Dear Editor,

With all the signs displayed in the community, you may think the Oak Valley Hospital Board election is about name recognition. It shouldn’t be. This is a very serious election. The annual budget of the hospital district is more than $60 million. The new hospital under construction is a $70 million project, halfway completed. Add that to the fact that the healthcare industry is one of the most regulated in the country and is about to be impacted by federal healthcare legislation. Who we elect to lead the hospital should not be taken lightly.

We need the most experienced and health industry savvy citizens at the helm. Belinda Abell has been the Treasurer of the Board the past four years. She has successfully navigated the Board and the hospital through the complex financing of the new facility and through a devastating recession. The hospital is financially viable and receives top awards for patient quality and satisfaction. Belinda has 15-plus years of financial accounting management experience in the healthcare industry. She is dedicated to quality care. She knows what she’s doing and what she’s talking about.

I’ve heard all the talk about changing leadership, but this is one leader we absolutely need to retain. Join me in voting for Belinda Abell, an independent voice of reason where we need it most.

Sincerely,

Jan Brennan