Quick Notes for Board Meeting 7/11

1.  Closed session agenda meets the criteria set out in the Brown Act.  Hope that continues in the future, but unlikely.

2.  Consent agenda.  I pulled nothing. Yes, May was dismal with another 816k of losses, but the Board majority and management ignores everything.  Why bother beating a dead horse?  Approved unanimously.

3a.  August Board meeting date changed.  Approved unanimously.
3b.  Mike McMahon appointed to Community Relations Committee.  I think this is a good choice, but have never spoken to Mr. McMahon directly to see if he lives in the same fantasy world that the Board majority inhabits.  I am, in general, positive about his tenure on the School Board.  I am leery of the fact that he apparently belongs to the current political clique in power.  Approved unanimously.
3c and d.  Let's tax Alameda to preserve an underperforming Hospital.  Let's ignore the evidence that health outcomes are not improved despite spending tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money over the years.  Let's insult and disparage those who ask for evidence that the Hospital serves a purpose.  3c:  Approved 4-1;  3d;  Approved unanimously.
3e.  Cannot remember how I voted.  The Bank of Alameda could not definitively say what changes in the loan they would require prior to approving the loan.  I recalled that there was a promise that this information would be available by the Board meeting, but others said that it was just a promise to discuss the issue with Bank of Alameda prior to the Board meeting.  Regardless, the Board voted 4-1 to take out an emergency loan without knowing the terms and conditions.  Furthermore, they acted like not being able to pay your bills is no big deal.  (It may have been unanimous.  I might have been too exhausted to argue at this point.)

The rest of the meeting was updates and reports.   Presentation on a communications strategy plan by Tom Clifford of Tramutola.  They also worked on "Let's Move Alameda"  (slides are in the updated Board packet).  June promises to be better financially according to Stebbins, but I have no basis for trusting that statement.  Stroke accreditation should be scheduled soon; the Hospital has asked the County to start routing stroke victims to the Hospital again. 

Last point to note which was not presented at the meeting, but happened subsequently was that CFO David Neapolitan is leaving the Hospital effective 7/15/2011.  He will be replaced on an interim basis by a consultant.