Update:Why would I, a simple minded reporter type, know the troubles to come before the Kern valley healthcare district financial officer...I eerily predict the future, which is now...Aug. 2010
Can anyone spare a dime?
I was in our local market just before the holiday weekend, and some friends of mine were having trouble getting together all the money they needed to buy dog food and cat food, and something for them too.
Standing across in another line, I asked if they needed some extra cash. A tiny, elderly woman was next to me, couldn't have been a day under 100, and she said, " do they need some money, I have a little left over from this month."
What an shining example of generosity and kindness. Someone with little willing to share it without being asked.
This should be our example of how we all behave towards each other during these difficult economic times.
And the Kern Valley Healthcare District could use a lesson from this woman as the district and hospital itself were funded and built, under the Hill Burton Act, to serve our rural community.
Though I showed up late for the meeting last night, as I'm still grieving the death of our best dog, it was apparent that things are urgent and dire, as the two most important items were pulled from the agenda: The Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy report and discussion regarding a potential general obligation bond.
Where do we stand with the pharmacy?
Well, we didn't find out last night what our latest figures tell us about the future of the retail pharmacy.
It's likely we will not see much action until the beginning of next year as December is a full month of holidays and vacations.
With the pharmacy and it's staff up in the air for at least another month, I suggest that we now bring back the business before it's too late.
No matter what the hospital decides to do, it's happening slowly, and not so surely, and that is where the community needs to step in: step in the doors of the pharmacy and get their prescriptions.
I'd like to thank Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy for getting my medication ten minutes before closing, the day before Thanksgiving. What a relief not having to drive around the lake or out of town, which happened just recently and will happen again.
Though the staff was busy, they managed to keep filling prescriptions up until closing time, even with the computers down creating the daily report.
A credit card to save the pharmacy
American Express to the rescue, as the district with no credit, managed to get an American Express card to help pay for such things as: pharmaceuticals and supplies.
But only to the the tune of 92K, which won't go very far. Now the card will remit back a 1% pat on the back fee for paying the card within 30 days; then there's an interest charge after that which starts at 2.99, (nice) but, boo hoo, if you don't pay after 90 days as the card will self destruct in Chet Beedle's pocket.
So, the board voted unanimously to get a credit card, it was something they all could agree upon.
Why did they agree?
If your business had less than a day of cash on hand, you would look at that credit card offer in a different way wouldn't you? And that's why the board members, looking embarrassed, voted unanimously to get an American Express card.
General obligation bond beats bankruptcy
If we could somehow manage to convince this community that this hospital and it's services are worth the extra property taxes necessary to keep the district afloat during these turbulent times it still would be driven by the same people and ineffective systems that caused the downfall in the first place.
(I said difficult times because the previous hospital administration decided to eat up all the reserves and even feed it to their friend, who we will now call, "Planes, trains, automobiles and free lunches." Before that they basically handed over millions to a company who "attempted" to rectify the situation in the nursing center.)
In the meantime, the idea that a general obligation bond would be a solution is pretty far fetched, as well as being more than a year plus off before any of that money, were it a reachable goal, was paid to the district.
Currently, the financial situation is such that we need immediate action. We cannot wait on a tentative general obligation bond, and the amount we would need could reach 50 million dollars. This community does not have the real estate base to handle that sum.
(New information July 28, 2010, there is a second GOB or property tax bond necessary. Video upcoming)
Paying off the old debt which built half a nursing center, a nice OR, a cafeteria, would cost almost 40 million dollars. How could we put that on the community's shoulder's Brad Armstrong, board member, who was there twenty years ago when he and his board buried the hospital in debt and inept leadership in regards to the construction?
Mr. Armstrong voted last night for a credit card. (Boy it's rough out there, eh, Brad? It used to be you could get millions and throw it into the wind without a squeek from the community. New day, new game, old timer.)
We need help
The truth is this district is on the brink of bankruptcy maybe even more so now than ten years ago when we faced a financial crisis, or more like tidal wave.
Most of us don't want to have to go that route as it does not always save the day and is risky.
But if it's the only way to save the district, then it must be done.
It seems Mr. Beedle, our Cheif Financial Officer, back in February was not agreeable to speaking with the office of Cal Mtg., the state office which insures our revenue bonds from 1986 and 1989, which put 22 million in the KVHD coffers, and who knows how much more into the supporting cast from the Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development.
(The Cal Mtg. Proposal: see post)
The idea came about as Mr. Beedle told us in Feb. 2009 that the bond payments to Cal Mtg. were tentative at best and we would have to use money from the bond reserve to pay them.
And if you don't think Cal Mtg. has not already heard about these problems, then you don't know what kind of creditor we are dealing with.
Pamela Ott, as we will recall, had some interesting credentials, yet somehow made it to the top as CEO. She is now charged in the KVHD elder abuse case, and the amount of money this has cost the district can be attributed to Ott's leadership and her followers, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, and Barbara Casas (former board member, part of "the sticky three.")
Between Cal Mtg. and Pamela Ott, and the super job done by the Department of Health Services, we can thank them all for the position we are in right now.
But let's not stop the thank you's there, we have a financial officer who has continually kept the truth, the figures we need to see, out of sight. Explanations are lengthy and not meant to be understood.
And, Mr. Beedle, broke up a potential negotiation with Cal Mtg. earlier in the year, with the excuse we were making our state debt insurer's angry. If they don't want bankruptcy, then why not try to negotiate to defer payments until the situation can be rectified with a new financial leader?
Let's start with a reorganization plan within the hospital itself, immediately, and bring on new blood and new calculators to get this thing started before Cal Mtg. brings in Casey again, or something like that.
To avoid bankruptcy, there is no other way, than to replace the financial leadership currently at the hospital. If that is not done pronto, then I predict the spector of Cal Mtg. will be upon us early next year.
My question is: why has this not been done already? Why does it take so long to catch the problem and then have to utilize a last ditch solution?
Finally, the woman at the grocery story who was willing to help a family and their pets with a few bucks, should be a model of what the leadership at KVHD should be doing: showing compassion.
Employees who have worked the district for ten or more years have seen their benefits dissappear, their retirement taken away, their tenure become meaningless: but the administrators have given up NOTHING.
I'm going to find that woman and send her your way, Bob Jamison, Chet Beedle, Brad Armstrong, amongst others, and you can tell her she's wrong to try and help out others in need.
Our hospital is need, can we get some help?
What will we do now?
(I'll leave it at that until the next post)
Persistance and Tenacity, requires a new chapter, a new beginning....
Showing posts with label OSHPD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OSHPD. Show all posts
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Bob Jamison and QAB part ll: equal time Mr. Bohn/Senator Ashburn tried to help/
Pam Ott, according to QAB..."nothing left to loose"
It was May of 2007, as Mr. Bob Jamison, radio talk show host and Kern Valley Healthcare District board member, took to his blog then went to the airwaves to seemingly protect the former CEO, Pamela Ott, now officially charged in the elder abuse case, brought about the state of California, Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Medical fraud and elder abuse.
Ott resigned in early May 2007, (see post: Oh, those prophetic words), and Jamison began utilizing the media he worked for to protect her reputation and to deliver the news that the "news" was untrue.
We now know the news was true, there were serious problems in the skilled nursing facility and the hospital. And these problems became more serious as the hospital and some zealous board members, began to try and twist the news, bury the past, hide the errors, without any concern for the public or the ethical implications of a board member using the radio for his own political purposes.
However, the message that there were serious problems, possibly a public safety issue, was being battled by two media outlets and one freelance reporter. While the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper opted to keep their advertising in April of 2007 with the hospital, which meant they would just quietly write around the problems; QAB media allowed a full on attack on those who disagreed or criticized anything done by the hospital administration.
Jamsion announces interveiw with Ott...the victim
QAB, the company which owns the radio stations, allowed Mr. Jamison to bring Pamela Ott on his Friday, talk show, and allowed her an hour of time to tell her side of the story. (see post: Ott taped interview and Here's your witness Jerry Brown) This blog authored by Jamison, preceeded the radio show...
As the Valley waits with baited breath, or yawns bored to tears, waiting to see what dastardly deed the Sun will uncover next within the Kern Valley Healthcare District, this weeks Talk Show may shed some light on whatever is happening.
While the freelance reporter, which the Sun is suddenly distancing themselves from, continues to dig through years and years of Healthcare District public records, perhaps searching for the elusive "smoking gun", the stories keep being pumped out by the Sun, devoid of objectivity and, in my opinion, misleading.
I guess the days of journalistic integrity and readers assuming "it must be true, I read it in the newspaper" are long gone.
So. where do we turn to for the truth? Disgruntled employees?, Politically motivated board members?, Someone who posts messages on a community internet forum urging hospital employees to abandon their patients, go out on "stress leave" and illegally file false workman's comp claims?
How about the only person with nothing left to loose, no reason left to worry about political correctness or what the foul mouthed freelance reporter writes about her?
Outgoing Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO, Pamela Ott, will be on the Talk Show this Friday morning at 9am for the full hour.
Bob Jamison The Talk Show
Send E-mail to The Talk Show
There were many of us scrambling to find a way to respond to this skewed radio show, but there were no real outlets here in the valley who weren't connected to the largest employer, the kern valley healthcare District.
In an effort to try and make this a more balanced broadcast, we wrote in desperation to the owner of the station and ambulance company, Anthony Bohn, hoping that he would be more rational about Mr. Jamison's plans.
However, that would not be the case, and Bohn, maybe because of Jamison's position on the board, or rumors that Bohn has no other engineer without Jamison, or maybe because it would get some ratings, the interview went ahead, and the transcript is on this blog for all to read. (Is QAB really proud of this interview with Ott? Do they have any idea that they allowed only a criminally charged CEO to speak and forgot about the listeners, the truth, and the best interests of the valley?)
But we tried several times to summon the owner to do the right thing and allow other information added to the one sided show. Here is the second communication which went through the blog site for the show:
Name: Laura Hart E-mail Address: hartofthekrv@msn.com City: Weldon, California
Comments:
Mr. Bohn; Here is the most recent blog of Mr. Jamison which I spoke of in a previous email.
I would like to ask the station the opportunity to provide equal time in regards to the Dam Talk show with Pamela Ott scheduled for this week. If you would please let me know if this is possible; and also let me again know what your policy is on this blog site.
I would be happy to supply you with information regarding this current situation and the likely cause of Mr. Jamison’s current need to strike out at the world in a rather incoherent and always misspelled way. Please email me or call me 378-3637. Laura Hart
We were basically laughed at as the power of the media was there's to do with what they wanted.
I find it hard to believe that Mr. Jamison is hypocritical enough to complain about the KVHD under fire! blog. LOL
Considering Mr. Jamison's blogging had absolutely no information, paperwork, evidence, only slanderous and defamatory blurbs and threats of lawsuits, I have a difficult time falling for his newly found, "victim role."
That is quite different from what is up on this site. As with the emails I am showing you now, and explaining the reasoning and rationale behind the circumstances which have occurred here in the valley which could quite honestly have lead to the closure of the only health services for this community.
And guess what? It still might.
Big DEBT, little SUPPORT
One more email for Senator Ashburn, as Jamison writes to me to convince me that the Senator who went to the state in an effort to help this hospital out from under a "super size me" Cal Mtg., OSHPD, KVHD board of directors, bond/insurance deal that went arry in 1986.
Oh, but there was more money and insurance for those monies, where that came from. 13 million, not enough: just throw in another 9 million in the cart and then they can finish the building, including the nursing center.
What? They couldn't finish the projects which are designed to pay for the bonds and expenses. What will they do? (where's the crystal ball?)
It was a call for bankruptcy
let's call it what it really is and was, a 40 plus million dollar debt from the office of Cal Mtg., a money maker inside of the Office of Statewide healthcare Planning and Development.
Yes, it's true, in 1999, Ashburn was contacted by the administrator as well as others concerned as to the debt that the hospital took on, and the failure to use that money in a way that it would be paid off in a timely manner, like before they bankrupt or get sued.
Ashburn did try to unite the people involved to bring about some relief for a hospital which made horrible financial decisions dating back to the mid 1980's, which I can probably say with some assurance, that those mistakes lead directly to the financial fiasco which cut staff to a minimum in the early 2000's, and residents of the nursing center paid the ultimate price.
But Jamison, goes about telling me about Ashburn, who is retiring from his political life, but once was quite interested in making sure the Kern Valley Healthcare District survived it's "mistakes in judgment," was in error even thinking about a bankruptcy option or even supporting a "bail out."
ASHBURN According to Bob Jamison
Hi Laura,
Thank you for calling into the program Friday morning. Hopefully your hard work will save someone from being suckered by these scam artists.
(had to break in here for an aside: which scam artists Mr. jamison, the one's you like and defend on your radio programs I forget?)
I was thinking about Senator Ashburn’s response to your questions. Throughout most of Ashburn’s life he has been on the extreme right of the political spectrum, and there has always been friction between himself and the more moderate wing of the Republican Party, especially Congressman Bill Thomas. In fact Ashburn has always believed that he should be Thomas’ replacement when he retired. The Republican Party has never giving Ashburn much in the way of support.
Remember I mentioned the custom Senate District that was created for him? His seat on the reapportionment committee was approved by the Democratic chair of the committee. Just prior to that Ashburn divorced, and ever since has acted differently to most who have known him. I may be wrong, but I’m guessing he has “unofficially” switched party’s. It sounds like the Democrats may be treating him a lot better than the Republicans.
Question is… why would an extreme right wing politician take such a bold step? Answer: A politician is all Ashburn has ever been. He’s never held another job. He went from Kern County Young Republican, to Supervisor, to undistinguished term limited Assemblyman, and was on his way to running for County assessor or something, which would effectively end his political future. He may have felt desperate enough to switch.
You might think I enjoy politics, as much as I talk about it, but actually I find the subject rather boring. I would much rather talk about something else.
Up Next: A retrospective on getting a job with QAB.
The evidence wasn't there for me yet, and I didn't know exactly what kind of people I was dealing with at the hospital, and I stepped into a pile of it in 2006, and found out the ugly way.
I had an interest in working with Mr. Jamison on the radio as I had become a regular caller, with local "scam" alerts (not very good at that was I?) on the talk show.
However, in our conversations about the show and my potential job, things began to get "twisted."
It will be the first time I've had to actually consider using a rating system, but I would prefer nobody under 18 read the blogs and emails coming up in the next story.
Here's an email sample from Jamison as to why I will be doing this:
Hi Laura,
Yesterday I saw an ad on TV for what appeared to be a porn website, and it reminded me, I haven't heard from Laura lately. So how was your Christmas & New Year? I didn't get what I wanted, but thats okay, its kind of like sex... the longer you have to wait, the better it is... Is that right? Its been so Iong I forget.
Understand now?
It was May of 2007, as Mr. Bob Jamison, radio talk show host and Kern Valley Healthcare District board member, took to his blog then went to the airwaves to seemingly protect the former CEO, Pamela Ott, now officially charged in the elder abuse case, brought about the state of California, Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Medical fraud and elder abuse.
Ott resigned in early May 2007, (see post: Oh, those prophetic words), and Jamison began utilizing the media he worked for to protect her reputation and to deliver the news that the "news" was untrue.
We now know the news was true, there were serious problems in the skilled nursing facility and the hospital. And these problems became more serious as the hospital and some zealous board members, began to try and twist the news, bury the past, hide the errors, without any concern for the public or the ethical implications of a board member using the radio for his own political purposes.
However, the message that there were serious problems, possibly a public safety issue, was being battled by two media outlets and one freelance reporter. While the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper opted to keep their advertising in April of 2007 with the hospital, which meant they would just quietly write around the problems; QAB media allowed a full on attack on those who disagreed or criticized anything done by the hospital administration.
Jamsion announces interveiw with Ott...the victim
QAB, the company which owns the radio stations, allowed Mr. Jamison to bring Pamela Ott on his Friday, talk show, and allowed her an hour of time to tell her side of the story. (see post: Ott taped interview and Here's your witness Jerry Brown) This blog authored by Jamison, preceeded the radio show...
As the Valley waits with baited breath, or yawns bored to tears, waiting to see what dastardly deed the Sun will uncover next within the Kern Valley Healthcare District, this weeks Talk Show may shed some light on whatever is happening.
While the freelance reporter, which the Sun is suddenly distancing themselves from, continues to dig through years and years of Healthcare District public records, perhaps searching for the elusive "smoking gun", the stories keep being pumped out by the Sun, devoid of objectivity and, in my opinion, misleading.
I guess the days of journalistic integrity and readers assuming "it must be true, I read it in the newspaper" are long gone.
So. where do we turn to for the truth? Disgruntled employees?, Politically motivated board members?, Someone who posts messages on a community internet forum urging hospital employees to abandon their patients, go out on "stress leave" and illegally file false workman's comp claims?
How about the only person with nothing left to loose, no reason left to worry about political correctness or what the foul mouthed freelance reporter writes about her?
Outgoing Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO, Pamela Ott, will be on the Talk Show this Friday morning at 9am for the full hour.
Bob Jamison The Talk Show
Send E-mail to The Talk Show
There were many of us scrambling to find a way to respond to this skewed radio show, but there were no real outlets here in the valley who weren't connected to the largest employer, the kern valley healthcare District.
In an effort to try and make this a more balanced broadcast, we wrote in desperation to the owner of the station and ambulance company, Anthony Bohn, hoping that he would be more rational about Mr. Jamison's plans.
However, that would not be the case, and Bohn, maybe because of Jamison's position on the board, or rumors that Bohn has no other engineer without Jamison, or maybe because it would get some ratings, the interview went ahead, and the transcript is on this blog for all to read. (Is QAB really proud of this interview with Ott? Do they have any idea that they allowed only a criminally charged CEO to speak and forgot about the listeners, the truth, and the best interests of the valley?)
But we tried several times to summon the owner to do the right thing and allow other information added to the one sided show. Here is the second communication which went through the blog site for the show:
Name: Laura Hart E-mail Address: hartofthekrv@msn.com City: Weldon, California
Comments:
Mr. Bohn; Here is the most recent blog of Mr. Jamison which I spoke of in a previous email.
I would like to ask the station the opportunity to provide equal time in regards to the Dam Talk show with Pamela Ott scheduled for this week. If you would please let me know if this is possible; and also let me again know what your policy is on this blog site.
I would be happy to supply you with information regarding this current situation and the likely cause of Mr. Jamison’s current need to strike out at the world in a rather incoherent and always misspelled way. Please email me or call me 378-3637. Laura Hart
We were basically laughed at as the power of the media was there's to do with what they wanted.
I find it hard to believe that Mr. Jamison is hypocritical enough to complain about the KVHD under fire! blog. LOL
Considering Mr. Jamison's blogging had absolutely no information, paperwork, evidence, only slanderous and defamatory blurbs and threats of lawsuits, I have a difficult time falling for his newly found, "victim role."
That is quite different from what is up on this site. As with the emails I am showing you now, and explaining the reasoning and rationale behind the circumstances which have occurred here in the valley which could quite honestly have lead to the closure of the only health services for this community.
And guess what? It still might.
Big DEBT, little SUPPORT
One more email for Senator Ashburn, as Jamison writes to me to convince me that the Senator who went to the state in an effort to help this hospital out from under a "super size me" Cal Mtg., OSHPD, KVHD board of directors, bond/insurance deal that went arry in 1986.
Oh, but there was more money and insurance for those monies, where that came from. 13 million, not enough: just throw in another 9 million in the cart and then they can finish the building, including the nursing center.
What? They couldn't finish the projects which are designed to pay for the bonds and expenses. What will they do? (where's the crystal ball?)
It was a call for bankruptcy
let's call it what it really is and was, a 40 plus million dollar debt from the office of Cal Mtg., a money maker inside of the Office of Statewide healthcare Planning and Development.
Yes, it's true, in 1999, Ashburn was contacted by the administrator as well as others concerned as to the debt that the hospital took on, and the failure to use that money in a way that it would be paid off in a timely manner, like before they bankrupt or get sued.
Ashburn did try to unite the people involved to bring about some relief for a hospital which made horrible financial decisions dating back to the mid 1980's, which I can probably say with some assurance, that those mistakes lead directly to the financial fiasco which cut staff to a minimum in the early 2000's, and residents of the nursing center paid the ultimate price.
But Jamison, goes about telling me about Ashburn, who is retiring from his political life, but once was quite interested in making sure the Kern Valley Healthcare District survived it's "mistakes in judgment," was in error even thinking about a bankruptcy option or even supporting a "bail out."
ASHBURN According to Bob Jamison
Hi Laura,
Thank you for calling into the program Friday morning. Hopefully your hard work will save someone from being suckered by these scam artists.
(had to break in here for an aside: which scam artists Mr. jamison, the one's you like and defend on your radio programs I forget?)
I was thinking about Senator Ashburn’s response to your questions. Throughout most of Ashburn’s life he has been on the extreme right of the political spectrum, and there has always been friction between himself and the more moderate wing of the Republican Party, especially Congressman Bill Thomas. In fact Ashburn has always believed that he should be Thomas’ replacement when he retired. The Republican Party has never giving Ashburn much in the way of support.
Remember I mentioned the custom Senate District that was created for him? His seat on the reapportionment committee was approved by the Democratic chair of the committee. Just prior to that Ashburn divorced, and ever since has acted differently to most who have known him. I may be wrong, but I’m guessing he has “unofficially” switched party’s. It sounds like the Democrats may be treating him a lot better than the Republicans.
Question is… why would an extreme right wing politician take such a bold step? Answer: A politician is all Ashburn has ever been. He’s never held another job. He went from Kern County Young Republican, to Supervisor, to undistinguished term limited Assemblyman, and was on his way to running for County assessor or something, which would effectively end his political future. He may have felt desperate enough to switch.
You might think I enjoy politics, as much as I talk about it, but actually I find the subject rather boring. I would much rather talk about something else.
Up Next: A retrospective on getting a job with QAB.
The evidence wasn't there for me yet, and I didn't know exactly what kind of people I was dealing with at the hospital, and I stepped into a pile of it in 2006, and found out the ugly way.
I had an interest in working with Mr. Jamison on the radio as I had become a regular caller, with local "scam" alerts (not very good at that was I?) on the talk show.
However, in our conversations about the show and my potential job, things began to get "twisted."
It will be the first time I've had to actually consider using a rating system, but I would prefer nobody under 18 read the blogs and emails coming up in the next story.
Here's an email sample from Jamison as to why I will be doing this:
Hi Laura,
Yesterday I saw an ad on TV for what appeared to be a porn website, and it reminded me, I haven't heard from Laura lately. So how was your Christmas & New Year? I didn't get what I wanted, but thats okay, its kind of like sex... the longer you have to wait, the better it is... Is that right? Its been so Iong I forget.
Understand now?
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