So when exactly did Sharon Wright leave the Memorial Hospital board and was she responsible for the closure of the psychiatric center?
A recent mailer sent out by unions and environmental groups supporting Shirlee Zane contends that Wright, while on the board "presided over closing of vital services"' such as the psychiatric center. Our story on Oct. 28 noted, "Wright says the decision to close that facility was made after she got off the board and besides 'those decisions are made at the corporate level, not at the local level.'''
But an opinion piece submitted by Santa Rosa City Councilwoman Veronica Jacobi and new SR School Board member Laura Gonzalez contends that Wright's own Web site notes that she didn't leave the board until March of this year, which the decision to close the psychiatric unit was announced in mid-February. (To read the Close to Home, click here.)
So which is it?
I called Sharon and this is the response she e-mailed me:
"Hopefully this will set the record straight.
In their mailer, Sonoma County Progressive Labor Coalition states:
"During her term on the Board of Trustees of the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Sharon Wright presided over the closing of vital services needed by the community, including the last in-patient psychiatric center in the county."
Here are the facts:
- I served on the Board of Trustees for Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital from January 2007 to February 26, 2008.
- I also served on the hospital Foundation Board and co-chaired the Capital Campaign with Al Maggini. We raised $15.2 million for the new Heart Institute that opened in June of this year and for the state of the art electronic intensive care unit (E ICU) system that has reduced the mortality rate at Memorial by 32%.
- At the January 22, 2008 meeting of the Board of Trustees, George Perez, CEO & President announced to the Board that the Executive Management Team (EMT) had completed a "discernment process" and made the decision that it would be necessary to close the acute care psychiatric facility on Fulton Road. I was not at that meeting - Michael's father had cancer surgery the day before and we were at UCSF for several days.
- At no time did the Board of Trustees vote or take any action on the closure of the psychiatric center.
- On February 13, 2008, CEO Perez notified the staff, Board of Trustees and the press of the pending closure of the Fulton facility. The staff and public were given 90 days notice of the closure at that time. This was the first official word I had of the pending closure. Neither I nor the Board had any oversight or authority on the decision or the closure.
"While I don't have the specific dates, I can tell you that the few times the issue of funding for mental health programs were discussed at the Board level, Sister Mary and I spoke up in strong opposition. That has been my consistent record. I can also tell you that the Sisters of Orange and the entire health system take their mission of having the "Healthiest Communities" where they operate exceedingly serious. To infer that they don't is beyond comprehension. They tithe 10 percent of their operating budget back to the communities they serve - far more, I dare to say, than any other single entity can claim.
Paul, I take my commitment to this community very serious. I have given over 20 years of service as a volunteer and public official, for little to no pay. That was my choice and that was my pleasure. The inference that I would do anything that was self-serving, sinister or unethical is, as you would say, hogwash."
- Paul Gullixson
Wright was a Board member when the decision was essentially made. Responsible Board members accept oversight responsibility 24/7. Silence is assent.
Oh now it's Feb?! Earlier she said she left in January..Why does her own web site state that the date she left the Memorial Board was March and the info she mailed to voters stated that she left the board in Feb? Why does she get a whole page to respond when the PD has yet to give the unions any space to respond about the PD's constant attacks on Labor and working families? (the link to the close to home piece is mysteriously broken by the way)This woman will say anything to get elected.
PS. Someone who has been convicted and fined for over 10 ethical conflict of interest violations while holding office as a city council member is in no position to label any questioning of her integrity "hogwash" She has already failed that test. By the way the developer friends who are backing her now and sending dirty mailers are the same folks she was convicted of enriching as a city council member- They are back at the public trough looking for more of her favors!
Sharon Wright has always lied easily.
You should have asked her to explain the shameless lies in her "Dear Voter" letter, headed "It's time to set the record straight", that I received Friday.
Wright claimed an FPPC investigation in the late '90s "cleared" her, of "highly technical" allegations of conflict of interest, in connection with her employment by the Chamber of Commerce, when she was an SR Councilwoman.
The truth is she stipulated to ten counts of conflict of interest and disclosure violations, and paid a $14,500 fine.
The truth is she didn't tell the public that she worked for the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce--and she unlawfully participated in Council actions that provided more than $700,000 to the Chamber!
The PD knew the truth--but refused to report Wright's desperate, last-minute campaign lies.