Decision ’92 : SPECIAL VOTERS’ GUIDE TO STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS : THE LOCAL CONTESTS : 17 Seek Seats on 2 Hospital Boards

Seventeen people are seeking seats on the governing boards of North County’s two major public hospital systems--Palomar-Pomerado Health System and Tri-City Medical Center-- with many challengers highlighting the series of operational storms that have hit both organizations.

The Tri-City election comes after two years of catastrophes at the Oceanside hospital, including an investment of about $11 million of the employee pension fund in a failed insurance company, resulting in a major loss, and the hospital’s $20 million expansion that ended up costing $58 million. Various candidates claim the current board’s “lack of business sophistication” fostered those problems.

East of Tri-City in Escondido lies Palomar-Pomerado, which, with its 710 beds, is the state’s largest public hospital system.

PALOMAR POMERADO HEALTH SYSTEM

9 Candidates--Vote for Three

Loren B. Belker, writer

Martin Davis, consultant

Beverly Eastland, businesswoman (retired)

Charles H. Gabbard, engineer

John E. Gamble Jr., businessman

Bill Hutchings, incumbent

Karen Kirchoff, health consultant

Evelyn L. Madison, incumbent

Ellen Shamasko Gallego, speech pathologist

TRI-CITY HOSPITAL DISTRICT

8 Candidates--Vote for Three

Darlene Garrahy, nurse

John M. Green, administrator

Lily C. (Lil) Jackson, businesswoman

Cyril F. Kellett, incumbent

Tar Larner, rehabilitation specialist

Randy Mitchell, executive (retired)

Rosemarie V. Reno, incumbent

Tom Trainer, administrator (retired)