Thursday, October 27, 2005

Palomar Medical Center - The Lost is Found!

The Palomar Medical Center (PMC) in Escondido is a fine hospital facility with over one-half of its buildings being less than 20 years old. Unfortunately, the Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) district "lost" about one-fourth of the hospital space at PMC, totaling about 100,000 square feet. Even worse, the "lost" hospital space was less that 20 years old. As described in more detail in the blog entry dated July, 8, 2005, the PPH Facilities Master Plan lists PMC as having only 282,000 square feet, with 190,000 square feet needing seismic upgrades. See link to page 1-9 below:
http://members.cox.net/4robroy/escondido/PPH-FMPp1-9f.PDF

These incorrect numbers were repeated in a Request for 5 Year Extension made to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) on September 10, 2004. "The three older building that predate 1973 are nonconforming with SB1953 and require structural retrofit by 2008. The buildings house 75% (247-beds) of the 324-bed hospital total and occupy 190,000 square feet (nearly 67%) of the total hospital building area of 282,000 square feet." Quoted from page 13.

In a recent meeting of the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Proposition BB, Mr. Michael Shanahan of PPH presented a 1-hour Executive Summary of the PPH Facilities Master Plan. The summary included a slide presentation with one slide about new and existing hospital space at the different hospital sites.

A magnified view of the slide shows that the existing hospital space at PMC totals about 370,000 square feet! PMC is a fine hospital facility with about 50% of the building space being less than 20 years old. PPH has not provided an explanation on how a mistake this big was made in the Facilities Master Plan. It is difficult to make a good decision using bad information.

A small amount of new contruction is proposed to expand the hospital space at PMC to 390,000 square feet. PPH should reconsider its decisions for dismantling PMC as an acute care hospital because the error in the Facilities Master Plan grossly understated the amount of hospital space at PMC that conforms with the seismic regulations of state law.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

PPH Agendas, Minutes & Support Documents

Public access, through the internet, is now available to an "unofficial" collection of Agendas, Minutes & Support Documents for the Board and Committees of PPH. Go to http://civics.robroy.cc/ph.html

After March 2005, Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) quit posting the Agendas for its Board meetings on its website.

PPH is a public hospital district and operates under California's open meeting requirements for a local government district. Meeting notices must be posted and sent in a timely manner. Unfortunately, posting of meeting notices on the Internet is not required.

Also, the PPH Board of Directors has been using "Special Meetings" in a manner that makes it difficult for a member of the public, who is not part of a newspaper organization, to learn of and to attend the special board meetings. Special meetings only require 24 hour notice to media organizations, but not to members of the public.

I believe that PPH should post its Agendas, Minutes and Support materials on its web site. Further, PPH should provide at least 3 days notice to the public for any meeting related to the use of Proposition BB funds (even for special meetings). Also, PPH should maintain an email list for providing advance notice to persons wishing to be informed of meetings related to the PPH facilities expansion and the use of Proposition BB funds.

The City of Escondido provides internet access to its Agendas, Minutes and video of its meetings. The City of Oceanside will be doing even better. It will provide email notification and will also provide internet access to support materials. See article at: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/29/
news/coastal/oceanside/21_16_589_28_05.txt

Friday, October 14, 2005

Covert Operations and A Savvy Developer

Michael H. Covert should think about resigning for entering into a contract that gives JRM-ERTC total control over Escondido's healthcare future.

James R. McCann and JRM-ERTC should immediately renounce all rights granted under paragraph 4.2.6 of an Agreement signed March 18, 2005, by Michael H. Covert of the Palomar Pomerado Health District and by James R. McCann of JRM-ERTC (apparently a joint venture of JRM Holdings Inc. and Sempra Energy Resources).

A Covert Operation to favor JRM-ERTC with a hidden no-bid contract to construct buildings at the ERTC hospital site was uncovered in early September. The right to demand the hidden no-bid contract is in paragraph 4.2.6 of the Agreement. See entry of Friday, September 02, 2005.

This paragraph is interpreted to grant JRM-ERTC total control over the question of whether the new hospital will be built in Escondido since PPH refuses to build the new hospital anywhere in Escondido except on the JRM-ERTC property.

The uncovered no-bid contract has been under "negotiations" since March 18. In 7 months, JRM-ERTC and PPH have been unable to arrive at mutually acceptable terms for the uncovered no-bid contract!

The uncovered no-bid contract was initially due April 17, 2005.

After being uncovered, PPH made up a new "deadline" of October 14, 2005. A correction published in the NCTimes on September 9, 2005, reporting the "deadline" is at the following link:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/09/
news/inland/escondido/23_55_079_8_05.txt


On October 13, the day before the "deadline" -- a new "deadline" was announced:

"Palomar Pomerado Health and Escondido developer JRMC Real Estate have extended a deadline for discussions about the 300,000 square feet of medical office space that would accompany the district's new hospital."
. . .
"The deadline for those negotiations had been set for today. However, the district announced Thursday that the two parties mutually agreed to extend the deadline until Nov. 18."
. . .
"Failure to reach a development deal could allow JRMC to back out of the purchase agreement."
See the full report in the NC Times at:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/10/14/
news/inland/poway/22_32_2810_13_05.txt


The uncovered no-bid contract is in addition to the $28.08 million ($1 million per net acre) to be paid to JRM-ERTC.

JRM-ERTC should not be allowed to "double dip" on the sale of the ERTC property.

"'If the hospital goes (to the park), there's going to be a huge demand for hospital-related business space nearby,' Morera said. 'It would be a coup for the developer (JRMC) to sell the land for a profit and make a profit developing medical offices on the site. It's pretty savvy.'"
See the full report in the NC Times at:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/07/
news/inland/21_56_079_6_05.txt


Michael H. Covert and his operations continue to make bone-headed mistakes. A novice administrator could have easily understood that granting to JRM-ERTC the right to demand the no-bid contract placed in jeopardy PPH's ability to provide for the healthcare needs of Escondido.

The taxpayers, who are paying for the hospital expansion, do not deserve to be subjected to a "savvy" developer's coup.

Michael H. Covert should think about resigning!

James R. McCann and JRM-ERTC should renounce the right to subject the taxpayers to a "savvy" developer's coup!

Friday, October 07, 2005

PPH Meetings and Operations in Mid-October

PPH will have some interesting activities and meetings related to the hospital expansion over the next several weeks.

On Monday, October 10, the PPH Facilities and Grounds Committee will meet at 1:30-3 pm. Agenda items of interest include #4 - CEQA Finding for New Site. CEQA stands for California Environmental Quality Act. The meeting will be held at the PPH Corporate Office, 15525 Innovation Dr., Conference Room A. This meeting was originally scheduled for September 19 at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

On Tuesday, October 11, the 30-day public review and comment period ends for expansion at the Pomerado Hospital site. The article at the following link provides more information.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/10/07/
news/inland/21_21_5510_6_05.txt


As reported in the North County Times, the "district's contract with JRMC requires hospital officials to negotiate a deal by Oct. 14 that would let McCann's company build up to 300,000 square feet of office space and parking around the new hospital." Link to article:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/13/
news/inland/escondido/91205223518.txt


Note that it was PPH that set October 14 as the deadline. "Correction: Wrong deadline in PPH story. An article that ran Wednesday [Sept. 7] about a pending development agreement between Palomar Pomerado Health and JRMC Real Estate incorrectly stated the time line of those negotiations. The two parties have a deadline of Oct. 14 to reach an agreement on building a medical complex in the Escondido Research and Technology Center, hospital officials said. We apologize." Links to articles:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/09/
news/inland/escondido/23_55_079_8_05.txt
and
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/07/
news/inland/21_56_079_6_05.txt


On October 17, the PPH Board will hold a rescheduled regular meeting (the original meeting date was October 10). At that meeting, Mr. Covert will provide an update to the Board on the progress of negotiations with City of Escondido on infrastructure improvements for the ERTC site, and on the downtown site redevelopment plan, and on the results of negotiations with JRM-ERTC on the developer participation agreement for 300,000 sq. ft. of medical office buildings at the ERTC site.

"And in what they called an effort to keep their options open, the [PPH] board decided to continue discussions with the owner of an 80-acre site in neighboring San Marcos, in case the Escondido land cannot be used or negotiations with the city fall through." Link to article:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08/31/
news/inland/21_05_218_30_05.txt


PPH has refused to comment on whether PPH will move to San Marcos if the negotiations fall through with JRM-ERTC.

On October 19, Mr. Covert will be in San Marcos. As reported in Today's Local News, Sunday, 10/02/2005, page A-4 under Briefs:
"Hospital executive speaks at luncheon
SAN MARCOS - Michael Covert, president and chief executive officer of Palomar Pomerado Health, will speak about health care in North County Oct. 19. The San Marcos Economic Development Corporation is hosting the lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the San Marcos Community Center dining room, One Civic Center Drive. Covert will speak about health care needs in North County and how those needs are changing as the population grows. The cost is $10. Those who want to attend must register by Oct. 14 by calling Sarah, (760) 750-4700. - Angela Holman"

Of course, keep an eye out for any special meetings at PPH that may pop up over the next few weeks.