The Westside Community Ambulance Board embarked on a new era on Dec. 16 with the election of a new board president and vice president.
David Varnell - formerly the board’s vice president for nine years —will replace Dennis Brazil as Board President. Brazil, who previously served as president for five years, told the board in a November meeting that he was resigning because he was moving away from the zone he represented, Zone 4 (Gustine City).
Kenneth Helms will take over as the board’s Vice President. He was formerly a board member for more than four years.
Monday’s meeting also officially welcomed new board members Bob Vargas and Sandy Walsh-Guajardo to the board.
In November’s general election, Vargas won his race for representative of Healthcare District’s Zone 1, Rural Newman, against former board member Shaun Felber, receiving 62% of the overall vote, according to Stanislaus and Merced Counties election results. Vargas has served as a full-time paramedic since 1990. Vargas said he decided to run for a board member to help address any concerns of “inappropriate spending.”
Representing Zone 2, Newman City, Walsh-Guajardo - currently working as a tax preparer and notary - said she joined the board because she wanted to be more active within the Newman community and see what she can do to help the district.
“It’s my hometown and it’s where I want to stay for the rest of my life,” Walsh-Guajardo said. “I don’t believe that you should criticize anything if you’re willing to step up and do something.”
The West Side Community Healthcare District's financial situation was discussed during Monday’s meeting. For Varnell, it's currently the district’s biggest issue, mentioning that they are losing money.
“It costs us around $4,000 to take a patient in and with our Medicare, Medicare pays only $400 of that. That’s all it’s paid. That’s what we get for that. So, we have to write the rest off,” Varnell said.
According to data from the California State Controller’s Office, the district generated $2.37 million in revenue and spent $2.26 million in 2023. Two of the biggest contributors to last year’s expenditures were personnel services and general and administrative expenses at $1.27 million and $662,657, respectively.
Helms also shared the same sentiment as Varnell, mentioning that the district could close if there is no suggestion on how to handle the finances.
“We’re not doing so well with our funding,” Helms said. “We’re also going to start looking at our collections, our ambulance bill collections because a lot of times, a lot of those go unpaid. We need to make sure we’re doing all we can to pursue insurances and stuff, to make sure we’re getting reimbursed.”
Karin Freese, the CEO of Del Puerto Healthcare District, spoke at Monday’s meeting where she offered to help the West Side Healthcare District with anything that required Del Puerto’s expertise. Vanrell mentioned that Freese will be involved in an ad hoc committee that will look into what the district needs to do to get into a stable condition.
Regarding the finances of the district, Freese said she offered an evaluation of the district including a potential business plan to help the board evaluate West Side’s future.
“It’s simply an information gathering tool and to be able to present an analysis of hopefully a sustainable business plan to the West Side board,” Freese said.
Freese also added that Varnell requested the committee to do an evaluation of the district’s financial resources, revenue components and address some of the “operational challenges” within the ambulance business.
“We’re here and available, and we look forward to working with the staff and board of Westside to be able to build a brighter future,” Freese said.
Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist within Stanislaus County.
