Candidate for
Director; Kern Valley Health Care District; 4 Year Term

It is vital that the Kern Valley Healthcare District be returned to financial stability, not only to insure the health of our community, but its general since of well being. The residents of the Kern River Valley should feel confident that the Kern Valley Healthcare District Board of Trustees are exactly that, leaders who can be trusted to always act in the best interest of the Kern River Valley, and its needs. In the time I have lived in our valley, I have watched as one C.E.O. after another have come and gone, each with his or her own set of problems. It is time to put the people of the past, and their problems, behind us.

If elected, I will demand adherence to sound fiscal policy, and work toward unity between the Healthcare District and our Community. This can only happen when everyone understands that every time a patient is needlessly shipped out of the Kern River Valley, everyone looses.

The patients, thier families, thier local doctor, the healthcare district, the hospital employees, our local economy. Our local hospital can no longer be thought of, as if it we're a 7/11 store where you pick up a few snacks to stabilize yourself for the trip down the canyon to another hospital, so then you can wait in another hospitals emergency room for hours, and sometimes even days, until they can find you a bed, while all along our Local Kern Valley Hospital has empty beds, and is equipped to handle your problem in the first place.

Isn't it about time for a little applied common sense?

Some would have you beleave that our hospital is in danger of closing its doors at any moment, and the only way to save it is to file for re-organization, under protection of the bankruptcy laws, and yet according to the districts financial statements since the last change in administration the district has managed to reduce a projected 3.3 million dollar loss for fiscal year 1999-2000 to less than 2.2 million. Yes, it's still a loss, but not a bad as it would have been without the change in administration. Since the administrative change, according to the latest balance sheet (Sept. 2000) the hospital district has reduced its bond indebtedness by nearly 2 million dollars to $16,935,285

Clearly the Kern Valley Healthcare District, like most hospitals, is deeply in debt. It is also clear the district it's management and employees are working hard, and are moving in the RIGHT direction. The road ahead will be a long and sometimes difficult one, but at last there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Turning back to the past, which created the mess in the first place, would truely be a tragidy. It's time to put the past behind us, elect a fresh new Board of Directors, and dont look back.

The future is where positive change will come, and I respectfully ask for your vote so I can help make it happen.

Thank You! Bob Jamison