Hospital lobbyists seek to delay vote until after election?

There are rumors around town that attorneys and lobbyists representing Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and G&L Realty in their controversial plan to expand the hospital may try to delay a final City Council vote until after the April 2008 elections.

A yes vote on the plan by the council would allow the Valencia hospital to expand by several hundred thousand square feet, most of which would be medical office space rather than inpatient hospital beds. Hospital officials say a tower with some 120 beds would follow the construction of medical office building, but opponents charge that an expansion of hospital beds isn't guaranteed in any of the development agreements submitted to the counci. Two seats on the City Council are up for election in April: one is being vacated by Councilmember TimBen Boydston who has been the most vocal councilmember on the issue. Boydston, to the consternation of some on the council, has questioned the plan and the parade of doctors, representatives and lobbyists who have spoken before the council in prior meetings last summer. The other seat up for election is currently held by Councilmember Bob Kellar, who is seeking reelection. Kellar too, has questioned some aspects of the plan, though how he would vote on the plan is unknown. Boydston and Kellar are thought to be the two strongest supporters of the opposition to the hospital's expansion plan. On the other side of the debate, most observers think Councilmembers Frank Ferry and Laurene Weste would vote in favor of the plan. Ferry has shown impatience with the debate about the plan during council meetings. Mayor Marsha McLean, who at times has appeared exasperated during long, tension-filled council meetings, appears to be the swing vote. If hospital lobbyists manage to delay the vote until after the election, the apparent split in the vote could change, however. With Boydston leaving his seat in April, opponents of the hospital are concerned that a replacement candidate who favors the current hospital plan might tip the scales toward a yes vote. During a "Meet the Candidates" forum last Wednesday, one candidate for City Council, Laurie Ender, said she supports the current plan as is, saying that medical office space would attract specialists to the area. Another candidate, Bob Spierer, said that he doesn't "know that the community needs all three of the medical office buildings" (Signal) in the plans and that he favors a general study encompassing the health care needs of the SCV. Whether he would vote for or against the current plan is unknown. And Dianne Trautman, currently a planning commissioner, says an inpatient building needs to be guaranteed in the development plan. The two other candidates for the council seats- water board member Maria Gutzeit and incumbent Bob Kellar, will meet voters at a January forum. Ahead of the April election, it appears as if both sides will boost candidates favorable to their position in case the vote is delayed. The next City Council meeting addressing the hospital's plan will be on January 8, 2008.