Sanchez ready to fight recall – SanBenito.com

The San Benito Health Care District has been under public scrutiny since declaring a “fiscal emergency” for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in November 2022. After filing for a now-dismissed Chapter 9 bankruptcy , heading to U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 2023 and exploring a private sale of the hospital, some voters accused the board of lacking transparency.

Several board seats are up for grabs in the November 2024 election — including Area 1 Director and Board President Jeri Hernandez — and residents and local officials have pointed to a possible reshuffling of the board. board of directors.

However, District 4 Board Director and Treasurer Josie Sanchez, whose term doesn’t run until 2026, is one of the targets for early removal. She is currently fending off a recall attempt led by local politician Rob Bernosky, who is vying for her seat.

Sanchez, who worked for 40 years as an administrative assistant at HHMH and has served on the district’s board for 10 years, said in an email to the Free Lance that her constituents recognize this and would support her if the effort to recall reaches the polls. .

“I have always, to the best of my ability, made decisions based on what I believe is best for the hospital and employees as well as what would keep health care available to our community,” he said. Sanchez said.

Sanchez was first elected to the SBHCD Board of Directors in 2014 and has been re-elected twice. She said public accusations against the current board are unfounded and there is nothing more that can be done to address concerns about pursuing a sale or partnership for the hospital.

“This process has been extremely transparent and I believe the board has done everything it can. We engaged the public, made all the documents available online and held a public meeting to explain the issues and what we felt we needed to do to best resolve the issues facing the organization,” Sanchez said. “Additionally, our leadership team has hosted countless employee forums to better educate and address questions and concerns.

The district council voted earlier this month to reject San Benito County’s proposal to create a joint authority to manage the hospital. Residents and local officials warned that the decision to pursue a lease-to-own option with Michigan-based Insight Foundation of America ultimately jeopardized HHMH. The loss of local control over the hospital has become a community concern.

As negotiations with Insight progress, Sanchez said the district council is doing what it needs to do for the hospital, but the public will ultimately have its say.

“We are evaluating what is best for Hazel Hawkins, but ultimately the community will decide. The Board has spent the last 18 months researching potential partners, gathering information and asking tough questions,” Sanchez said. “We are currently negotiating with a partner who has experience with hospitals like ours and has resources to invest in our community.”

The petition to recall Sánchez was filed in late May and his supporters will have until the end of August to obtain the signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot.

According to the San Benito County Deputy Clerk, the petition is expected to garner 25 percent of registered voters in Sanchez Health Zone 4. According to the latest data, there are 8,759 registered voters in this area, requiring the petition to collect 2,190 valid signatures.

Sanchez hopes his voters will thwart those efforts if they are brought to the polls.

“I have deep love and respect for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, including the many people who work on the front lines to serve the people of our community. It is because of my experience with the hospital, my respect for its employees and my belief in its vital role in our community that I decided to run for the board of directors in 2014,” said Sanchez .