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Editor’s note: BenitoLink has edited this article to make it clear that while the San Benito Health Care District didn’t mention the first two anonymous letters in the Aug. 28 board meeting agenda, it did include them at the end of the packet. A previous version of this article reported district officials had not disclosed those letters.
San Benito Health Care District directors have received a series of anonymous letters raising issues including Hazel Hawkins Hospital CEO’s pay and leadership and the hospital’s “critical access” designation.
Only two of the four letters had been publicly disclosed before BenitoLink received them through a public records request. The two letters were not included in the Aug. 28 board meeting agenda, but were included at the end of the board meeting packet. The board did not meet in September.
In response, health care district officials say the claims are false and that it’s difficult to evaluate the contents when they are sent anonymously.
Four letters received by the district between Aug. 26 and Sept. 12 challenge the wisdom of paying hospital CEO Mary Casillas a $500,000 salary, and also allege Casillas hired and promoted her friend Amy Breen-Lema and “IT ‘right hand’” Suzie Mays to leadership positions, and that hospital employees volunteer while getting paid.
BenitoLink is currently investigating the allegations.
BenitoLink received a copy of two of the letters and obtained a copy of the other two through the public records request. A fifth anonymous letter was also sent to BenitoLink, and district spokesperson Marcus Young confirmed the district had also received a fifth letter.
BenitoLink reached out to the district about its process and policy for handling correspondence, but did not receive a response by publication time.
The health care district does not appear to regularly include a correspondence section in the board’s agenda or packet.
In February, the health care district never notified the public it had received a letter from Sutter Health expressing an interest in a potential partnership. BenitoLink received a copy of the Sutter letter and reported on it.
The health care district did publish a news release notifying the public when Sutter withdrew its interest eight days after the health care district had received the letter.
Two weeks later, the board provided a copy of the letter at its board meeting.
The Board of Directors meets monthly on the fourth Thursday of the month, except for November and December when they meet on the third Thursday. They did not meet in September.
The health care district’s handling of Sutter Health’s letter contrasts with its previous practice of notifying the public when it received letters of intent from four suitors between 2023 and 2024. A letter of intent is a formalized outline by one party that wishes to do business with another.
It is unclear how long the district was in communication with the four suitors before announcing the letters of intent.
Young said though it’s not uncommon for public agencies to receive anonymous letters, the health care district has not typically received them.
“The board and staff invite members of the public to attend meetings to voice their opinions and concerns to the board directly or send written comments for the board to consider,” he said.
Asked if the health care district believes the letters are coming from a particular organized group or individuals, he said the district did not have enough information to respond to the question.
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