A bit of background:
In the 1950s, when money was raised to build a hospital in South Laguna, a nonprofit auxiliary was set up to oversee the fundraising, the building, and the ownership of the hospital. Twenty-five years ago, the Foundation was established for continued fundraising and to take over ownership of the hospital. So, essentially, the whole hospital campus, including the vacant hillside land, was a community asset owned by the Foundation.
Eleven years ago, Adventist was allowed to take over the ownership and the running of the hospital. But the Foundation still owned the rest of the campus.
Now, Adventist has dissolved the Foundation, taken control of the assets, and the whole complex, and sold it all. Does that worry you? It certainly does me. A huge public asset is now in private ownership.
And with all of these shocking allegations comes a real disconnect. Cheryl Kinsman, who has worked hard to save the hospital for Laguna, is quoted in one of the local papers. She reportedly thinks that the services of Bruce Christian should be retained because his “experience and familiarity with Laguna would be invaluable.”
With all due respect to Cheryl, let’s all hope that she doesn’t get her wish. After all, Mr. Christian is an employee of Adventist and is the CEO of the South Coast Medical Center!
I urge you to write to the Deputy Attorney General for our area — Wendi Horowitz, at wendi.horowitz@doj.ca.gov — to ask her to investigate the allegations and to preserve the millions of dollars of the Foundations assets that belong to this community.
BONNIE HANO
Laguna Beach
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