Tulare’s Hospital Board will soon have a new majority and a new focus if early vote counts hold true.
With 879 votes counted, 80.80% of voters chose to recall Dr. Parmod Kumar, and 74.97% chose Senovia Gutierrez as his replacement.
The recall campaign had been a long-fought one, with both sides — pro-recall and anti-recall — expending significant time and resources.
Anti-recall forces, centered around Residents for a Responsible Hospital and Parmod Kumar for TRMC, had raised a combined $60,000 — a large amount compared to Citizens for Hospital Accountability’s $25,321.
Despite the disparity in cash, spirits were high at Gutierrez’ election party before the election results came in. And when the results came in, the crowd was ecstatic.
Kevin Northcraft, a hospital board member and earlier candidate supported by Citizens for Hospital Accountability, said that the vote meant the hospital would return to the people.
“We’re going to be listening to the public,” Northcraft said.
“In electing Senovia Gutierrez as his [Kumar’s] replacement to join board members Kevin Northcraft and Mike Jamaica, our hospital can finally be liberated onto a path of restoration and rehabilitation,” a statement from the group read.
Gutierrez was grateful for the result.
“I want to thank God for the opportunity,” Gutierrez told the Voice. “Now this is an opportunity for change.”
Gutierrez said that among her first actions would be to change the meeting time — something board members Kevin Northcraft and Mike Jamaica attempted to do, but were unable — to allow more members of the public attend board meetings.
Gutierrez also said that she would seek separate legal counsel for the district. Currently, TLHCD shares legal representation with Healthcare Conglomerate Associates, the company which runs TRMC.
But her first priority, she said, was to improve and ensure the hospital’s quality of care.
“I will work most diligently for transparency and accountability to restore our public hospital and I will represent my district and my home of 23 years to the best of my abilities. We have common goals for our hospital throughout this city of ours: to revive quality healthcare with an adequate number of specialists,” a statement from Gutierrez read, “as well primary care physicians, to support hospital employees, to upgrade our facility and replace our hospital management administration, to take pride in our hospital’s services, and, most of all, to regain the public’s trust in utilizing those services.”
Kumar brought the devil (HCCA) to Tulare.
Kumar paid.
Karma is a bitch.
What a thought provoking comment. You are really contributing HAHA
Best news for our city and hospital. Once again they thoght dirty politicss would work in Tulare. They down played the influence of the long time citizens of Tulare. Now we can get our hospital going in the right direction.. Linda Wilbourn and Richard Torres plesse take notice.
Samantha Bland has been very actively chasing providers away from Tulare.
Samantha should be the first to be fired.
VOX POPULI!
It would be nice to see an end to the fighting and peace return along with trust in our hospital
I agree.
Kumar can redeem for his sins by helping the community get rid of the evil (Benny & team)
Kumar will never do that.They were his cash cow. Itt would be nice if he would just go back to his practice but i doubt that.
Hahaha I hope Kumar does go back to his practice and ignores the hospital when they cry for help. You will all see how shitty it really is without him. No other gastroenterologist is willing to take follow up patients but him. You guys know nothing.
You’re right, Jay–we’ll see.
Congrats, but keep the foot on the gas, the fight is not over. Patient safety still remains a top priority. Well done. If I had my way Dr. Kumar needs reviewed by the State’s Medical Review Board.
This is truly a win for all of the citizens of Tulare and the surrounding areas who need access to good care. I’m confident that the board majority will make the changes we need to be bigger and better than ever before!!! A WIN FOR THE PEOPLE.
We may have saved our hospital from getting stolen BUT it is in shambles, deserted and loaded with debt.
It will be a looooooong fight to clean it up and get it running. It may be best to invite Fresno Community to take it over. Adventist is a corporate shark and will be no better.
We also need to appeal all women who were hurt by Dr Kumar (enabled by us, of course) to come forward, file a case and offer them some kind of justice.
I vote CRMC they are innovative, up to date, professional and offer great benefits to their employees. They are big on education and keeping their staff abreast of the ever changing medical world. They have a multitude of services that would benefit our community. I have worked with many surrounding hospitals and CRMC had proven to be an asset to the Central Valley. Just think of what they could extend to our neck of the woods. If we can make that happen wow! what a great partnership it would be for our community. This community would recover in no time, and we wouldn’t go wrong with Adventist either. I think it’s time TRMC’s tarnished name Shine!! It’s time to put aside all the bitterness and put our torn community back together by working together to put Tulare back on the map as a great place to live.
Round one – getting Kevin Northcraft and Mike Jamaica on the board; Round two – getting Senovia Gutierrez on the board. Many more rounds to come and you can bet each round will be hard fought. There are still many sharks swimming around in the water so the community will need to stand up and be heard at all board meetings to show support for Northcraft, Jamaica, and Gutierrez.
I hope Guitterrez isn’t going to be a mouthpiece for the citizens of accountability because then we haven’t accomplished anything! That would prove that we have another side trying to take over. She has big job to fulfill hope she’s up for the challenge. Roll your sleeves up because this a big mess to clean up. Good luck! 🙂
It is time to return the Community hospital back to the District Board of Directors. WE all need to keep in mind that the previous Board of Directors signed away the oversight and leadership of the Board to one person, Dr. Benny Benzeevi, who is milking the community hospital to pay his extravagant salary. Time to get the Board of Directors independent legal counsel.
Let’s see if Gutierrez does anything about that!
Removing Benny & co is without alternative option.
No doctor will be willing to work as long as these sleazy bastards are in office.
We need to keep close eye on the the Kumar and Benzeevi duo, will they commit the District into long term commitments that are not necessarily in the best interest of the hospital and community. If Dr. Benzeevi truly has the best interest for the community he will not enter into any long term loans to “finish the hospital” or try to deflect any further issues or concerns related to the operations and financial statements. Time for total transparency. Dr. Benzeevi, provide the true financial documents to the Board of Directors for review.