Special Mendocino Coast District Hospital Board of Directors Meeting to Approve the 2017 / 2018 Capital and Operating Budget

MCDH Board votes to approve deficit budget

Marianne McGee, MA/ABS

The Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) Board of Directors voted 4-1 to approve the  2017/2018 MCDH Operating Budget and a 3 Year Capital Budget for the Mendocino Coast Healthcare District (MCHD). 

With few questions and little discussion, after a lengthy presentation from CFO Wade Sturgeon, only Dr. Peter Glusker opposed the budgets citing his ongoing concerns about spending money the hospital does not have.  The Operating Budget anticipates a nearly $800.000 operational loss and the Capital Budget lists 10.5 million dollars in expenses for the new fiscal year with 4 million dollars without funding resources or identified financing option.  Staff pointed out that a number of these capital projects have been stalled for years and are essential to keeping the hospital doors open, as there are state licensing requirements that must be met.

While the Obstetrics/OB program remains is in both budgets, the MCDH Board of Directors is holding a meeting on June 22 with an entire agenda devoted to whether this service will remain in the community or not, once again.  There is over $800,000 in OB capital expenses, which are vital to its continuation, with equipment and refurbishing cited as barriers to staff recruitment as well as patient utilization.  A number of articulate,  passionate people gave testimony as to the critical importance of this care to the health of both patients and the community.

A special MCDH board meeting will be held on June 21 at 6 PM, with a more typical agenda, in order to devote the regular meeting on Thursday, June 22 at 6:00 PM in Fort Bragg Town Hall to address the closure of OB.

You can watch the entire meeting on the video below and check out the highlight of both budgets in the attached documents.

BUDGET - Operating Draft v1 - FYE 2018 - 6-15-2017