UPFRONT Supes for the Healthcare District soul County offers to hold peace talks between MHD and Sutter... BY
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arin Supervisors acknowledged the importance of Marin General Hospital when they voted unanimously to offer the Marin Healthcare District the county’s support in facilitating talks with Sutter Health, which will return control of the hospital to the district by mid-2010. The healthcare district board, on a 4-1 vote, accepted the offer. Board member Archimedes Ramirez was the lone dissenter, although he backs the move to wrest control of Marin General from Sutter Health, a battle that has lasted more than two decades. When Sutter agreed to return the hospital, which it has leased, to the healthcare district, the deal was complicated, to say the least. And it involved a court-mediated settlement that both the healthcare district and Sutter must not abrogate. But both parties might gain from talks to adjust that final agreement, say those who support trying to reopen communication, which has been strained for many years. “There’s potential in talking, and we ought to see what we can do,” says Sharon Jackson, the district board’s chairwoman. “It’s a sensible position.” Currently, if either the district or Sutter approaches the other side and proposes changes that the other views as unacceptable, the issue could end up back in court for renewed adjudication, says Jackson. “The county is offering to facilitate conversation,” she adds. “The
terms of the settlement are clear: Neither party can do anything that undermines the terms as they are stated.” One of those terms concerns exactly when Sutter will return control of the hospital to the district. Under the agreement, Sutter can return the hospital at anytime until a mid-2010 drop-dead date. But, says Jackson, “There’s nothing magical about 2010. It was just a date that we picked [as the outside date] in the initial negotiations.” Those who favor slowing the pace of the transition say adding more time to the transition period might result in a healthier hospital when the transition is complete. No one has suggested that the district turn its back on the essential elements of the transition agreement. But the extra time would be valuable, says Jackson. The district must comply with state seismic regulations, which will necessitate either building a new wing at the hospital or relocating all or part of the facility. The state regulations must be met by 2013, unless the district can qualify for a hardship, in which case the deadline could be pushed back to 2020. Qualifying for a hardship extension is an uncertain prospect. It was the seismic requirements that triggered the transition of the hospital back to the district. Sutter said it would pay for the seismic work if the district extended its lease for what critics called “in perpetuity”; in other words, a long time. When the district > 14
Newsgrams Migden fined $350K Already facing heat from two challengers in the upcoming Democratic primar y, state Senator Carole Migden has been hit with $350,000 in fines by a state commission. The penalty, the largest ever levied against a candidate for state of fice, is for numerous violations stemming from the misuse of campaign funds. An investigation into Migden’s financial af fairs was launched by the California Fair Political Practices Commission last year after Assemblyman Mark Leno filed a complaint. Leno, along with former Marin legislator Joe Nation, is tr ying to oust Migden in the June primar y. Polls show the three running in a tight race. Migden has represented California’s 3rd District, which covers San Francisco, Marin and par ts of Sonoma County, since 2004. This isn’t the first time Migden has been penalized by the commission—last year she was fined over $90,000 for campaign finance violations.
Branson takes state Students, faculty and alumni at Ross’s Branson School are still cheering for their recent double whammy—both the boys and girls basketball teams took home trophies at the Division V state championships in Sacramento last week. It was the second consecutive title for the girls and the third for the boys. Until last year, no Marin high school had won two state titles in the same season since 1982; Branson, a tiny private school of less than 300 students, has now accomplished that feat twice in a row. The boys’ game, in which Branson’s stifling defense sparked a 40-33 victor y, had a bittersweet aftertaste—it was the final contest for popular coach Jonas Honick. Honick, who will continue to teach histor y, has been guiding the Bulls for 27 seasons, amassing 628 wins.
Novato cuts loom With nearly 100 Novato teachers and district employees set to receive layoff notices in a harsh round of budget cuts, students from Novato and San Marin high schools staged a protest calling on the governor to spare the schools. Waving signs with slogans like “No Child Left a Dime” and “If you give us pink slips, we’ll be blue,” the kids marched from Novato High’s Ar thur Street campus to the district of fice, followed by police and administrators. The Novato district, the largest in the county, is looking to slash some $9 million of f its budget over the next three years, par t of a $4.8 billion takeaway from California schools proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger to deal with a ballooning state deficit. A second rally is scheduled for 3pm March 24 at Novato High. County Superintendent of Schools Mar y Jane Burke, Super visor Judy Arnold and Mayor Pat Eklund are all set to speak. > 15 12 PACIFIC SUN MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2008