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Three seats on the San Benito Health Care District board are up for election on Nov. 5. However, Zone 5 received only one candidate filing, so Dr. Nick Gabriel will continue as the representative for that zone starting in 2025. He was invited to submit answers to the questions sent to other candidates but did not do so by publication time. Health care district board seats are four-year terms.
Five candidates are vying for the other two seats for the board which governs Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. While Director Bill Johnson is fighting to keep his Zone 3 seat against newcomers Esther Perez and Richard Perez Sr. (no relation), Zone 1 will get a new representative in either Victoria Angelo or Stacie McGrady.
Zone 1
Victoria Angelo, 58, has been a registered nurse for 17 years. She has lived in Zone 1 for seven years. She has not held an elected position but says it’s important to strive to have what is best for the community.
BenitoLink: Why are you running for office?
Angelo: As a registered nurse with a deep understanding of hospital operations, I believe that I am uniquely qualified to run for this position. My extensive experience in health care has provided me with valuable insights into the complexities of hospital management, patient care and staff support. I believe that my experience as a registered nurse combined with my dedication to improving our hospital’s quality of care and financial stability, makes me a strong candidate for this position. Experience matters.
Which issues are most important to the health care district and how do you intend to handle them?
The issues that are most important to me are maintaining financial stability for the hospital and providing quality care for our community. I believe the best way to achieve these goals is by partnering with another health care system that would allow us to modernize and upgrade Hazel Hawkins. Why do the residents of our community have to travel outside of Hollister for orthopedics or cancer care? When services are available locally, residents can access them more easily and conveniently, reducing the need to travel long distances or rely on external resources. This not only saves time and money for the individuals, but also strengthens the overall resilience and sustainability of our community.
The current health care district board believes selling Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is the best option for keeping it open. Do you agree? Why do you agree, or disagree?
I do agree with the hospital board decision to sell Hazel Hawkins. It is important to recognize the need for modernization and improvements in our health care system, including updating equipment and ensuring seismic safety. While the decision to sell the hospital may be a difficult one, it may ultimately result in positive outcomes for the community by providing access to state of the art facilities and services.
Selling the hospital and partnering with a larger health care system may provide the opportunity to secure funding for necessary upgrades and renovations that would not be feasible through independent ownership. This would help ensure that Hazel Hawkins remains a vital resource for our community and is able to meet the evolving needs of patients now and in the future. Change can be challenging, but it is important to prioritize the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of health care services in our community.
If voters reject the proposed transaction with Insight Health Foundation of California, what options would you pursue to improve the hospital’s finances, if elected?
If the voters choose to not approve the lease purchase with Insight Health Foundation, we would need to figure out a way to continue to operate the hospital with limited funds and also without increasing taxes or decreasing staff wages and benefits. I am not in support of county oversight or a joint powers authority. These two options would only do one thing and that would be to increase the burden on our community through bonds, loans and lines of credit! That only means one thing and that’s more taxes! Local government is not capable of running a complex hospital system and should focus on funding our fire department, our sheriff’s department and fixing our roads.
If voters approve the lease-purchase option, what will be the district’s role in ensuring that Insight delivers on its promises to the community?
If the lease purchase option is approved, it would be the board’s responsibility to ensure that Insight follows through on all of the covenants they have agreed to, such as maintaining all current services and maintaining staff wages and benefits at their current level. The lease is a binding contract that the board would be responsible for enforcing.
What qualifications do you have that would enable you to lead Hazel Hawkins out of its financial troubles?
I completely understand the challenges and sacrifices that hospital staff face on a daily basis, as I have spent 17 years working at the bedside as a registered nurse. I am deeply committed to advocating for the needs of all hospital staff as I recognize the vital role they play in providing quality care, and ensuring the efficient operation of the hospital. My background with hospital administration has equipped me with an understanding of hospital operations and daily expenses. As a successful business owner I bring a strategic approach to managing resources and driving toward effective solutions. I am deeply invested in our community and I’m committed to transparency, accountability and integrity in all of my endeavors, and I pledge to always prioritize the needs of our community above all else. I am confident that with my experience, dedication and passion for health care, I can make a meaningful difference as an elected official. Thank you for considering me a candidate and I look forward to earning your support.
Stacie A. McGrady, 59, is a retired detective sergeant for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department. She currently teaches recruits at the police academy through Gavilan and Monterey Peninsula colleges and works in the executive protection security industry. She has lived in the community for 24 years and has not held an elected position before. McGrady previously ran for the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
BenitoLink: Why are you running for office?
McGrady: A career in law enforcement is driven by a desire to care for and protect the community. Those values don’t disappear upon retirement. Both my husband and I are committed to San Benito County. This is our forever home where we have raised our families and enjoy the opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones.
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is a critical aspect of the quality of life we offer our community. Without a fully functioning hospital, fewer people will choose to make San Benito County their permanent home. This will affect our local economy, property values and revenue generated to support essential services such as law enforcement, the fire department and critical infrastructure.
Even more important, though, is the timely access to lifesaving medical care and follow-up support.
A rural county of over 1,300 square miles, San Benito County is the 35th largest county in the state. It is also one of the fastest growing counties in California. It is easy to recognize the potential our hospital has for similar growth, to meet the needs of our expansive and diverse community.
I have closely followed the “financial crisis” reported by the San Benito Health Care District two years ago. I have attended regular and special meetings of the hospital’s board of directors in person and by Zoom. I have attended the County Board of Supervisor meetings, and the informational town hall event regarding the hospital and the proposed Joint Powers Agreement. Additionally, I have attended weekly community meetings hosted by concerned residents regarding the hospital. Those community meetings have included interviews with current and past hospital CEO’s, board members, doctors, nurses and health care industry specialists. I have followed the board’s unsuccessful attempt at bankruptcy filing and the ongoing insistence that we must sell our community-owned district hospital.
Which issues are most important to the health care district and how do you intend to handle them?
There are a number of very significant issues facing our hospital, most of them requiring the wisdom and knowledge derived from experts in the field. Unfortunately our current board does not possess that wisdom, or the willingness, to seek or listen to the information that is available to them.
The “fiscal crisis” that was launched on our community without any prior warning two years ago has created absolute chaos. Health care workers who are longtime members of our community, have left Hazel Hawkins to seek permanent employment elsewhere, needing stability for their families. To say it has been challenging to recruit and retain qualified doctors, nurses and specialists to come to Hollister in these turbulent times would be an understatement.
A majority of our community members do not seek their health care locally. Many doctors are forced to send their patients out of the area for necessary care that is not available at Hazel Hawkins. Our own local city, county and school employees must pay a higher deductible if they seek care at their local hospital, forcing them to leave the area.
Hazel Hawkins must have a vision, and a plan, to meet the needs of all of our community! Senior citizens are the fastest growing segment of our population, and frequently need more health care services. There are two skilled nursing facilities available through Hazel Hawkins, and both are at or near capacity. Patients are often transferred to out of the area facilities. Deferred maintenance, HVAC issues and a flooding event have caused both facilities to be in need of investment.
Finally, the biggest issue facing the health care district is the lack of trust, transparency and good governance by the current board.
Hazel Hawkins has its own negative reputation to rehabilitate. The implementation of a new board, with bold leadership, clear vision and the goal of making Hazel an absolutely first-rate hospital, dedicated to serving our entire community first, is my priority. We must make better use of our resources, rebuild relationships and aggressively seek agreements with insurance providers.
We have the ability to recruit and retain Harvard- and Yale-trained health care specialists, bringing expert skill sets to our facility. We must expand the emergency department to be a trauma center, reducing the number of patients that are transported to other facilities. Hazel Hawkins has the opportunity to be a teaching facility, bringing a residency program to our facilities. Eventually the hospital needs to move away from the Critical Access Hospital designation, which limits the hospital to less than 25 beds. Ultimately we must have stability to thrive, and to recognize that the “cash crisis” facing the hospital does not equate to bankruptcy or selling out to a corporation from Flint, Michigan.
The current health care district board believes selling Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is the best option for keeping it open. Do you agree? Why do you agree, or disagree?
I strongly disagree with the current plan by the district board to sell the hospital and property assets. Right now, we are expected to approve a sale contract without knowing or understanding the details of that contract. Selling the hospital will cause the permanent loss of these assets, to an outside corporation that has their interest as the first priority, not San Benito County.
The County Board of Supervisors are united in their efforts to keep Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital locally owned and managed. Ninety-two percent of the doctors polled do not support the sale of the Hazel Hawkins to Insight. Both of the hospital nurses unions have opposed the sale of the hospital. The bankruptcy court did not find sufficient cause to rule for bankruptcy protection. Necessary and long overdue improvements in billing and other changes have resulted in a positive cash flow with increased cash on hand.
Despite all of this, for reasons that remain unclear, the district board continues to insist on selling the hospital, at a discounted rate, to a corporation unfamiliar with rural hospitals and with a poor performance record.
If voters reject the proposed transaction with Insight Health Foundation of California, what options would you pursue to improve the hospital’s finances, if elected?
The only way to keep our options open to us is to vote NO on Measure X and reject the proposed sale. With a new board in place, we are secure to explore all of the options available. The county has proposed a well-constructed joint powers agreement that would help to insure long-term stability to the hospital. ECG, a hospital consulting firm, has reviewed the evidence and created a very feasible business plan for the hospital. Ovation Healthcare, a provider of shared services to improve hospital and system performance, has expressed a clear interest in working with Hazel Hawkins, without taking over ownership. Ovation Healthcare, and others, also provide leadership and board advisement, strategic goal setting, market positioning and access to capital.
I intend to reach out to local foundations and develop relationships to support our local, public hospital. For example, the 49ers Foundation in Santa Clara supports philanthropic partnerships with underserved Bay Area communities. Many employees at Levi’s Stadium and the city of Santa Clara are Hollister residents. Jeff Bezos and Amazon have committed billions in community grants and philanthropic efforts. With two new Amazon facilities in our county, employing hundreds of local residents, it makes sense to create partnerships with these and other community-minded organizations.
If voters approve the lease-purchase option, what will be the district’s role in ensuring that Insight delivers on its promises to the community?
The sale of the hospital, and the hospital’s assets, will leave the district in a precarious role. The district will still be responsible for significant debts incurred by the hospital. These debts include, but are not restricted to, unfunded liabilities in the way of employee pensions. Additionally, the district will have little input as to the management, priorities, vision or values that Insight may choose, outside of any contractual agreements. This district must take an assertive role to ensure that all contractual agreements are adhered to, and continue to push for the best interests of the community.
What qualifications do you have that would enable you to lead Hazel Hawkins out of its financial troubles?
Health care management is complicated, challenging and multifaceted. There are governmental rules, regulatory agencies, public and private insurance providers, union contracts and the needs of the community. I have spent the last two years closely observing the financial status, decision-making, and actions of the current district board.
The qualifications I bring to the health care district board are those of practiced leadership, bold decisions and the highest ethical standards. My skills include coordinating complex, sensitive investigations, managing critical incidents and mentoring future leaders. Multiple terms on the San Benito County Civil Grand Jury have given me familiarity with the systems of governance to recognize opportunities and build collaborative relationships. I look forward to moving beyond what is familiar, and challenging the status quo. As a practice, I will embrace uncertainty, question existing practices and lean into difficult decisions.
True leadership demands honesty, integrity and transparency. It is the ability to bring all teams to the table and develop the best in each of us. Leadership requires us to have hard conversations, and as Brené Brown teaches us, “Clear is kind, and unclear is unkind.” Let’s be kind. It’s what we deserve.
Zone 3
Bill Johnson, 72, is a retired teacher. He ran unopposed for his San Benito Health Care District Board seat in 2020. He has lived in the community his entire life.
BenitoLink: Why are you running for office?
Johnson: To promote excellence at Hazel Hawkins Hospital. To see improvements in services offered. To see financial stability return to the district.
Which issues are most important to the health care district and how do you intend to handle them?
Maintaining and improving the care offered to the residents of San Benito County. Establishing financial security. This requires increasing revenue (by increasing physicians and facilities). The hospital board must be involved with physician recruitment and upgrading infrastructure such as electronic medical records, modern diagnostic equipment, upgrading services in cardiology, oncology, etc.
The current health care district board believes selling Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is the best option for keeping it open. Do you agree? Why do you agree, or disagree?
It is not a simple answer as to sell or keep. State and federal funding makes reimbursement difficult. To recapture many of our residents that seek medical care outside the district we need competent providers and convenient services. Providers and services require large sums of capital outlay (money). Seeking partnerships with larger organizations is one way to obtain this capital.
If voters reject the proposed transaction with Insight Health Foundation of California, what options would you pursue to improve the hospital’s finances, if elected?
There are other options available. Finding a suitable partner is difficult. Many hospitals in California and across the U.S. are in financial trouble. Although closing the hospital is a possibility and we have seen this locally in Watsonville and Madera, I believe we will prevent this from happening. It cannot be an option.
If voters approve the lease-purchase option, what will be the district’s role in ensuring that Insight delivers on its promises to the community?
First, the hospital board has to continue vetting the buyer. The passage of the ballot measure only gives voter approval for the sale. If terms were unacceptable there would be changes or the sale would not take place. Covenants that the current board has decided on are the first step in ensuring the hospital and the patients would be in a better position than they were before.
What qualifications do you have that would enable you to lead Hazel Hawkins out of its financial troubles?
I have been a lifelong resident of San Benito County. I was born at Hazel Hawkins Hospital. My mother was a nurse at the hospital and was director of the Southside Convalescent Hospital. My children and grandchildren were born here. The financial problems that the hospital is currently dealing with are important and will be solved, but making sure our hospital continues to be here to serve the residents is a more important issue. We need to not only maintain the services offered by the hospital, but increase and improve upon them. We need local cancer treatments, up-to-date diabetes treatment, an improvement in mental health services to name but a few. I look forward to being involved with these changes.
Esther Perez, 57, is a retired caregiver. She has lived in the district for 15 years and in the community for 50 years. She has not held public office.
BenitoLink: Why are you running for office?
Perez: I am running for the hospital board because I care about the people in my community, and I want to be their voice. I do not want Hazel’s hospital to be sold. If it is sold there is a great possibility that it may shut down.
Which issues are most important to the health care district and how do you intend to handle them?
There are many challenges that the Health Care District is facing. Primarily a significant financial strain; an aging infrastructure, the high cost of Health Care due to inflation, low patient volumes, uninsured patients and a shortage of medical providers.
These issues can be resolved by new leadership without special interest.
The current health care district board believes selling Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is the best option for keeping it open. Do you agree? Why do you agree, or disagree?
Selling the hospital to a real estate company that buys distressed hospitals for profit is not the answer. It will be a private sale and privately owned. (They bought Mercy Hospital in Chicago for $1.) The level of health care would critically diminish, employee pensions will be lost, and the $23 million bond will be in default. The hospital belongs to the taxpayer so it should stay publicly owned.
If voters reject the proposed transaction with Insight Health Foundation of California, what options would you pursue to improve the hospital’s finances, if elected?
Hire trauma doctors to keep patients local. Trauma patients are flown out of the county. Hire experts to audit the budget and expenses. Cut back on unnecessary spending and evaluate the job performance of all employees.
If voters approve the lease-purchase option, what will be the district’s role in ensuring that Insight delivers on its promises to the community?
Insight bought the Sisters of Mercy Hospital and opened the emergency room after one year. They did not open the obstetrics or a maternity ward. Once the hospital is sold there is a possibility it can shut down permanently. The people in San Benito County need to keep our hospital open. There is no guarantee that Insight will deliver on their promises. Vote no on X.
What qualifications do you have that would enable you to lead Hazel Hawkins out of its financial troubles?
I have lived in San Benito County for over 50 years. I have attended their board meetings for almost two years, and I have lived in District 3 for 15 years. I am very well aware of the issues at hand and would like to be a part of the solution.
Richard Perez Sr., 55, is a retired engineer and small business owner. He has lived in the community for 24 years. Though he has not held an elected office, he ran for the San Benito County Board of Supervisors in the 2018 primary election and for the Gavilan Joint Community College District in the 2018 general election.
BenitoLink: Why are you running for office?
Perez Sr. I want to help my community improve and receive the highest quality of care Hazel Hawkins can provide.
Which issues are most important to the health care district, and how do you intend to handle them?
The cost and care of the hospital are two of the most critical issues facing San Benito County residents. I want the hospital to remain available to our community by keeping it profitable by constantly improving services and attracting talented physicians who practice medicine locally and do not refer their patients to other hospitals.
The current health care district board believes selling Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is the best option for keeping it open. Do you agree? Why do you agree or disagree?
No, I have to disagree that selling a valuable community hospital is in the public’s best interest. After researching Insight and their proposal, I found they are not obligated to keep services open. They have a very poor or no record of running a rural hospital. I believe their motivation lies in profiteering from the sale by acquiring licensing and assets for pennies on the dollar. The lease to purchase at today’s rate is also a huge red flag. They could offer it to a third party without public input if they decide to buy it. I also believe they will use antitrust tactics to bypass collective bargaining agreements to replace locals with outside contractors at lower wages.
If voters reject the proposed transaction with Insight Health Foundation of California, what options would you pursue to improve the hospital’s finances, if elected?
A financial forensic audit and review of current management positions should be conducted to see if the numbers can be validated. The hospital currently has a profit of $15 million and ratified the collective bargaining agreement with the nurses union. That is a far cry from being bankrupt just three months ago.
If voters approve the lease-purchase option, what will be the district’s role in ensuring that Insight delivers on its promises to the community?
If the voters approve the lease-to-own option, the board’s role becomes diligent oversight, ensuring that every aspect of contractual obligations is met within a reasonable period. The board must develop a comprehensive metric reporting system to handle any underperforming contract element expeditiously.
What qualifications do you have that would enable you to lead Hazel Hawkins out of its financial troubles?
My 30 years in telecommunications engineering deployment for government contracts have prepared me to meet any project performance metric within a large budget. The hospital as an entity is no different. Issues and obstacles are part of the job. My ability to apply strategic planning and implement a decisive decision-making process makes me confident in looking at the numbers and making informed decisions, not personal alliances.
Editor’s Note: On Sept. 28 five candidates attended BenitoLink’s election forum. See video of panel discussion below.
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