Dueling Agendas in Store — Again — for Wednesday Tulare Hospital Board Meeting

Senovia Gutierrez will, if all goes according to plan, officially be declared a board member at the Tulare Local Healthcare District’s September 27 meeting.

It’s everything after that point that’s unclear.

That’s because, as with the district’s prior meeting, two competing agendas have been released.

One was released by Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) and posted on the hospital’s website, which the company controls, at 3:33pm on 24 September.. Another was sent by Kevin Northcraft, voted board president by Mike Jamaica and Senovia Gutierrez, to the local press at 2:50pm the same day.

Both agendas include items that would declare Gutierrez a board member some two months after her election.

HCCA’s agenda includes items for the election of board officers, Medical Executive Committee policy approvals, a quarterly financial update and a Fiscal Year 2018 budget presentation.

Northcraft’s includes a ratification of votes taken at prior board meetings by Jamaica, Gutierrez, and Northcraft, including the rescission of board resolutions that allowed HCCA to seek loans, appointment of new legal representation, and changes of time and venue for board meetings.

Northcraft’s agenda also includes a request for a special meeting on Wednesday, October 4 to interview board member candidates to replace Linda Wilbourn, and a request for a report from HCCA on any third parties who claim to be owed money.

Regardless of which agenda is followed, the meeting will take place on September 27 at Evolutions, 1425 E. Prosperity Ave, Tulare, at 4pm.

In Depth: Tulare Regional Medical Center

10 thoughts on “Dueling Agendas in Store — Again — for Wednesday Tulare Hospital Board Meeting

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  1. Interesting. Since only the Board can set the agenda, I wonder where HCCA got one. Sounds like the tail trying to wag the dog.

    • Just who, exactly, at HCCA makes up and distributes the agenda, and why are they taking it upon themselves to do so? By what and whoes authority?

      • To understand you have to read the contract the former board signed with HCCA. You will understand why those that have read it call it “the worst hospital management contract in the history of public hospitals”. The fact that 5 citizens of our community voluntarily gave all control and power of our hospital district to a company that did not exist prior to signing the contract, had no experience in hospital management, and pay them 10 times the market rate is beyond comprehension and. The contract supersedes any conflict between the contract and the bylaws. That’s the amazing thing about the citizens that stepped forward after reading the contract to liberate our hospital. They looked at an almost impossible situation and got the word out and change is happening and soon accountability and transparency will return to OUR hospital district.

        • The current board always provides their agenda to HCCA before the publication deadline and HCCA always chooses to ignore it…they create the dueling agenda scenario.

          • Chris, Also prior to Senovia’s election the majority of board members (Kumar, Wilbourn, Torrez) were all puppets controlled by Benzeevi. I’m sure they accepted any Agenda Benny presented them with. (Not to mention how they fell in line to approve all of his requests. Did they ever say “No” to anything he asked for? smh)

            Chris I know you know these things, I just mention them to inform anyone who hasn’t been following this closely until recently.

        • To refresh everyone’s memory, those 5 citizens who signed the contract are, Parmod Kumar MD, Sherrie Bell, Richard Torrez, Laura Gadke, and Rosalinda Avitia. AKA the Benzeevi Five.

          • Thank you Lisa for this important reminder. These 5 have done , perhaps , irreparable damage to the community. In addition to the hospital, the careers of many of the community physicians whose practice depends on a functioning hospital, have been severely damaged. Is it not reasonable to boycott the businesses of these 5, especially Kumar and Torres, as we would boycott anyone who hurts our community? Have they not, by their own actions, forfeited there “citizenship” in our community?

  2. Thank you to all the folks, especially the 3 Board members, who are trying to salvage what is left of our hospital. I love the new web site by the way. Keep up the great work.

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