Why and How Council Can Help Reopen Palm Drive Hospital: New 3 min Greenberg video

This three minute video, taken from a few responses during out debate last week, lays out why, and how, I think our City Council should support, instead of undermine, the challenging effort underway to reopen Palm Drive Hospital. Please share this….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnNgMKkBz74

I am running to empower our community, and our Council, to better practice responsive government, instead of being overly deferential to unelected city staff. "

Not our job" and "we have no money for that" are not governing strategies. they are excuses.

Here is how Patrick Slayter, during the debate, responded to a question about reopening Palm Drive Hospital, as quoted in the Press Democrat:

"The idea that the City Council, holds any sway at all is like asking the state of California to make a law that the state of South Dakota would need to enforce.”

For the record, I never used the term "holds sway." What I have been advocating for these past five months is that our Council needs to take an ACTIVE role in the solution. Not simply pass a resolution pledging to help, as they did on May 6, and then do absolutely nothing, while covertly undermining the Foundation led plan that is the only effort underway to reopen our desperately needed emergency room.

People in our community, especially our elderly, and parents like me, are rightfully frightened by the closing of our hospital, which has created the largest public health and job loss crisis in history. Yet here is what candidate Patrick Slayter, the hard-working, but disconnected Council Member who I am running to replace, wrote recently about our city in the Sonoma West:

"Sebastopol is greener, financially stronger, more attractive and healthier than any time in the past."

Healthier? People are afraid to go the the hospital and are 10% more likely to die if we have a stroke, than we were six months ago when the award winning certified stroke center at Palm Drive was open. Last year, Palm Drive was rated by Consumer Reports as the safest hospital in the entire state of California!

Financially stronger? Sebastopol just lost more than 200 high paying jobs and the largest employer in the City. Some seniors are needing to sell their homes to move to a place where they can be nearer to a stroke center. Yes, we built up our budget reserves, thanks to a large 1/2 of 1% sales tax that we taxpayers voted for two years ago.

But to do nothing in response to our largest employer shutting down, then crow about being financially stronger and healthier, demonstrates both the denial and transparency problem that I am hoping my election to office will transform here in Sebastopol.

We, the people of this wonderful community, refuse to go quietly into the night of the new normal of no local life saving emergency room for our loved one and neighbors That's why hundreds of us are working to reopen our hospital. It will take a collaborative all-community effort, as well as a new Hospital District Board majority (elect Colthurst and Roberts!) , and a City Council, committed to working together to accomplish this goal--not deny it is necessary.

More at www.GreenbergforCouncil.com