I think we are veering off topic by bringing Kidango in. We started off with the irregularities in the Washington Hospital Board. And I would like to go back to that issue and recall of Mike Wallace.

California state law regarding non-profit organizations require them to be of one of two types. The first is member controlled, the second is board controlled. Some organizations, such as art galleries and local museums are member controlled – that is there is an annual meeting of those belonging to the organization and a new board is elected by the members.

Kidango, The Tri City Homeless Coalition and other such groups are board controlled as there is no membership. This makes sense as these non-profit organizations exist to provide a service to others.

The danger you cite, a PAC being formed to help fellow members become re-elected just doesn’t make sense for these kinds of organizations. Board members volunteer their time, a considerable amount of it each month.

You should stop by a board meeting for such an organization some time. I promise you will be impressed by the work their boards do on behalf of the community.

When this is done then there is a potential for a Old Boys’ Club similar to what the Washington Hospital Board where one of its member forms a PAC to help fellow members “get re elected.”

As Kidango’s Director of Development and Communications, I would like to provide clarification to the appointment process for Kidango’s Board of Directors.

Kidango’s Board of Directors is a volunteer board who receive no compensation in exchange for their Board Membership and participation. We actively strive to recruit board members that reflect the rich diversity of the children and families we serve. We are located in communities with very different needs, with significant cultural differences and other variations. In order to best serve families, we actively seek our clients input about our programs and meet with them individually to determine their needs.

Board members are appointed by the current Board members after an intensive interview process conducted by the Board’s Personnel Committee. No one is appointed to Kidango’s Board by an outside organization or person. After submitting an application for board membership, all potential board members are interviewed by our Board’s Personnel Committee to determine their commitment to provide the leadership necessary to help us continue providing exemplary services to our community’s children and families. After the interview process, the Personnel Committee makes a recommendation to the entire board. It is our entire board who vote to determine the candidate’s board membership.

Our board agenda’s are made public prior to board meetings and all board meetings are open to the public. As a state funded nonprofit organization, Kidango rigorously follows and complies with the Brown Act to ensure transparency of our actions to maintain the public’s trust.

Ravi

From your questions it seems you know significant amount of irregularities bordering on illegal acts by some members of the Board. I do agree with you that just like Fremont Schools and City Council, the Washington Hospital Board members need to have meetings that are open most of the time and closed meetings if they pertain to personnel issues.

My singular reason for the recall is the failure of the Board to provide more transparency with with the Bond funds. We need to hold them to the same standards as we hold the School Board and the Ohlone Board for the Administration of the Board and providing transparency.

As always, if there is some interest in the recall, even if it is exploratory, is something we can get together and discuss at a place like Mission Coffee or so.

Having said that, I am sure you are aware that I am in touch with one Board member of the Hospital Board since I was his campaign manager. When Dr. Eapen got elected he was an outsider and initially received a cold shoulder from Nancy and Mike. My friend Danielson, who I also helped reelect 4 years ago bu working on her campaign, met me at a local Democratic party gathering and asked me something like “Chinmoy, I hope you have nothing to do with electing another outsider this time. We are trying to take care of the person you helped last time. I hope you have nothing to do with Johal”.

When I heard that, I realized why she failed to get the endorsement of the CNA this time around. I have not voted for her this time and I feel that is what a true American should do, Democrat or not.

Sorry, but it’s not up to others to prove a negative. It’s your turn to provide the name of at least one person on on the board of one non-profit where they have been named to that board in return for supporting Nancy Farber at Washington Hospital. If you are unable or unwilling to do so I suggest you withdraw your claim.

You expressed in the blog under Fremont Bank /Washington hospital to initiate recall of Mr. Wallace as a board member. Can you please clarify as to why you felt that way?
May be the Argus (Thousand eyed) and you can do some investigative journalism
1) Did Mr. Wallace abstain from vote in board meeting in awarding subsidies /contracts to selected physicians who are his clients?
2) What percentage of banking is done by Fremont bank for non-profit Washington hospital?
3) Was Fremont bank involved as middlemen as leaseholder or financier for million dollar equipment purchases? Did Wallace participate in any of the decisions?
4) How many of the vendors /medical directors/ medical groups
appointed by the hospital have direct client relationship with Wallace?
5) Is there involvement of Fremont bank or Wallace in 40 million dollar bond issue floated by the nonprofit Washington Hospital?
6) Did Wallace approve at the board level award of contract more than one million dollars to a physician vendor (Fremont bank client) who appeared in TV advertisements for Fremont Bank? Incidentally the contract was awarded without transparent open bidding process
7) Wallace has been running PAC Friends of Washington hospital (Friends of Ms Farber?) from his bank with the help of bank employees and phones (see article by Mr. Artz). Who are the big contributors to this PAC? Are they the vendors, subcontractors, medical directors, medical groups subsidized or have a business relationship with the hospital?
8) Did the board make financial decisions in the closed meetings?

Public interest demands answers to these questions

To Wait a Minute, I say that attending Board meetings is not a qualification for contesting a Board seat. I served out my term as a member of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee for the Fremont School Board and the Ohlone College bonds. I then applied to serve on the Hospital Bond Oversight Committee. I even attended several Board meetings prior to my application. And the Board’s opinion was that I was not qualified and turned my application down. Instead those positions were given to realtors and the chairmanship of the Committee was offered to a ex-Board member who was voted out. Is that kosher?

And lastly,, why is Mr. Wallace raising the issue of party affiliation for a non-partisan office. I would like to know if he represents the interest of his party only on the Board or does he represent the interest of the community.

The California Nurses’ Association (CNA), who in the past endorsed Pat Danielson, has not endorsed her this time. Instead, CNA has endorsed Mr. Johal. If the CNA endorsed based on party affiliations then their endorsements should have been the other way around. The fact of the matter is that Pat has failed to represent their interests as a Board member.