$25-million grant for hospital is OK'd $25-million grant for hospital is OK'd (July 07, 2004)

By Renee Batti
Almanac News Editor

A $25-million grant from the local, publicly supported health-care district will flow in stages into the fund to rebuild Sequoia Hospital as a result of a 3-1 vote by the district's board late last month.

Board member Jack Hickey was alone in opposing approval of the grant when the Sequoia Healthcare District board met on June 23.

The action came as no surprise to Sequoia Hospital staff and administrators. The board majority on May 3 indicated it would approve the grant, and was prepared to act on the measure that day. But the district's attorney intervened, saying that another public airing of the matter was legally required because the amount of money involved represents a significant portion of the district's nearly $60 million in assets.

Sequoia Hospital must be seismically retrofitted or rebuilt by 2013 to meet state requirements, and the estimated $130-million project was endorsed earlier this spring by the 10-member board that governs the Redwood City facility.

Also at the June 23 meeting, the board voted to put two buildings the district owns on the market. An appraiser is being hired by the district to assess their value.

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