With Measure A not passing, the West Side Community Ambulance Board members discussed the future of the West Side Community Healthcare District during Monday’s meeting.

The measure would have introduced a parcel tax of $69 per parcel as a means of funding the district’s ambulance services in Newman, Gustine, Santa Nella, and Stevinson. For residents who could have a serious health condition at any point, the nearest hospitals for those cities are located in Turlock, Modesto, and Merced - making it more than a 12-minute drive.

For the measure to go through, two-thirds of the overall votes needed to support the measure. According to Stanislaus County’s General Election results, 56.2% supported the measure. In comparison, nearly 50.4% of voters in Merced County voted against the measure, according to the county’s General Election results.

Dennis Brazil, who resigned from his role as President of the board due to him moving to a different area zone, said that he and the board were surprised about the measure not passing, especially since they received support in favor of the measure from local communities.

“Very unfortunate that the measure did not pass,” Brazil said. “The community that is in our boundaries is going to find out how critical ambulance service is.”

Multiple options from the district’s subcommittee were presented as the next course of action following the measure not passing:

●     Prepare for a potential cease of the district’s operations due to expenses exceeding revenue.

●     Consider usability and interest of citizen-sponsored initiative to increase revenue.

●     Pursue financial assistance from both Stanislaus and Merced counties and other potential stakeholder

●     Pursue operational or managerial assistance from affected government agency

●     Commitment to having dedicated coverage within the district or the entire district including both Stanislaus and Merced counties.

●     A combination of one or more of the recommendations mentioned above

During the meeting, the board discussed a citizens-initiated ballot measure as another way to possibly get the measure enacted. For it to go through, it needs a majority vote, such as 51%, instead of two-thirds. Stanislaus and Merced counties must agree to the citizens-initiated measure on the ballot and hold a special election.

The board later approved to pursue the possibility of a citizens-initiated measure on the ballot.

David Varnell, a board member, supported the idea of a citizens-initiative measure and believed that it could work.

"Let’s keep this running and with the support of our employees, I think we can make this thing work,” Vernell said. “It’s going to take a lot of work.”

Varnell also spoke about the importance of having a nearby ambulance service as it pertains to the timetable of the service’s arrival.

“I got a family that lives here and I don’t want to have my family wait for somebody else to respond from Los Banos or wherever,” Varnell said. “I still believe that we need to all pull together and get this measure in the right direction.”

Shaun Felber, a board member until next week, also shared a similar sentiment as he voiced his disapproval of the option to declare bankruptcy, mentioning the message it could send.

“I don’t like the bankruptcy option, it’s more of a band-aid [option],” Felber said. “If I was one of our medics and my company was filing for bankruptcy, I would be looking for another job.”

Previously, there was a local hospital that accommodated residents in the area, the West Side Community Hospital. According to the West Side Community Ambulance website, the hospital -opened in 1937- served as the local acute care hospital within the rural area of Newman. However, due to financial implications, the hospital closed in 1956 which caused concerned residents to pursue the idea of a hospital district.

In the following year, residents voted for the West Side Community Healthcare District to form with board members appointed by the Board of Supervisors from Stanislaus and Merced counties. The district purchased the hospital later that year.

Due to the hospital’s financial situation and an attempt to run a sub-acute program for neurological patients, the hospital closed again in 1993.