14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 6-12, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com The woman in hot pink scrubs was in tears standing before the Soledad Community Health Care District Board of Directors on Thursday, March 30. She told board members she was leaving after 28 years of working there, blaming treatment by CEO Ida Lopez Chan. “I’m devastated,” she said. The next woman who spoke said her late mother had been happy living at SCHCD’s Eden Valley Care Center, until recent changes in policies and staffing led to what the daughter called a degradation of care. “My mother would want me to tell you that this place needs to change,” she said. “There are some inequities here that are happening that are terrible to your staff that have worked here a long time…You’ve failed to keep the best of the best.” How many employees have left is not clear. At least one was fired in November, the director of clinic operations, after she responded to Board President Graig Stephens’ emailed questions about the district’s financial difficulties with a detailed critique of Chan’s decisions. Also last November, four doctors, a nurse practitioner, two physician’s assistants and two others who work in the district’s clinics signed a letter of “no confidence” in Chan. The letter, hand-delivered to board members’ homes, cited “ineffective leadership from a CEO with no prior health care experience,” as well as new policies “negatively affecting good patient care.” Three months later in February, after being told the letter was never received by the district, the group emailed a second letter. One of Chan’s decisions made in December, to temporarily stop employer contributions to one of the three retirement plans maintained by the district, had to be reversed by the board during the meeting on March 30. Attorney Jeff Chang, with SCHCD’s law firm, Best, Best & Krieger, described stopping the contributions as “really serious.” Chan did not have the authority the way the plan was written, he said. Money that should have been going into employee’s accounts for seven pay periods would have to be returned, plus interest. It was not stated how much it would cost the district. Asked after the meeting, Chan said she didn’t have a total yet. She did not return subsequent messages. The 3-1 vote, with Stephens absent, put money back, but it also amended the wording of the retirement plan so that no future contributions will be made until otherwise decided by the board. The lone “no” vote was by Michael “Max” Schell, who wanted contributions to continue until the board discusses the matter. Schell provided more fireworks at the end of the meeting, demanding that the minutes reflect that the board had received the “no confidence” letter. “That’s a personnel matter,” Chan said. “No it’s not!” Schell said, raising his voice and turning beet red. He wanted the matter placed on a future agenda. “You can make that suggestion,” Chan replied. Schell says he’s putting in a request to Stephens for a special meeting, or at the very least to put discussion of the letter on the next regular agenda on April 27. Medical Drama Soledad’s health care district is in turmoil as employees lose confidence in the CEO. By Pam Marino Michael “Max” Schell, far left, listens to speakers during the March 30 Soledad Community Health Care District Board meeting. Schell, as the newest member, is challenging the status quo. NEWS “You’ve failed to keep the best of the best.” PAM MARINO PRESENTED BY
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