Supervisors accept meeting with ECRMC trustees
EL CENTRO — The county Board of Supervisors has accepted an invitation from the El Centro Regional Medical Center board of trustees to have a two-on-two meeting to iron out differences regarding the pandemic.
These issues include accusations that the hospital has allowed some members of the community to receive preferential treatment in administering COVID vaccine and concerns in the aftermath of the hospital’s Jan. 18 vaccine clinic at Imperial Valley Mall.
County officials have expressed irritation at some of the comments made by ECRMC CEO Dr. Adolphe Edward, who responded to complaints of allowing some members of the community to be vaccinated out of turn by implying the county was due blame for not making a roster of eligible vaccine recipients available.
The supervisors last week board sending a letter to the hospital board, but after two ECRMC board members asked for a two-on-two meeting, they decided to wait before sending the letter.
Supervisor Luis Plancarte, who was going to draft the letter, wanted to wait after receiving the meeting request.
Supervisor Ryan Kelley wanted to know if there had been any prior correspondence with the hospital board. He was told there had not.
ECRMC Trustee Cheryl Viegas-Walker, who also is El Centro’s mayor, said everyone needs to come together for the betterment of the community, adding that the boards and agencies need to be united in rolling out the vaccine, reviewing the data and the testing for the virus.
At Monday night’s ECRMC board meeting it was agreed board President Amanda Brooke and Viegas-Walker would reach out to the county.
The mayor said the meeting will consist of Brooke, herself and two supervisors -- specifically Luis Plancarte and Jesus Eduardo Escobar.
Supervisor Ray Castillo said it might be appropriate for Chairman Mike Kelley to be in the meeting, but Kelley pointed out the two supervisors who are going have been heavily involved with this issue.
Castillo said if the meeting does not go well the supervisors could always follow up with a letter.
“I think it’s a good way to move forward,” Kelley said.
Viegas-Walker said the county and the hospital board need to work together.
“We need to provide a united front instead of making critical comments after the fact,” she said. “How can we come together to come up with solutions?”
Walker said what has been done can’t be changed, but there are lessons that have been learned.
“We fight the best, but when we come together we can do magnificent things,” she said, adding the meeting will be a chance “to unite, clear the air and move on.”
After the supervisors were provided an update on the county’s COVID-19 numbers, Escobar said it’s very frustrating and a continuous challenge that the county is not getting the same amount of what areas are getting, whether that be the vaccine or anything else.
“We should be at the top of the list,” he said, “We are in the purple (tier) for a reason.”