Sequoia Healthcare District Pension Plan unfunded liability

The Sequoia Hospital District Pension Plan is a defined benefit plan. Retirees get the amounts promised. If the fund created to finance the payout does not produce the revenue required, it comes out of the taxpayers pocket. District employees have a 401K plan. All government agencies should switch over to a 401K plan.
Some suggest that the District "practically gave the property away" to CHW in 1996. With CHW's assumption of the Districts bonded indebtedness and unfunded liability of the pension plan, they paid a fair price for a property which was headed for California's "seismic upgrade" scrap heap.

CHW came up with a plan which upgraded the facility on-site. In 2007, when the became sole owners of Sequoia Hospital, they did receive an additional $75 Million from the District for the rebuild effort, in return for which the District is receiving a share of profits for 40 years. In addition, CHW(Dignity Health) in return for its tax-exempt status, does "give back' to the community, as do all private hospitals in California.

The Sequoia Hospital District was in the business of "losing money"Web Link when it found a "white knight" named CHW to bail them out in 1996.
As I stated in my original post, CHW "...has provided the District with over $15 Million in revenue since 2007. Had it not been for the unfunded liability of the pension plan, the District would have received $12 Million more in profit sharing."
Original projections by Goldman Sachs for the profit sharing showed more than $48,000,000 for the first 10 years, and $270,000,000 for 2018-2047. With the hospital remodel almost finished, and an improvement in the Pension fund situation, those numbers may become a reality. I have suggested that the District seek an appraisal of their profit sharing arrangement and carry it as an asset on their balance sheet. Could be worth over $100,000,000.
The value of Sequoia Hospital and the land it was on in 1996 was that of the land minus the cost of building removal. Their $30,000,000 + assumption of the Districts bonded indebtedness and unfunded liability of the pension plan was a bargain for taxpayers of the District. Britschgi and Company made a silk purse out of a sow's ear! And so, in another context, did CHW. A profit for all concerned. Sequoia Hospital is there for those who so choose. Planned Parenthood is there for those who seek abortions. Neither should be receiving pseudo-philanthropic grants of taxpayer money from the Sequoia Healthcare District.

Regarding the pension, this information was provided to me in January 2014:

There are 590 participants collecting benefits including 18 beneficiaries of deceased participants and 494 participants who are not yet receiving benefits but are entitled to benefits in the future.
There is a death benefit for participants who have not yet started their pension. Its value is about 45% of the participant’s accrued benefit and goes to the participant’s spouse if married or named beneficiary. Retirees can chose an annuity with payments made to a survivor. Their benefit is reduced to account for these possible extra payments so there is no cost to the plan for this option.

I asked the following questions and received the answers shown:
1. When did RVKuhns begin managing this account? 2005

2. What is the history of annual District payments to the plan since it was frozen? (1996?)
2002- $1.9m
2003-$1.9m
2004- $3.0m
2005 -$3.0m
2006-$2.6m
2007- $2.6m
2009-$5.1m
2010- $2.5 m
2011-$2.5m
2013- $5.6m

3. How many living participants in the plan are there? 590

4. Are all living participants collecting benefits?
There are 494 participants who are not yet receiving benefits but are entitled to benefits in the future.


5. What are the total projected payouts to participants of the plan?(monthly, quarterly or annually)
In 2013 benefit payments were $5.6m

6. Are survivors of deceased participants receiving benefits from the plan?
Depends on option chosen by retiree but for some there is a death benefit

7. What was the original projection of return on investment?
Assumed return of 7.5%

8. Did participants contribute to the plan? If so, how much?
No participant contributions

9. How many retirees are collecting more than $20,000/year?
54 employees are collecting $20,000 or more

10. Who are they?

CORRECTION !!!
3. How many living participants in the plan are there? 1084
There are 590 participants collecting benefits including 18 beneficiaries of deceased participants and 494 participants who are not yet receiving benefits but are entitled to benefits in the future.

The pension unfunded liability cost shown in the Sequoia Healthcare District budget is $3,800,000 for FY 2016/2017. While this is a "pass thru" expenditure, ultimately paid by Dignity Health, it does reduce the district's profit sharing EBIDA by as much as $1,900,000. Had the district approved my motion to annuitize the pension, introduced in my first term of office, this disaster would have been avoided.

In 2014, Art Faro, now President of the SHD Board of Directors, received $87,744 from the Sequoia Hospital pension fund.

Here is the Sequoia Healthcare District Pension Fund manager's report for those who are interested:
www.xshcd.com/SHDPF.pdf

Correction: Web Link