The Pajaro Valley Health Care District is evolving to better reflect and represent the diverse voices that make up our community. Today, our board of directors is elected “at-large,” meaning that every registered voter within the District votes for each seat. Beginning in 2026, and in compliance with Senate Bill 418, we will move to a “by-zone” election system. This means the District will be divided into geographic zones, and voters will elect one board member who resides in and represents their zone, similar to how the Watsonville City Council and Pajaro Valley Unified School District operates.
This transition is about ensuring that every neighborhood of the Pajaro Valley has a voice in how healthcare decisions are made. We recently held our first public hearing on Sept.17, and we will have more opportunities to get involved.
Here’s how you can participate:
• Attend Public Hearings:, All hearings will be held at the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley’s Community Room beginning after 5:15pm
– Oct. 29, 2025: Public input on draft maps (to be published by Oct. 22)
– Nov. 19, 2025: Public input on draft maps and election sequencing
• Attend a virtual Community Meeting: Nov. 5 at 5:30pm to learn more about the process, ask questions and provide your ideas. Visit pvhcd.org/meetings for a Zoom link.
• Submit Written Testimony: Email your ideas, map proposals, and insights about your community to zo***@***cd.org.
For information, and to review draft maps, learn how to draw your own and track our progress, visit drawpajaro.org.
Celebrating Community at the Twilight Tapestry Gala
I am still inspired by the incredible energy we saw (and the amazing sunset) at the Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation’s Twilight Tapestry Gala on Sept. 13 on the top floor of the Watsonville Civic Plaza.
More than 200 of us came together to celebrate our progress, honor extraordinary physicians, and support our hospital’s future. Thank you to everyone who attended and to the sponsors and donors who made the night possible.
This year, we recognized two remarkable leaders whose careers have shaped healthcare in the Pajaro Valley.
• Dr. Maria S. Granthom received the Compassion in Action Award for 46 years of advancing women’s health and delivering compassionate care.
• Dr. Miguel Vasquez received the Golden Heart Award for more than 40 years of pioneering cardiac care and advocacy in our community.
Their lifetime of service reminds us why we work tirelessly to keep our hospital strong—so every patient can receive the quality care they deserve, right here at home.
If you couldn’t make it to the Gala, you can still support and learn more about the Foundation by visiting watsonvillecommunityhospitalfoundation.org.
Teaming Up to Tackle H.R.1
When I played football at Watsonville High School (hard to believe that was 15 years ago) my coaches taught me that with teamwork, we could overcome any challenge. Today, that lesson is more relevant than ever.
Watsonville Community Hospital has been fighting hard since returning to public ownership in 2022. We cut our losses to near break-even by 2024, purchased the property and buildings to bring the hospital fully under local control, and began planning how to put Measure N dollars to work. Care quality and community trust improved—reflected in our 4.4-star Google rating and an improved Leapfrog Safety Grade.
Then we got sacked by a cyberattack in late 2024 that set off a cascade of challenges. And just as we started driving down the field again, federal lawmakers sent an all-out blitz with H.R.1, threatening millions in revenue and forcing us back into the huddle to call our next play.
Though the challenges are great, we refuse to simply play defense. We want to stay on offense—continuing our progress by growing services, expanding access, and improving care. That’s why we’re looking to add the right teammates through partnerships with other local, non-profit health systems.
As our CEO Steve Grey and I have shared with local media, our hospital team, and current partners, we’re seeking partners who share our vision of improving and transforming local care.
Partnerships could take many forms, so to make sure we stay on the right playbook, our board has developed a set of Guiding Principles that will serve as the guardrails for every conversation with potential partners:
Guiding Principles September 2025 – Approved by Board 9/3/2025
1. Arrangements must align with the mission, vision, and values of the District and WCH.
2. Arrangements must prioritize innovation, growth, financial sustainability, and equitable access.
3. Arrangements must commit to honoring existing union relationships through the end of the existing contracts, negotiating extensions and future labor contracts in good faith with the unions currently at WCH, and retaining WCH employees, with the ability to consolidate services for efficiency through attrition.
4. The District shall maintain ownership of the property and capital assets throughout and after the term of any arrangement.
5. Any arrangement shall not dissolve the Health Care District and its board of directors.
6. We will continue to provide information to the public, allowing for their input into the future direction of the District and Hospital, as required under SB 418 and the law.
7. Any arrangement must contain adequate protections to ensure the continued success of the district and hospital corporation at the end of any term.
8. Arrangements must comply with all Measure N Bond covenants to maintain funding.
9. Arrangements must comply with existing legislation (i.e., SB 418) and/or allow for amendments to existing District and Hospital Corporation agreements that contain covenants or other restrictive language (e.g., Packard loan, Distressed Hospital Loan Program loan, West Coast Community Bank line of credit).
10. Only not-for-profit or government-based agencies, and only agencies that already provide healthcare in northern California, shall be considered.
These principles are rooted in our mission: to ensure that access to healthcare in the Pajaro Valley is preserved, improved, and expanded for generations to come.
Together, with community input, philanthropic support, and the right partnerships, we can tackle the challenges ahead—and score a win for local healthcare.
