Hospital Rejects Offer to Debate Measure X

Community Memorial Hospital officials said thanks but no thanks Wednesday to Supervisor John Flynn’s invitation to debate Measure X, a countywide referendum on a new county clinic.

Community Memorial Hospital put the referendum on the March 26 ballot in an attempt to derail the $51-million outpatient clinic planned by the Ventura County Medical Center.

The neighboring hospital believes the project is too costly and will be used to compete for privately insured patients.

Flynn said this is not the case and that the new facility would consolidate five specialty clinics under one roof, saving the county $1 million a year on rent.

The Board of Supervisors originally scheduled a public forum on Measure X for Tuesday. But the supervisors abruptly canceled the meeting after a citizens group sponsored by Community Memorial threatened to hold the officials liable if they went ahead with the forum.

The group charged that holding the forum on county time in public facilities would have been an illegal use of taxpayer money to sway voter opinion on Measure X.

As a result, Flynn, acting as a private citizen, sent a letter Wednesday to Community Memorial officials inviting them to participate in a series of debates or public forums around the county.

But Doug Dowie, a consultant for Community Memorial, said that hospital officials and members of the citizens group would not participate. “We’re not going to be manipulated by them,” he said. “We’ve got our own agenda.”

Flynn said he was disappointed by the response, but that he still plans to approach Community Memorial officials personally about his invitation.

“I think they need not feel afraid about this,” he said. “If they think they’re right, then they should participate.”