SVMC board to finalize map
After three public hearings which received very little input from the community, the Sierra View Zone Elections Committee will present its final recommendation for a district zoning map to the board of directors at their regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Sierra View Medical Center board room.
The committee, comprised of two SVMC board members and representatives from the community, has met over the last several months to the determine the best district zone map as the hospital transitions from at-large elections to district elections. Their goal was to establish five districts of equal population, with each district electing its own board member in future elections to better represent diverse groups within the community.
After considering three models for district zones prepared by Bay Area demographic research group Lapkoff and Gobalet earlier this year, the committee requested a fourth model that smoothed out boundary lines, making it easier for residents to determine at a glance in which district they reside.
The committee held two public hearings at the end of November to solicit community input on the fourth model, but only one person attended the first meeting, and none attended the second.
SVMC called a special board meeting on Thursday
as a third and final opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed district map, but received no input.
A representative from SVMC said that the hospital is not discouraged by the lack of comments at last week’s meeting because they have not seen concern or negative feelings on the matter. Instead, they said they have seen a positive outlook from the community
regarding the attempt to be fully inclusive when it comes to the selection of hospital board members.
The SVMC board is expected to approve the recommendation of the committee at the meeting. Upon approval, the approved district map will be submitted to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors for consideration. The new map will be used for elections starting in 2018.