San Mateo County Times

$25 million approved to rebuild hospital
Sequoia Healthcare District board also names new CEO

By Nicole Neroulias
STAFF WRITER

Thursday, June 24, 2004 -

REDWOOD CITY -- The Sequoia Healthcare District board had its hands full with a multimillion-dollar pledge and new appointments at its meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The juggling began when the board pledged $25 million toward the $130 million Sequoia Hospital rebuilding project. The seismically safe, 130-bed hospital will be completed on-site in 2012.

Board member Jack Hickey's arguments to amend the resolution, stipulating the funds be returned if the district turns hospital ownership over to Catholic Healthcare West, the corporation that has managed Sequoia Hospital since 1996, were dismissed by the other three board members at Wednesday's meeting.

"This is a milestone for us," said Arthur Faro, board president. "I want to see this hospital built. We're here to do some good for the community."

Hickey also butted heads with board members over the appointment of Stephani Scott, district operations coordinator for the past year, to succeed retiring CEO Frank Gibson next month.

Board members Kathleen Kane and Malcolm "Nappy" MacNaughton Jr. tapped Scott after interviewing four candidates, recruited through Kane's contacts in Bay Area medical human resources. The other applicants were either overqualified or lacked Scott's direct experience, Kane said, though Hickey said he would have preferred to make the distinction himself.

"(Gibson) had spoken about retiring when I was hired, so I have been taking on a majority of managerial responsibilities," Scott explained, following Gibson's own recommendation.

Kane and MacNaughton will continue operating as a search committee to find a replacement for board member Edward Katz, who resigned earlier this month, citing plans to move out of the

district. The seat is up for general election in November.

At the end of the meeting, Faro stepped down as board president, citing increased scheduling conflicts with his consulting job. The board voted 3-1 for Kane to replace him; Hickey voted for himself.

Staff writer Nicole Neroulias covers Redwood City, East Palo Alto, Atherton and Menlo Park. She can be reached at (650) 306-2427 or by e-mail at nneroulias@sanmateocountytimes.com .