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Ridgecrest council presses for hospital oversight as East Kern annexation moves to public protest
Summary
Councilmembers and residents urged more public oversight and local representation as the East Kern Healthcare District annexation proceeds to LAFCO protest procedures; council stopped short of formal action but urged dialogue with the hospital and public education ahead of an Oct. 14 protest hearing.
Councilmembers spent the bulk of their Oct. 1 meeting discussing the proposed annexation of Ridgecrest into the East Kern Healthcare District and what it could mean for Ridgecrest Hospital, urging more transparency and local oversight.
Councilmember Blades and others said they want the city to use its influence to secure public representation and accountability for decisions affecting hospital services. "We have every reason to compel them to want to be because those monies that go back and forth ... are a huge thing," Councilmember Blades said during the meeting. Several councilmembers and residents said they are…
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