the revenue projected.

Now they want 20 million from the community and they are somehow with less than the original debt, be able to pay off the first mistake and build a new ER and remodel an "imaging" center, which would be radiology.

But we have, according, to our CEO, Tim McGlew, and CFO, Chet Beedle no other options at this time.

Well, let's begin.

We knew a year ago January there were problems. I knew. But yet the person who is paid good money to keep this hospital functioning and safe, Beedle, for some odd reason didn't want to address the issue head on with our insurer.

After gathering support from KVHD chairwoman, Kathryn Knight, and Assemblywoman, Jean Fuller, to go to Cal Mtg. and simply ask what are our options, how can we solve these problems, can we defer payments, it was suddenly cancelled. (see email)

There was some bullying or as they like to call it here, politics, and nothing happened. No answers were given, no explanation provided.

Yet Beedle had 19 months to financially "manage" this hospital. Now the only solution that has been allowed to be discussed is the property taxes. A short message on bankruptcy was touched upon, and a parcel tax was considered, and there it ended: until now.

As I discussed in the previous blog (KVHD is not only hospital waivering) the problems with debt and spending are nothing new, but we heard some new excuses at the meeting which need to be addressed.

(click on documents to open, hit back button to close)

Millions of dollars have been lost out of the surgery department, salaries paid to a surgeon, nurses, and anesthetists, and what sorts of numbers do we see in this document: one, two and all the way up to five.

At the board meeting nobody, including the person in charge of the finances, CFO, Chet Beedle wanted to give a reasonable answer or explanation. They laughed basically and left it at that. (video coming soon)

Do you think those numbers are funny?

Look for yourselves.

Another issue came up regarding billings for co-payments from two years ago and financial manager, Beedle, answered by telling the community that by delaying their billings it was his effort to "help the community."

Old business is right, as you can see we have been talking about billing issues for a long time too, earlier than the document shows, I assure you.

But most know around town how bad the billing situation has been, they have been getting unknown bills. Accounts receivable is money you want to collect as soon as possible as people move or die or lose their jobs, and to say something as ludicrous as this was intentionally done to help the community only creates more of a rift between the hospital and it's voters for a bailout, AKA GOB.


And then there's the issue I'm still exploring as to why in January of 2009, the board knew there were serious problems, of course Beedle did too, but only one board member and one representative took the chance to try and address the problems that were already there. It was a meeting with the insurer of the large debt burden to try and find a way to stay afloat. (look under Cal Mtg. proposition)

If you're thinking right now that the insurer, Cal Mtg. in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, should just pay our debt and that's it, then you need to understand that they don't do that. They are different. And we signed a wonderful contract binding the community's property to the debt.

There is no bankruptcy for the long term debt. Not that there couldn't be bargains, and negotiations by people who know how to do these things, not those who just say they can.

So we see clearly that decisions made with a board stamp, a consent agenda, have wrecked havoc on this district, and yet we are seeing nothing more than the same soup served up again and again for answers. It shows that time and care need to be taken especially at this particular time.

I would not be saying these things if there weren't sufficient evidence to "prove it" and the board had better prove it has been using due diligence when making decisions.

This new GOB has been thrown together like scrambled eggs and toast so far, much like they did in 2006, as the architectural plans were unfairly put forth on a "voting ballot" as usable. It turned out those plans were not even close to being able to come in within cost, but even more egregious, they were unusable and we paid good money to Aspen Street Architects for many years for nothing.


Final document, shows we have been here before, many times, but this is particularly interesting as this was during the time BRIM management who gave us both CFO Chet Beedle and former CEO, Pam Ott, that the insurer has on it's list of options, that GOB.

Now, here's the email I received saying there would be no meeting with the insurer as we don't have to do anything, and the board was looking into it. When has this board here and now, with one exception, Kay Knight, asked any hard questions about what we are doing?

They are our representatives in healthcare. They decided to run for the board. They took on the responsibility on their own accord.

All I have heard are parrots over there, and not people with time and effort to go through the process called, "due diligence."

(these emails were the end of the attempt to address a bad situation before it got worse to the point of a bail out, rather than upgrading services, arranging an urgent care, and looking at potential architectural plans. Look at the dates and times as Beedle, having been directly asked by chairwoman Kay Knight for a meeting, denies it in these emails below. It goes backwards, the time frame, so the initial statement is the cancellation. And note the board never did again address the problem. So what's the problem? )

This would not be a good time to vote on this proposal. We should allow it more time to accumulate more imput so the Board can give the decision an educated decision. Thank you for your input and your inspiration.
----- Original Message -----
From: Laura Hart
To: Beedle, Chet
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 12:57 PM
Subject: Re: Cal Mtg Proposal
Hello Chet:

Once the board votes to go into negotiations with Cal Mtg. then the proposal from KVHD would then, it would seem, be discussed and be more specifically written.

At this point, Cal Mtg. needs to get their people together and begin the process at their end. They know basically what this hospital needs to succeed and survive. And they know we don't have it.

And they have known this for a long time. I remember three years ago the hospital was purchasing a PAC system, for 80K. It was reconditioned, but what ever came of it? Now we're just dipping our toes into a digital radiology system.

Where is the true plan for expansion? What will it cost to keep up?

Which makes me wonder again, about the agency itself. From what I've read they are there to help keep rural hospitals growing and properly serving their respective communities.

One doctor who is currently under indictment, said that the ER is antiquated and he can't get doctors or staff to work up here.

And because of the looming indictments hanging over the hospital, with potential lawsuits, there is a sense of urgency to get this matter handled.

I'm assuming again that you yourself realize this.

Other issues of note that bring about urgency and fair play in this matter would be the needs of the hospital itself. The technology that you need. The structural repairs and additions. But more importantly a new plan for the skilled nursing facility.

Not just a note to public: it smells good in there. Nice murals. That doesn't work when people have died under suspicious circumstances. And these people live in this community. And these people are not getting complete medical records.

And local employees are being ignored by the largest employer in the valley.

We apparently have a truck load of rental nurses coming from Alabama or somewhere because of the staffing issues.

We can do better than this can't we? Or do you think this is the epitome of success for this hospital? I'm just wondering at this point.

Politics being played at this juncture will not help this hospital, the people and the valley. We have a reality to face and we need to do it. This is about elected officials, oversight agencies, the administration, and the public doing a good job. It's about new viewpoints, new avenues, new ideas, and new people.

This board needs to move forward, vote on the negotiations from this end, and Assemblywoman Fuller will then by order of the board begin the inroads for negotiations with Cal Mtg.

Other representatives of this valley, this district, the state can and will be utilized as well.

We need to learn from our mistakes and not hide from them; make things better by getting a clean start; and acting responsibly by taking action to get this done.

This is the first step.

And one of your employees, wrote on the Kern Valley Sun blog, that if people don't like the hospital they can drive down the canyon bleeding.

Another remark involved tearing down the hospital and creating an urgent care. Take a look it's coming from your management.

Is that helping our cause?

As far as the paperwork, there needs to be distribution of this material. I agree it is probably a mountain, but somehow, wouldn't it be quicker to scan this material into the computer so that it is easily accessed, rather than repeatedly making copies which would cost more?

Tell me we at least have that technology; I do.

Thank you again for your attentiveness to this matter. Let me know how you can make these documents available.

Laura Hart




----- Original Message -----
From: Beedle, Chet
To: Laura Hart

Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:15 AM
Subject: RE: Cal Mtg Proposal
You are welcome for the response. I am not aware of any scheduled negotiations with Cal Mortgage. Relative to any current documents from Cal Mortgage, there are none since our last refinancing in 2003. Our original copy of that refinancing is in administration and Heidi can make you copies of the portion that you consider pertinent. The documents are very voluminous and it would help if you indicate to us those you consider necessary. We do not have these documents electronically, so they would have to be scanned or hard copies made.

-----Original Message-----

From: Laura Hart [mailto:hartofthekrv@msn.com]Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 6:41 PM

To: Beedle, RE: Cal Mtg Proposal
Hello Chet:

Thank you for your response. I want to begin by saying the negotiations with Cal Mtg. will take place with what I understand, the board, yourself, Assemblywoman Fuller, and I have a private person in finance who will be overseeing the situation also.

All correspondence concerning these negotiations will go on to the Attorney General, Jerry Brown and Governor Schwarzenegger as well.

I will need all current documents regarding Cal mtg. and the most recent refinance for reference.

Copies will be sent to the other parties as well. You probably should email them to all of us involved.

xxxxx will be contacted shortly as to the intentions of following through on this proposal as well as adding other provisions as well as possible numbers which favor the hospital at this point.

They need to know they will not receive monies for at least two years. That's a definite. Our upgrades, with equipment, training, and construction will not allow for payments for at the very least two years. And any monies in the account deemed to go to Cal Mtg. will not at this point.

All the information I am receiving says we are on the side of doing what is appropriate with our bond and insurance situation.

Maybe the disparity between traveling nurses and community employees which is quite disproportionate at this point, can be rectified and mended with a new balance of monies.

I'm going to cc this letter to the board members so that they may stay in the loop on this matter.

As we both know there will be a serious cleansing process taking place to get the stains out of this district and upgrade the care and facility at the same time.

I repeat, thank you, for your support of this community. We need to hear more new voices and ideas from the valley itself.

God bless us, Chet, we need it.

Take care, Laura Hart

KVHD generated timeline shows 20 year default cycle

In 1986, the Kern Valley Healthcare District began a business relationship with the Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development, which included a business plan to build to a nursing center, surgery suites, cafeteria, physical therapy, and other not really necessarily pie in the sky ideas.

It should have worked. We were to build 140 or so beds in the nursing center, we finished with 74.

The story goes we had no collateral to build these things, but a program called CAl Mtg. was created to get money to hospitals to build, expand and upgrade. The hitch to the Cal Mtg. plan was that the idea was not to lose but to make money. In it's own mission statement, the program must protect "the fund." So, no bankruptcy or other silly ideas of getting away, once it was signed, it was over.

As the hospital tried to finish it's project, by 1989 contractors were unhappy, materials missing, money unaccounted for, and then the Loma Prieta earthquake.

The board back in 89' could not protect the money, could not make the payments on the bonds without taking it from the loan they got to use for construction.

They borrowed money to make payments on borrowed money, paid interest with principal. Then borrowed time became a factor as in 1991 the first management company would come to the hospital and begin, Oh, I don't know...making money for themselves, supposedly helping the broke hospital continue on.

This pattern would stay with us as just two weeks ago, rather than calling it "technical default" anymore which the hospital has been in since the project began in 1986, Cal mtg. is using the contract or covenant to force an audit on the hospital, with HFS financial consultants.

According to their contract they are supposed to be inspecting and coming to meetings, helping the hospital survive, but not survive just to pay them.

We are surviving to pay them, but I've got news for you, if the hospital closed today, this community would still owe that debt. It would come straight out of our property taxes for the next however many years it would take.

When KVHD contracted with them, they used us, the community as chattel. And now in emails, CFO, Beedle has offered us up to banks for lines of credit and to who else, Cal Mtg.

Now you know this is your debt Kern River Valley.

Cal Mtg. has had it rough recently as information that they may have been hearing about the current goals of the board and the community may not be quite accurate. The finance manager turned over the employee benefit report to controller Barbara Figueroa, and that only means one thing, there's a glitch somewhere.

Nobody bankrupts on Cal Mtg. the thought is blasphemous, because Cal Mtg. will provide the hospital with reoccurring loans or lines of credit to pay the debt so "the fund" doesn't have to pay. It creates loans for the hospital as it did a month ago, a million dollar line of operating credit, which is completely gone.

$833,000 went to Cal Mtg. to pay the bondholders. Another $75,000 went to pay for the services of the auditors HFS, which Cal mtg. foisted upon the hospital. The remainder went to the employees benefit fund which was lacking.

So, 90% of this loan directly benefited Cal Mtg. Though it kept the hospital from having to have Cal Mtg. pay off the bondholders and then we owe the balance of our debt immediately.

The hospital board, as far as I know, has been given little knowledge of how this situation works and has worked since the hospital began the default cycle in 1991. I think if they knew they would try to take action to put a stop to it. I'm sure there's a communication problem somewhere.

Questions that should be asked are left floating in the air at meetings. Follow up is after I get home at night.

GOB [sic] helps those who help themselves

With the hospital being audited, and things like original documents and receipts will be expected to be shown, there is still the problem with HFS coming in on behalf of Cal Mtg. and the debt to the bondholders.

I'd almost think a trustee should be appointed in this case and will again, ask the hospital board to consider talking to Cal Mtg. themselves, rather than hearing the news through their administrators who apparently are running their own GOB campaign.

Correspondence between Cal Mtg. financial officer Mabel Chan and KVHD Cheif Financial officer, Chet Beedle reveal that Cal Mtg. is being told that the hospital is "officially" going for the general obligation which would have the community pay off the 15 million bonds with property taxes.

Who would that benefit once again? Cal Mtg. Yes, KVHD would too, but the community would have to benefit in some way too and considering this history, this timeline of terror below, they may want to pull out the people who have been covering the loan history.

Here's something to consider, as I've been adding up just some of the numbers, I am up to 6.5 million which we have paid out to, because of, or in fees, surrounding this whole insurance credit relationship we had with Cal Mtg.

(Update July 2010: the numbers and fees are difficult to pinpoint, as payments for services are vague, but I do have new information I will be sharing which includes the latest report as to why the hospital didn't obtain a loan rather than risk bonds which cannot be bankrupted on. The originator of this high risk package which could end healthcare in the KRV for good, is none other than Goldman Sachs, as was reported by the bond insurer, Cal Mtg.)

I cannot even imagine, as you will see in the documents in 2003 the refinance which should benefit the hospital, actually raised the total (rounding figures) amount from 16 million to 17 million.

What happened is we were in our default position of weakness for 24 years. We were never ahead of this revenue "bondage" deal.

Cal Mtg. again benefited from the 2003 refinance in that they were paid with a line of credit.

How could a company survive paying interest twice on the same monies? They are not and now, HFS arrives today June 6 to fulfill their contract to "forensically audit" this hospital for the next three months.

Who will this benefit in the long run? Paying HFS now as you can see in the documents brings us to 1.5 million dollars in management expenses due to the default cycle and Cal Mtg.'s refusal to pay off the bonds as they have collected more than enough from us for 24 years.

That 1.5 million which I think is a general number and there is likely much more money involved, could have been a payment to Cal Mtg. to cover the debt.

If you had a car wreck, still owed 75% of your car loan and lost your job on the same day, and your insurance company said instead of paying off your car, fixing it or totalling it, that they would back a loan so you could pay for the car yourself and pay a years worth of premiums to them: what would you say?






These documents actually help form a timeline that can aide in getting to the truth. We are beginning to hear more truth as the situation becomes more, what? Transparent maybe.




Predatory lending is defined by "who benefits from the transaction." But if the lender never comes on site and takes the word of a business in trouble, they deserve no pity, they did that themselves. Board minutes can be altered if that is what they are basing there decisions to provide more credit to a sinking ship.

And with Cal Mtg. allowing the hospital to survive on life support just because they can't handle the thought of losing them (the money) it's again not in this businesses best interest, at all. They have been allowing the CFO, Beedle to take money from a "debt reserve fund" designed to be a savings account in the event profits aren't up to par.

That savings account has to be one and half times the amount of the principle and interest payment. They use "ratios" to keep a barometer, but the ratios have been changed as Cal Mtg. once again lowered their standards so the hospital could make a payment out of savings.

It's like teaching the dog it's okay to eat at the table. And inevitably they take advantage.

Is there more? I'm afraid there is...absorb this while I work on "the" ultimate KVHD timeline (I'm calling it that because it is like seeing footprints in deep snow, obvious.) which will be my final efforts to correct something that has existed here for far too long.

I recently read and agree that white collar crime indeed diminishes public trust and some estimates say it costs billions and billions of dollars each year. And because of the complexity of these cases they are the most difficult to win in court. But depending on the evidence, it may be tough, but it's not impossible.

Now, would short staffing a nursing center because you had to pay Cal Mtg. in 2006 with another line of credit be considered a crime? I guess we will find out as I'm not letting that question go.

Could we lease or sell the KVHD hospital and privatize the district...answers today

Could we privatize or lease the Kern Valley Healthcare District a year and a half out from a formal default on their 25 year old debt?

The answer is yes, we could sell or lease and allow something non-government to get in and take over. But the administrators, like CEO, Tim McGlew, and CFO, Chet Beedle, CNO, Mark Gordon, and possibly the whole board would have to step down and let others take over.

Naturally, that is not in their best interest.

Like when I visited the hospital the night of the "Bull Fire" in Kernville to see what was going on in terms of alert or help for the riverside tourist town, I asked how is it going with the fire? One person said they didn't know about a fire, while another gave what I think is the most telling answer as to their perspective: "Oh, it's not effecting us, we're not threatened."

With so many questions and no time to collect answers, the KVHD BOD's voted in a resolution to put 22 million on the November ballot for the community to pay for their mistakes.

"Why can't we get rid of all these people (my word) and start over?"

The idea is to get out from underneath big brother and get a private healthcare company to buy or lease, thus eliminating the bond debt, and getting back to medicine and quit mixing it with politics.

That has been a question asked by many people around the valley and soon we will know the rules and regulations behind this sort of move that could help the hospital while saving money to homeowners and businesses stretched and strained from an unpredictable economy.

The idea was brought up at the meeting, but no other option less the GOB was given or researched, apparently.

In Reedley, California, the Sierra Kings District Hospital, amidst a bankruptcy is recieving offers from companies who would like to lease or buy and perpetuate that district. But they don't have the criminal and legal problems we do here at KVHD.

No offers have been known to have been made to our local district hospital, but according to KVHD CEO, Tim McGlew, having a buyer take over the hospital would keep the community from having a government, "transparent" hospital, as it would not be open to the public like it is now.

More on considering saving all money and getting a buyer or someone to lease, which would have to be done by the voters, but may or may not make the hospital "private."

As we know private business often surpasses the customer service standards compared to government interference. Board members who are voted in have little or no competency in or surrounding healthcare.

I'm sure a private hospital would have different standards such as keeping ahead of the ever changing healthcare system full of laws and regulations.

Not that socialized medicine isn't coming down the pipes, we already have it here, and we see the results which are frightening.

DEADLINES

Last day to sign up for the KVHD board of directors election, August 6th, at the Kern County Elections Department today. So far there are six people in the running, but I have a feeling that will change today especially after the shambles of a board meeting on Wednesday.

August 11 is the deadline for the hospital to be transparent if it believes it is "right" to throw another burden on the community. Now that has it's board voted bond resolution in hand, will they play it fair and put a complete explanation of all 22 million in monies and how it will be used?

If they don't put this on, this means they are going to go for the deceptive 75 word ballot verbiage designed by the company who did the recent survey, as administrators didn't even know about the survey in 2006 which included many community members who have drifted away from the hospital.

Watch and see what the hospital does before you cast your ballot.

More on privatizing later...we may need a special election next year, but it might be a vote to sell or lease our hospital to companies who are in the business: not the government.

Special meeting July 28, 2010...GOB's of stuff

(look again) Do you feel like bonding with the Kern Valley Healthcare District: well, they feel like bonding with you, generally

A cry for help

Last week at the KVHD Finance Committee meeting it became clear that there problems that could no longer be handled with the smidgen of talent we currently have working towards the future of KV district.

In the process of finding out the financial situation is dire at best, even Bob Jamison, criticized the current situation.

Issue there is, Jamison was one of the founding fathers of the problems at the healthcare district.

Let's take a look at his record. He grumbled about a credit card our CFO, Chet Beedle, wanted to obtain to utilize in purchasing supplies and medications for the pharmacy.

He called it a "stopgap" measure. Well, 100K isn't going to stop our gap, which is more of a chasm now, so it was a moot point.

Jamison has been behind some of the criminal and unethical practices which has lead to the KVHD reputation becoming laughable while at the same time, people have begun to hate the hospital.

When former, elder abuse charged, CEO Pam Ott, said "jump" Jamison did his best. He voted on the board to hire Ott, he protected her in the face of truth when she was accused of allowing people to be harmed or mistreated in the nursing facility, he engaged in slanderous activities, and even took this agenda to the radio station where he works and broadcasts.

Can you imagine having this man solve any of our problems? He was one of the problems until he lost his quorum and now is nothing more than a irritable figure of a board member. Why is he still here voters?

My guess is because his ego is bigger than his character and he doesn't know when to quit. My dog died last night the most beautiful death as if he knew how to do it. He could teach us all a few things.

If he cared about this hospital and this goes to others such as the "term limit" poster boy, Brad Armstrong, who helped bring the plague which is our long term debt more than 20 years ago.

(And, yeah right, the past doesn't matter.)

If the board 20 years ago, where Brad Armstrong sat, had done the right things, like getting all construction complete; making a plan for the future; and not allowing the overages which lead to a 20 plus million dollar debt; we would be in great shape now.

And had we not been in grips of the dark and gray area of the government, Cal Mtg., an office within the office of Statewide healthcare planning and development, we still would have been a better hospital than we are now.

In 1999, had we bankrupted on Cal Mtg. and made it out the other side, we would be a top notch hospital. We would have had the money to reinvest in ourselves. (bankruptcy as it turns out, is not an option so much as it is a possible result of years of parasitic management)

Our current accounting system, run by our financial manager, Chet Beedle, is called the "rob Peter to pay Paul," system of accounting.

That's why vendors are getting money only when they finally complain or even threaten a lawsuit.

This is not going to work, and we need to keep this hospital open.

You could be generally obligated

The newest in ideas is to go back after a general obligation bond to pay off the long term debt.
(This is from last year, one year ago since they recently told us that we are getting a new ER, sorry, I mean paying the debt or whatever they want really. It becomes their money once we relinquish our property taxes in a vote this November 2, 2010)

I thought the debt was nothing; not the problem? That's what I keep being told anyway.

Now, they've realized that the only way to get money is from this community by way of your property taxes.

And who knows what else they will add onto it so that they have a little extra money to fly people up and down the West Coast and buy lunches, vote on murals not nursing raises to fix a dangerous skilled nursing center.

Give me a break!

Now, I said I agree there is not enough money in our current tax base, as some of our property taxes automatically go to the hospital. It's not much though.

I heard an idea out of one camp about simply raising these property taxes.

Nice, considering most of the top dogs at the hospital don't even own property up here.

Again, it's a question of trust. In the federal bailout, rather than allow a floundering business to die, the government and all it's wisdom, gave billions to the same people whose business practices caused the problems.

Not real bright. And that is what must be avoided here.

There must be reorganization in the administration and hospital before a bond could even be considered.

And with Mr. Jamison and Mr. Armstrong still on the board of directors, not that they do anything, but they could use this time to step down and allow people with the future in mind to come aboard and try to help.

If they do or don't, it doesn't matter anymore as those two are really irrelevant.

We need this hospital, but we need it to serve us better than it has in the past...

Currently, on the board of directors: Kay Knight Chairwoman; Victoria Alwin Secretary of the board; Dr. Robert Gross DO, first vice chair; Bob Jamison, Treasurer; and Brad Armstrong, second vice chair.

This board needs to do something now in terms of finding some real stop gap measures to utilize while a "strategic plan" is drafted and hopefully, well thought out.

(I have the strategic plan from 2006, and it's certainly full of hope, but nothing came of it. That's sad, considering there was time and expense, but it's now nothing more than a box taking up space in storage.)

Because of the whacked out spending spree which took place in the last four years, the hospital is in serious trouble, and there's no hiding from it anymore.

Nobody takes any responsibility there, and it's again a matter of not being able to plan for the future.

If you want to find out more about the potential increase in your property taxes or you need to know what is going on with Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy, I suggest you attend the board meeting.

And the meeting is this Wed., Dec. 2, at 5:30 pm in the hospital cafeteria.

Remember, the board members are elected, the administrators are hired by the board, and the public has the ultimate say. So, say it already.

See you there.

I was at the same meeting...loved the headline in KV Sun

I can imagine the two "bonded" administrators, CEO, Tim McGlew and CFO, Chet Beedle, are dissappointed this week in the headline beaming down from the Sun Newspaper from the board meeting.

Though the meeting was primarily about the general obligation bond needed by the hospital to carry on its operations as the only people with money are the homeowners and their property tax monies, "owe" so desired by this hospital.

Now I would think since Tim McGlew went through a 118 million dollar construction project while working for the Home for Jewish Parents in Southern California, he would have had enough of this construction, as it's a real pain. Been there, done it.

And interestingly, that construction project was done with the help of Cal Mtg. our very own debt insurer at KVHD. How cozy. And how expensive was that?

The only people enjoying construction are the contractors doing the building, otherwise it's one of the worst experiences of your life.

The bigger the project, the more likely you are to have a heart attack. If it's a government project with over the top, highly expensive standards and tastes, order your plot at the local cemetery because it will age you quickly.

Add medical and government together and you've got plutonium.

Do we need construction, yes we do.

But we also have to get "real" here and stop pretending we can have a bond on the ballot by November, architects with time enough to take in all the considerations including seismic, which brings in more engineers, who by my records, we have paid again and again, but have never done a damn thing. Aspen has years worth of our monies and what do we have from Aspen Street Architects...nothing?

(Lot's of these examples at KVHD. Not good examples.)

Money out the window and it doesn't come back in services to the community.
And because of the lack of planning, you can see the redundant patterns of purchasing, such as engineers, architects, consultants, which have to come back again, after so many years. Then there's equipment never used and eventually will be outdated, such as mammography, and certain computer acquisitions which never manifested but were paid for with hospital money.

It's a disgrace we are as bad as Sacramento and Washington, and don't think it's not the pennies wich make the dollars.

We have wasted money year after year never completing a single project.

Obviously, by the reaction of the Sun and their headline that healthcare reform Obama style is going to save the hospital when everyone is insured (in our fantasies) according to Chet Beedle. Theoretically this is supposed to happen and it would rid the hospital immediately of bad debt.

The headline did not mention the general obligation bond or potential taxes, they ignored what the administrator called a "strategic planning" type of meeting. It had nothing to do with Obama reform or what that reform really might do. One thing it will do is change things and we need to get ready in the outfield to catch this thing.

Even that sagacious Chet Beedle or the Wiccan Covenant in Bodfish can't predict what in the world is going to happen with this healthcare reform bill.

So, why are we trying to get the community to choke up money on an ill timed bond, or ill time-bomb? It's fine with me if the administrators spend their time studying this as it will give them something to do while we look into that second feasibility study from Cal Mtg.

Sometimes a headline is not just a headline, it's a statement. And I think in this case the board of directors and administrators should put their ears to the ground and listen to what the Sun said to them this week, by ignoring the KVHD message...

KVHD new management company HFS: what will they find here, as Sierra Kings cleaned out by Ott?

(Blogs are currently being updated, and put in a different order. Some of the things have already happened, as HFS is on board doing it's thing, which is to see if there is a way to save the hospital as it is in default on it's contractual obligations regarding the revenue bond project that has plagued the hospital with defaults and service and licensing issues, as well as staffing.)

After a disappointing sale-a-thon at the Kern Valley Healthcare Board of Directors meeting, where the big news was left for last, while we pretended the hospital had not just been taken over by Cal Mtg. the insurer of the revenue bond debt, fourteen million dollars.

Next week, we will not only be signing a contract with HFS financial consultants, we will have "tele-psychiatry." Finally, somewhere for KVHD board member,Bob Jamison, to get help and watch TV at the same time.

I love the Christmas list we're getting for believing things are so much better at the hospital. (It's always good to see the board passing out the kudos and pats on the back as they explain if the community doesn't pay we're out of business. Makes sense...on some other planet I suppose.)

We are going to have new stuff, cool things. Right? And I'm sure much like they have done, if anything goes wrong, they will stand up and take responsibility. Sorry, that's not KVHD that's Sierra Kings in Reedley.

Oh, but we have to pay for it with a general obligation bond. How do those bonds work?

Two thirds of the voters must agree to raise property taxes to pay off the hospitals' debtor Cal Mtg. Then what is left of the monies will be spent on a "retrofit."

Yes, we heard Chet Beedle and Pam Ott say for years it would be too uncertain financially to retrofit the hospital or remodel as there could be hidden costs as there could be mold from the leaking roof in the ER, or more likely asbestos in the ceiling requiring hazmat units to remove it.

They are right. But now the hospital administrators have one plan: pay off the debt and remodel the ER with the money from the community by way of property taxes in the form of a GOB.

Now these bonds have restrictions, you cannot use the monies for anything such as raises, operations of the hospital, just what the community ordered.

Hold it...Or can you?

Pam Ott almost had Measure M in her hands in 2006, until the nursing center collapse.

I was on the campaign trail with Ott and Beedle who both told me that the bond money was safe, as it could not be used for anything other than what the voters said it is to be used for.

After her rather quick departure in 2007 she headed to Reedley California somehow landing another CEO position even with a degree from a diploma mill on the internet.

Sierra Kings district hospital, currently in bankruptcy and being run by interim CEO, Sandy Haskins, of a familiar company who will be here in the KRV soon, HFS.

(HFS began it's contract only a week ago so the inspection, audit, is underway with the audit and we will see what the can find, and fast.)

HFS has been putting the pieces of it's life back together since Ott was fired in October 2009, after elder abuse charges were filed against her.

Now she might find the Fresno District Attorney interested in her recent shenanigans at Sierra Kings. (If the DOJ can't get her, maybe the DA and the good people of Reedley will)

According to this weeks article in the Reedley Exponent, a dynamic, community driven, newspaper, it seems 1.7 million dollars of "GOB" bond money was misspent. (But Ott and Beedle said that couldn't happen)

With CEO, Tim McGlew, and CFO, Cheet Beddle, and possibly the whole KVHD board counting on quickly planning a bond, construction project, and anything else that would entice the community to vote for it's "save the whales" campaign, it's good timing to look at what could have been the KRV.

It's all about trust

Many of us who lived thru the Pam Ott era and survived or partially survived, remember the promises of what the community could do by voting in a bond.

We were all ready to go and believe anything she said. I personally backed Ott and the bond.

Elder abuse charged, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, was another fan of Ott, and was photographed for many of the advertisements for Measure M. He backed Ott's play like nobody else in the hospital.

Now, HFS, trying to revive a dying hospital, Sierra Kings, finds that more than 1.7 million dollars in bond money, with very restrictive uses, has been used.

Oh my? How could that be? there are laws against it.

Well, according to the Exponent article, a government expert said by going against the will of the voters, they have lost "public trust." (along with 1.7 million dollars)

Haskins, the article said, verified the monies had been misused. Apparently, the town of Reedley was excited to vote in a bond worth 20 million and at the same time be promised new technology, another ER, upgrades on the birthing center, Adult and children health centers and seismic upgrades so that they will be standing during an earthquake.

Although monies went for other things, there was a construction project and new ER, but vendors walked away unpaid too. (Oddly, it seems they still have money left over. Good planning, it seems they planned for the misuse of the funds.)

Haskins does say that the rest of the bond monies not used are now being used properly again.

It's so easy to do a bond and build a building isn't it?

At tonight's KVHD meeting there was no chagrin as the board was confident there was no waiting for planning a future project, say in two years when the next election takes place, rather they would push forward and hurriedly get a "thingy" together for this election in November.

There is apparently no time for planning, that's out. We need to take action.
Unfortunately, because financial status reports were unclear, the KVHD board decided not to take action last year when it was apparent the hospital would be in default on it's debts by at least this year. And in default they are.
(I'm lying they knew there were problems but they waited until they are being hijacked by their debt insurer to do anything. Now the extreme measure of going to the community for money is being taken. Had we acted on this last year, could we have allowed more time for planning for the future? Would we have invited more community members in to help? We are setting ourselves up for failure and I'm going to watch it happen. I won't be happy though, but people will learn.)

What if they rush into this and then change their minds about the project, or the prices fluctuate, and the bond is written that the monies will be used for these specific purposes and nothing else?

With minimal planning and a rush job, it could happen. That could lead to a second bond or a third, etc. Or it could lead to using that money for things other than were voted in, which would be against the law. (we don't believe in the law at KVHD so it's really not a problem. And since all the agencies let us get away with "murder" I don't think anyone should worry about consequences.)

Do we really want our hospital "rushing" out a project when in the 1990's they took years to accomplish a third of what they promised and are now in default over?

I wouldn't recommend it, but the hospital is doing what "it" wants to do.

I've been in construction, it's never a good idea to rush anything, most especially a medical construction project with many different types of guidelines which must be followed. You could lose your shirt and fast with all the regulations involved.

Oh, yeah, we know that, but we haven't learned that. We are preparing to make the same mistake again. This time it could be with your money.

In Reedley the clean up from the Ott aftermath

Only the latest financial mismanagement, said the Exponent, as they had reported last month that Ott and financial manager, Chet Beedle, no sorry, Barbara Jennings, held back payments to it's social security alternative program.

Bankruptcy is an interesting process as it uncovers EVERYTHING which may have been done in error, or on purpose, who knows, nobody is going to tell the truth.

With HFS up in Sierra Kings, we have a good opportunity to see what they can do following up on Ott here at KVHD. They may see that there are similarities in the way both our hospitals were run financially.

The board of directors oversight

This article which tells a tale of blatant mismanagement at Sierra Kings, only serves as a warning of what is happening here in the KRV.

A government affairs official cited in the Exponent article said that the board lacked oversight. Well duh.

Tonight at our local hospital board meeting a moment of "who is running the show" became apparent at the end of the night.

CEO, Tim McGlew, told the board he had selected NTD an architectural firm, to put together something for them to see, regarding the bond again that will be on the ballot in November. He said he chose that particular company because the board had used them before.

Then he added, "if that's what the board wants to do."

Suddenly, a board member made a motion, and finally a sensible thing happened: Board member, Kay Knight asked what they were voting on, the company, money, what?

So, before they had heard what they were voting on, motions were made. Does this not make you think that the board is relying totally on it's CEO and CFO?

Obviously, because, one of the board members said the CEO and CFO are the heroes of the district who have cut costs and have been doing an excellent job.

So, I guess there's no reason for a board of directors then? Let's just get rid of them.

According to the article an attorney warned that the board can be liable for things that they should have been watching....and doing their due diligence.

Motioning for a vote without knowing what your CEO meant, is blind voting, pavlovian. Only easily manipulatable minds do things like that.

A tale of two types of boards

With Ott possibly facing some more criminal charges the board of directors in Reedley had something to say.

One board member said they weren't strict with Ott and didn't really know how the money was being spent. The Sierra Kings board member then conceded that the board is beholden to the community and staff.

What a board member actually took responsibility?

No, not here in the KRV, I'm talking about those people in Reedley whom I'm smitten with these days as they would be wonderful to have around here.

The one Sierra Kings board member who admitted they didn't watch carefully, now says that HFS is reporting everything. If they can't pay, the board knows about it that day and is able as a group to take action.

But out of all of this, DOJ, defense attorneys, Measure M supporters, Cal Mtg., we may actually see the truth, and with that truth, correction can be made.

You cannot make a good decision based on inaccuracies and untruths.

If the hospital runs down to the architect and says can you do all of this for us for this price and they say sure, that will be the restriction on the ballot. But as Ott and her gang have shown, all laws can be bent and broken: and people too.

I'd say print out the Exponent article and when the board comes a calling to tell you that they must have this bond: show them the article.

We need to trust the board and administration before we can even consider this bond measure.

And with a financial manager using credit cards to pay for operations costs, it's a cheesy operation which would love to suck in 20 million of "free money."

One audience member tonight summed up the issue of the debt with one practical question: why did it take 20 years to fix this problem?

As usual, no one answered. But maybe the problem with the board is they don't know what to do and hope that they can just skate by on silence and dodging questions they don't particularly like or agree with.

However, at issue is that the problem was never fixed and couldn't be obviously.

Who said that you can only go to a meeting if you agree with the board? Nobody. And in fact, if you harass or target someone for not agreeing with you, you're in violation of a few laws.

Things were strangely chipper, as if we had invited our debtor to take over the hospital. Some of the things that were said, were so out of touch with reality, I could hardly keep my mouth shut. And got gut shot for it too.

It is difficult for me sometimes to be able to explain some of what I have researched to people, board members, administrators, who don't or maybe can't think outside the box. But I feel confident that you the KRV resident, come November, will want to hear more and learn more. And I'll make sure you get the correct information.

One claim I've heard repeatedly is how good we are doing in comparison to other hospitals.

Well, it was said again tonight...

If we are doing better than most other hospitals across California, than why are we being taken over by a bond insurer? Are all the other hospitals in worse shape? How could that be, it makes no sense. Worse would mean, what, closed down? How much worse is it when you have to get a bond and refuse to consider any other options? When it makes no sense, you go to the experts and find out why. I'll get back to you on this.

Then we will wait and see what the DOJ, Etra and Ginsburg, the medical and nursing boards, the Fresno District Attorney, have to say in regards to potential charges against Pam Ott and our other cases of bad judgment.

Now if we find more evidence for you Jerry Brown, could you possibly stop the woman from taking down more than two hospitals and a nursing center? Isn't than enough?

Hopefully HFS will have not ideas, but will dig and find the things they have found in Reedley on our former CEO, Ott. And find the things that still keep us from having a functional hospital.

More to follow...
Thanks again to the people of Reedley, the journalistic integrity, the community support, you are an example for us all to follow.

And here's the article:
http://www.reedleyexponent.com/articles/2010/05/05/news/doc4be1d4b3d65c6435055285.txt

Press control button and click on link to open or just copy and paste into address bar.

I'll sell you that $15,000 study for half price: undercutting Caldwell, Flores and Winters

At our mid May special meeting at the Kern Valley Healthcare District, we got to meet up again with, Abel, the bond consultant from Caldwell Flores and Winters.

Though I had spoken to our CEO, Tim McGlew, about the use of CFW for Tim and Chet's "big plan" to get the community to bail out the hospital and pay off an old debt to their revenue bondholders, then at a meeting he had told me they were going to consider using another company.

But that didn't happen and then McGlew makes an about face at the special meeting and told me and my camera about a contract, a contract with CFW. Last I knew we had no "obligations."

Then Abel after cluing the board in on how to write the bond on the voting ballot, the password there is it's a lease, and people know leases are bad, and buying things are good, has asked the board for $15,000 to do another survey like they did when they were here in 2006 (and on I guess)

I have the survey which has already been paid for and the things the community told the hospital it wanted: guess what? They never got. I'll sell it back to the hospital for oh, maybe, $7,500. That's half of what CFW wants to do it over again.

So, this is how we spend money and this is partially why we are in default.

Now, I wondered, how did Abel get back to KVHD after the bond, Measure M, (malfeasance) didn't quite pass in 2006. And as some of you who volunteered in the community and who have now abandoned the hospital might remember that there was much confusion regarding the help the bond company gave us.

So, to see them stroll right back in had me curious.

Abel, CFW

Well, it seems this can be traced back to Bob Jamison and his construction committee. Well, it wasn't a "real" committee I'm told, they didn't take minutes, maybe ad hoc like, or a lot of contract recruiting. Jamison wants the bond, he's quiet now, but he wants the bond and the taxes and to keep CFW. His committee kept those good contractual relations with CFW as Jamison believed he was going to have to charge in and rebuild the hospital with his bond he could likely sell on the radio. Another board member surprisingly suggested such a thing.

Jamison's concerns were about the seismic laws requiring hospitals to upgrade. He couldn't think ahead far enough to realize that the government was never going to be able to enforce this onto all the hospital's in earthquake zones as there wouldn't even be enough contractors to do them all in the same year.

And OSHPD made that happen when they figured it out too.

So, Jamison might want to take some time before the 2012 election to study up on how specialized and technical hospital construction really can be. It's not something to take lightly.

And next time we use contractors, we might want to make sure they get insured, and the jobs are completed.

As Abel spelled out the plan for keeping the community from knowing "exactly" what the bond monies would go for none of the board members objected. Not Tim or Chet or anybody, except one audience member. And she said straight and sharp: "we don't like to be lied to."

When Abel and Chet assuaged a room full of KVHD skeptics saying that the GOB money could strictly only be used for things within the parameters of which is written and voted in by the community.

I alerted the unknowing, how did Pam Ott get her hands in the basket of bond money at Sierra Kings in Reedley. The chairwoman, Victoria Alwin, asked for more information on how often that happens (does she mean how often do they catch it?) and was told by Abel he's never seen it happen.

I reiterated that Ott found a way. One board member wasn't so convinced, as he asked if she was convicted. I said it just happened last week. But I suggested that he talk to his new management company coming in this week to take a good look at what Chet Beedle has been doing, HFS, as they were the ones who had to go to bankrupt Ott's hospital and now they're here.

I excitedly told everyone I can't wait to see what they find here.

Ott kept all of that information from her board of directors at Sierra Kings District Hospital, as the ship was sinking. She took bond money it seems to pay some payroll and got in some other hot water not paying a pension plan overseen by the IRS.

I'll make sure to find out if criminal charges are forthcoming. But it doesn't matter she sunk a hospital, kept a board in the dark, and that's all after she did what she did here. And she had no credentials. Wow. (I think she has credentials now though, you have to if you can totally bust two hospitals in less than a decade)

Abel gave me the biggest laugh of the meeting when he assured me that the board of directors would be overseeing the monies on the bond. And the community too. I'm still laughing.

But the lying is deeper and deeper, and deception runs from the KRV to Sacramento...Hang in there, I'll tell the story, but I can't quite do it yet...

McGlew and Beedle's general obligation bond and tax service...

My new doctor asked me what my symptoms were recently, and I told him, I'm watching television...he looked concerned.

After two hours of watching television I gained some energy and decided to rummage. What that means in my world is that I pick up a stack of papers and look thru them and always find something.

I found a lot today. I didn't know we had already purchased a PHACO machine before 2005, that was "never used." The machine is to remove cataracts which was one of the things the community wanted to have available here and not have to travel.

We had one, bought another, and now I think that one doesn't work. And we have no current eye surgery here anyway.

We had a mammography van, and even may still have the equipment unless it was sold to a third world country, and now we talk again about buying another one. I guess if this miracle bond comes through it would be part of the "imaging center" right? Yeah.

Back to the Bond...

Caldwell Winters and Flores as I explained a few posts ago, is the company who promotes and sells general obligation bonds for schools, hospitals, cities, and takes a cut from the deal. The bigger the bond, the more they make. They sold Tehachapi a bond or two or three or maybe even four before it's all over as that community is locked in combat over the location, costs of building a new hospital, and the board is a lot louder than the one we have here at KVHD.

In a story I wrote for the Kern Valley Sun newspaper in 2006, the results of the survey to the community for a 12.5 million dollar bond, was less than two thirds, and CFW, recommended the hospital find out how many volunteers will help with the bond, before they jump in and put it on the ballot.

Now this year in 2010, when CFW maybe lacking in clients putting out bonds that raise taxes, they have a survey which says now this community after becoming famous for the worst elder abuse in California, running out of money, trying to close it's pharmacy, literally blaming the "poor" for their problems, is willing to support 20 million dollars on their property taxes.

That's darned interesting to me. So much so that I continue my own survey which has yet to get one person to say they want to pay more in taxes.

And when they see the headlines on the county budget there's going to be even more hostility as the money grab is on in the KRV.

Apparently, Kern County is going to be laying off and cutting back, which means, there will be more of these pesky poor and uninsured people coming to this hospital.

But isn't that what a public hospital is for?

Somebody asked me why the hospital thinks it should make more money from the community.

I said other than being poisoned by the water and not thinking straight, I can't imagine why they would put this on us.

Oh yeah, they don't care. They have big salaries to pay the administrators. The board members on the other hand, make very little for their time. And I'm okay with that because they've done little except to follow misguidance of the managers they selected to run the hospital. The board agreed to these out of sight salaries which could pay for PHACO cataract machines and even a surgeon, but in this economy do you think anyone on the top of this heap is going to leave?

Heck no, they have a great deal here. Cut out the little guys, like pharmacy workers; take away their benefits, and use that money. But no, don't cut the CEO or the CFO. What a blood letting of employees under the kingdoms since the reign of Ott. I've never seen such waste of labor, talent and money in my life.

What this hospital district needs is a hero willing to go up against the likes of Cal Mtg. the double dealer who doesn't always have a feasibility study to go along with their insurance: hello state of California you have a problem, high risk, bad insuring practices. Sound familiar? Shall I write to the federal government on this, or will California take a look at it's own problem?

So, Finance committee this Wednesday at 9 am. I'm sure it will be dull and include Tim and Chet threatening that either the district will go broke because of it's own mistakes; or we get a bond.

I can't wait to hear this again. I love this story, I'm bonded with it.

GOB's of money in GOB business. I think we will be seeing our friends at Caldwell Flores soon: Special meeting Tuesday 4 pm

I'm so excited to announce that there will be a special meeting of the Kern Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors Tues. March 30, at 4 pm.

The reason I'm so excited about this particular meeting is that they are admitting to having a meeting, that always helps my mood.

Second, they are going to follow up on the secret meeting from earlier in the month where only two board members were allowed. Yes, it was okay to leave the other three out, along with the then CCO, Cynthia Burciaga, who even asked to be part of the meeting but was turned down according to an email I received.

So, I'm glad they are being clandestine because truth is; I don't like the truth around here anymore.

Just because it was like a serial meeting against the "Brown Act" is meaningless, that is done here openly and with no regard for anyone, and nobody really cares or even understands the meaning of following the law.

But having a secret meeting earlier in the month simply tells me and now you, is we are about to have a political split on the board about the general obligation bond. These small plotters are coming out of the closet to tell us all about their meeting, which I'm sure will include how darn legal it was.

I'm sure you are all expecting that I will object to the bond. In fact I won't, that would give it merit as a possibly good idea, which it isn't.

Political split

Oh, what to do? The money just went away, it flew?

Great idea let's make the community pay for the bond and fix the hospital. I think they are going to love the idea, I'll call them and ask them.

In fact, I could help, I have the whole Caldwell Flores kit from 2006, and I'll make the same phone calls, drive people to the polls, make impassioned fictional speeches to get people to agree with me; why I can't wait.

Meetings: Finance commit me, Wed. March 31, 9 am, in your bank account.
Change of schedule for regular board meeting: Tuesday, April 6, at 6 pm. in your wallet.

I'll go to the special meeting with those very special people and see if we have a special plan in mind to suck the money out of the community to pay for something that would have paid for itself had we had any fiscal responsibility or a CFO with a calculator.

The general obligation bond, GOB, is number one on the menu for this special meeting, but then there's a closed session with a lawsuit and personnel issue.

(I'll try to follow up, but if they tell any truth, I'm leaving. I can't handle the truth...)

A month of the bumps at KVHD

After the CCO quit smoking, she lit up the P&P

There have been a lot of rumor and innuendo thrown about recently, and I'm not talking about my standard "highly theoretical suppositions" such as the one about the less than open, board meeting with two board members.

I retracted the opinion that a highly suspicious meeting was held without the knowledge and or invitation to the other board members making it an actual meeting, special, urgent, or otherwise.

However, it's true the Brown Act, which lists the laws by which a public board must conduct itself, is rarely, if ever, supported by the Grand Jury, or county prosecutors.

Tricky stuff when two board members start talking about a general obligation bond which may be voted upon at sometime in the near future.

But we have put that behind us, and hope that the rest of the communications remain out in the open for the public to digest as they are just learning thru my survey phone calls what KVHD is: your hospital in a public district where board members are voted in.

And what a GOB is: a general obligation bond spread out over thirty years where homeowners would pay off this debt with property taxes limited to such amounts like $100 for every 100K of assessed value.

Levy a tax: because the hospital is public, in a public district, built with public monies, partially funded by community property tax dollars, the hospital could raise money it needs* by raising this tax for a few short years rather than 30 or maybe 60 or even 90...

sound crazy? What if they need another bond. If we are comparing ourselves to other hospitals and districts like Tehachapi, then you see that one bond may not be enough. And they will come crying back to us because they have not taken care of the money they have.

But they start by taking the first GOB, and then if they can successfully build something or create services that fit this community and are not the type which will create lawsuits, then they may have saved the day.

If for some reason, anything, and I mean anything happens and that money the community is paying up is misspent or not built or not as it was described in the brochure: this place will go down. So, I would think they would want this process to be precise and open, backed by leaders like Assemblywoman, Jean Fuller, and overseen and scrutinized by county supervisor, Jon Mcquiston, who represents our district.

When will we see either of these two or Kevin McCarthy, still scrapping away about federal healthcare reform, but not here where we are the people who vote for him.

This whole process should have started last year as I kept crowing there were serious financial problems and we needed to get on it. Nobody did anything. And the CFO lied on tape on camera that everything was fine, we were putting away all our money we owe, nothing unusual.

Then "BOOM" we're in trouble, help us, we need volume, we sold our mammography, we can't afford to run the district properly. This is practically criminal.

Flashback to Measure M 2006

Same time, same channel it seems, we are late for the party and have no real data and don't have an architect or a serious financial advisor (and I'm not talking about the financial manager Chet Beedle whose recent success was in obtaining a credit card to pay for the pharmacy stock to the tune of 90K. Go Chet.)

We did the exact same thing in 2006 and lost the election. And we had an architectural plan which wouldn't work, would cost more than the 12.5 million the community was to pay, and while we were being lead by Pam Ott to do this GOB, the nursing center and our residents there were allegedly being quieted as they didn't need any problems while they tried to get their general obligation bond.

Coincidence or not?

Now we are doing it again. Still with Chet Beedle, though he will not be in charge of the monies if indeed it is a bond we want and not to simply raise taxes for a few years. But Chet will be in charge of some of that money and that should be looked into very closely by this board of directors.

And if there is a fair and just system, which there isn't, maybe we will get a couple new board members who aren't afraid to give the boot to a financial guy who would actually agree to a "time and material" contract which gave a company more than two million.

How do I know? Because I have the receipts. And I still can't tell what we paid for. And we didn't get what we wanted which was a clean bill of health for the nursing center.

After millions were spent on the nursing center, and criminal charges were filed, and civil suits are waiting in the wings, we go to the community and say: Hey, what else are you going to do? You have to have a hospital. Pay up or dry up the whole valley.

Next up: A few clarifications

I was told in detail by the former CCO, Cynthia Burciaga, that CEO, Tim McGlew told her about private information regarding my healthcare at the Rural Health Clinic. I challenged the situation with the CEO, and was told that he didn't do this.
Okay.
Then I was told that the maintenance man that appeared suddenly at the September board meeting and began hassling us about our camera. He told our cameraman he couldn't film.

I told him we would film, and we did. I made a remark on this blog about how strange it was that suddenly this person was giving me problems. I was told that he was there for some reason from the past, and to help with the microphones. Funny enough that very night the microphones were off, and I said to this guy why don't you go fix the microphones and quit worrying about what I'm doing.

It's on the blog that I said this and then seven months later I hear that it was purposeful that he was brought to that meeting, from the former CCO.

Okay.

What am I supposed to do. Nothing.

In all of these cases there is no agency that really fulfills it's obligation to not just write laws but to actually provide oversite and penalty. Nothing like that happens, it's a lie. This situation at the KVHD is an example of how the government pretends to work.

Jerry Brown, the California Attorney General, who wants to trade in his Prius for a Hummer, is currently the example of justice in this state. Question is what kind of justice is he hawking?

With the wave of his hand he could clean up our hospital, the situation between our hospital and Cal Mtg., demand the county begin an oversight committee to go along with the hospital which may or may not be here in a year or so.

Justice costs money

We all know that justice costs money. We have to gather the attorneys who get paid to stare at the walls, it's all about money. Big money.

Is the Kern River Valley worth as much as Goonies gone wild on pills? Or my favorite the urgent press conference regarding the tragic overdose of that example of saline implants and botox showers, Anna Nicole Smith, who was not a victim, but simply someone who chose to use drugs, lots of them.

The attorney general has a budget and if they don't see some benefit in your case, they aren't going to spend the money. Anna Nicole was famous and Jerry Brown is ready to call a moving company to the Governor's mansion, so she won out.

When will we win out?

I've not even begun to tell you what has happened to others at our hospital, ER, and Rural Health Clinic. I've been collecting stories for years and now we will finally get down to business: protecting the public, stopping the prejudice and getting them to walk the walk.

I know there are good people in this hospital and they would do a wonderful job if only they could. But with money misspent, lies to cover the dire situation which actually exists, board members (well, some are trying, just not quite strong enough to wield an axe and that is what is needed) willing to look away and be non-confrontational, nothing will change except the rapidity of the down hill slide.

Get past the finger pointing

With all sorts of stories cropping up, a rather thoughtless remark made at the last board meeting which ended up in the local "noose" paper.

Whoever is telling the truth or hiding the partial truth I don't care about it's too small to pick up with boxing gloves on. I do care about the employees at the pharmacy, the way money is monitored and spent, and the possibility of a 30 year obligation on this community; those are my concerns.

And as you found out, my concerns are for the health and safety of the patients including myself.

This is a business where cutting back or constantly using the CT scan or the inability to act as if we are "neighbors and friends" not judge harshly anyone who may be a junkie. If they are a junkie, hide your prescription pad, and shut up, it's their life. If they have children though, definitely report that situation.

The room for improvement is the largest room in the world-anonymous

Coming up: the April 6 board meeting. Pictures and quotes.

The race is on: Cal mtg. takeover vs. KVHD bond measure or tax increase...oooh it's going to be close

My money is on Cal Mtg.

Since I have recently discovered or had the epiphany that nobody can really understand this "can of worms" or as some call it around here, "Pandora's box," my blog, full of far too much information.

But there are people who know exactly what I'm talking about. They are the board members at KVHD, the administrators, the government entities who play dumb and keep the public confused and unable to sort through the facts, or more so the evidence.

Currently, keeping you up to date, the hospital would really like it if you and you and you and heck, all of you in the Kern River Valley, would pledge to pay off a 30 year bond, worth about 20 million to the hospital. It will be about $100 per 100K of assessed value. Or option two comes with three suitcases and a carry on, and only costs $90 extra dollars per 100k of assessed value.

Now what they are going to do with the money ( is any one's guess, probably run) is pay off that debt from 20 years ago which is a great story for a party with alot of alcohol available as that is what you'll need to get anyone dumb enough to believe the story.

It started out at 22 million to build on to the existing hospital worth maybe 3 million. Cal Mtg. a cunning California plan devised to actually make money insured it would be done and accepted the backwoods plan to make this hospital hum.

We use their credit and Cal Mtg. insures our loans or revenue bonds. But if you don't pay Cal Mtg. they come in and take your hospital or clinic or even Home for Jewish Parents which has 118 million in debt covered by Cal Mtg.

Why do we care about that?

Because the CEO of our hospital, Tim Mcglew, worked there and was part of the 118 million dollar solution and obviously knows quite a bit about Cal Mtg.

And some members of the community may remember that Cal Mtg took over this hospital one hot summer day ( or cold winter morn') and discharged the CEO and chairman of the board, with a snap of the fingers and appeared a line of polyester suits waiting to be paid to fix the failing hospital.

One of the people who came to us around that time, is the current cheif financial officer, Chet Beedle. He started off as a part time kid, then, suddenly full time, even though the hospital had a controller and still has a financial consulting firm which could have handled everything.

Beedle is suspect to me as last year on tape, on video, he told this community there were no problems financially and my proposal to Cal Mtg. was totally unnecessary. Yes, we could have tried to wheel an deal but nobody had the proper sports car, especially Mr. Beedle.

Also, Beedle is known to have a lucrative contract with this public healthcare district where he resides in Apple Valley, but is allowed free rent to live during the week in the valley.

His salary, his benefits are over the top for a modest or bargain type healthcare district.

People who complain about administrative costs at your banks, at Wal Mart, should look around your own corner and quit staring at the TV.
Right in your own backyard.

General obligation bonds

If the hospital somehow convinces the voters of the valley to go ahead and give them 20 million and it happens, what happens if there's another circumstance where the community would need money?

What I'm saying is that if we take out this GOB and suddenly we need another one to save a school or maybe fix the damn, we will still be burdened for thirty years paying off this bond.

It's a consideration that there are a lot of needs for bonds, schools, recreation, potentially fixing the dam, or a great big outdoor theater with acoustics which are like none ever heard (it could be urgent).

The hospital had a lot of chances

If Cal mtg. comes in because we can't pay our way, oh well. This district has had a lot of chances to try and run itself, voters you voted these folks in who made the decisions that lead to this dead end. We have criminal and civil lawsuits, but never an apology from the people who allowed this to happen.

Forget the apology, I believe most should be charged or used as a witness.

Let Cal Mtg. run the hospital. If they want it take it, it's not working anyway.

Then if a private hospital comes along, they could see an excellent opportunity to make a dollar up here. If you're the only game in town and you still can't make it, what exactly does that say about you?

Come on over Cal mtg. I can't wait...

I'd have a veritable ball if Cal Mtg came here and took over the hospital. I would probably live here the rest of my life because of it.

Imagine, Don Morey, could visit all the time, with Gary Evans, and we could drink some beers over at the cove. I know we would be great friends, as I love government agencies who take advantage of small town folks for big money, and then threaten to take over.

We will have a ball. Trust me.

Next idea: could taxes be a better solution?