Letter | Ryan Roberts Accountable, Responsible; Herron Picked Wrong Candidate to Challenge

Dear Editor:

I am writing in regards to the Snoqualmie Valley Public Hospital District election.  Specifically, in the race for position number 3, between Emma Herron and Ryan Roberts, I was dismayed by the implications raised in Ms. Herron’s words in the Local Voter’s Statement published by the King County Board of Elections.

Ms. Herron notes the District is “deeply in debt” and laments the decision, in 2012, to sell the old hospital to the Snoqualmie Tribe at a 50% discount.  While I agree these decisions to run up excessive bond debt and selling the hospital at an unreasonable discount were unsound, Ms. Herron is running against the wrong commissioner.

The decision to accept $15.75 million in lieu of the $30 million the Snoqualmie Tribe was contractually obligated to pay was made in June of 2012.  The decisions to incur substantial, and unreasonable, levels of debt date back to the mid-2000’s such as when the District spent $12.5 million in 2007 to purchase the Leisure Time property without performing adequate diligence as to whether a hospital could be constructed on the site; ultimately it could not.  Furthermore, the District incurred substantial debt to fund operating expenses and pre-construction costs related to the eventual 2013 construction of the new hospital as well as paying the prior developer – Moreland Pacific – a $1 million exit fee when this developer could not feasibly develop the hospital property.

If Ms. Herron disagrees with the decision to go deep into debt and sell the hospital at a 50% discount, why doesn’t she run against the individuals responsible for these decisions by challenging Commissioner David Speikers for Position 1 or Commissioner Joan Young for Position 5?  Mr. Speikers has been on the board since 2006 and Ms. Young since 1999 and have been overseeing the District during this time debt incurrence and discounted hospital sales. Specifically, both Mr. Speikers and Ms. Young voted in favor of the 50% discounted sale of the hospital to the Snoqualmie Tribe in June of 2012.   

Commissioner Roberts, in contrast, became a commissioner in May of 2014.  Mr. Roberts has worked effectively to establish fiscal accountability and responsibility to the Public Hospital District.  In addition, his career in advising the healthcare industry in business matters and risk management is critical in serving the interests of the community by placing the District in a better financial position. Commissioner Roberts also understands that it is vital for this new hospital to expand patient care to more residents by improving quality of healthcare provided by this facility.

Emma Herron and the community would be better served by her running against the actual commissioners who perpetrated the management and fiscal decisions she disagrees with and challenging the incumbents of position 1 or position 5.  Commissioner Roberts stands apart by actively engaging in steps to fix this prior mismanagement, place the District in sound financial footing, and ensure the District advances the interests of patients and taxpayers.   As I agree with all three of these actions, I will be voting for Commissioner Roberts when I receive my ballot.

Mark Hawkins, Snoqualmie