PVHD Asks County To Fill Board Vacancies After 2 Canceled Meetings

The Palo Verde Healthcare District canceled Wednesday’s rescheduled special meeting to interview and appoint two new directors to fill vacancies created by the departures of Rosie Rowell and Dr. David Brooks due to lack of a quorum. 

It was the second time in less than a week that a meeting had to be canceled after at least one of the board’s remaining three members could not attend the meeting. The first was scheduled for January 31. Director Sandra Hudson was not able to attend.

“On behalf of the district, I just want to apologize to the public that we didn’t have a quorum, and thank you for attempting to attend the district board meeting,” Director Trina Sartin said after that meeting was adjourned.

Because the district has now failed to secure a quorum for two meetings in a row, Board President Carmela Garnica sent a letter to the county requesting that it oversee and complete the appointment process for the two vacant seats.

“While we understand the county’s appointment process may take additional time, this approach offers the most practical and reliable path forward under the current constraints,” Garnica said in the letter, attached to the meeting cancellation notice. “If the county agrees to make appointments to the [PVHD board], I believe it is more likely that a quorum can be consistently achieved.”

Garnica noted that the attendance and participation of all sitting board members was required as part of the $1 million loan agreement between the county and the district and said that she would “actively encourage” her fellow board members to ensure the requirement was met going forward.

In a statement to The Riverside Record, the county said it was “reviewing options” on the next steps to fill the vacancies and would provide an update once one was available.

The county and the district remain in negotiations over the day-to-day operational management of the hospital.