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Residents and hospital leaders urge county to treat El Dorado Ready as a public-safety funding tool
Summary
Speakers at the Board of Supervisors meeting urged the county to support a November ballot measure, saying it would provide dedicated wildfire-prevention funding and help Marshall Medical Center meet imminent state facility mandates. Hospital representatives offered to answer staff questions and correct misinformation.
Wendy Thomas, a former county supervisor, told the Board of Supervisors on July 21 that El Dorado Ready is "the most important initiative on the November ballot for El Dorado County's future," arguing the measure would create a dedicated revenue source for wildfire prevention and support Marshall Medical Center.
Maya Schneider, identifying herself as principal officer of a Marshall-affiliated 501(c)(4), told the board she and others have worked with county staff and offered to provide data to address what she called misinformation circulating on social media. An interim CEO for Marshall Medical Center (who introduced themself during public comment) said their door is open to discuss community concerns.
The speakers framed the measure as connected to hospital viability: Thomas said Marshall has already spent $70 million on facility upgrades and faces about $125 million more in capital projects to meet owner-assignment mandates by 2030; she warned that failure of the measure could “likely” force reductions in critical services. The comments were part of the public record for consent item 18; Supervisor Verkamp abstained from voting on that item, disclosing service on the Marshall Hospital board.
The board approved the consent calendar with the clerk noting Verkamp's abstention and recording Parlin's statement for the record. The clerk's reading and the motion passed 5–0 on the consent calendar overall. No formal board action on the ballot measure was taken at the July 21 meeting; staff said a report with analysis was expected back in August.
