Don’t Bury Head in Sand, Consider Running for Seat on Desert Healthcare District Board

PALM SPRINGS — Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Desert Healthcare District has been a hotbed of activity this past year, most notably the termination of CEO Dr. Conrado Bárzaga.

Then, of course, there is the decision of whether to accept a proposal from Tenet Health, the current Desert Regional Medical Center operator. The deal, which was offered in September 2023 after several years of talks, would extend Tenet’s current lease from 2027 to 2057, according to Chris Christensen, interim CEO. Any deal the District negotiates with Tenet would be required to go before voters for approval before going into effect.

Have you been sitting on the sidelines criticizing what decisions have been made, why and how? The board of directors is comprised of seven directors. Four of those seats will be up for grabs in the November election.

The board is made up of seven directors: four face reelection this fall. They are:

  • Dr. Les Zendle, Zone 1
  • Carmina Zavala, Zone 3
  • Arthur Shorr, Zone 5
  • Leticia De Lara, Zone 7

Uken Report reached out to all four to see if each would seek reelection; only Zendle replied. In short, he said he has not yet decided.

To find out which zone of the Desert Healthcare District you live in, please view an interactive map of the District here: https://ndcresearch.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=61572b864004444899d50944a03412e2

Board compensation includes:

  • Up to $10,600 per year of health insurance premiums
  • Up to six meetings per month stipend compensation at $115.76/per meeting.

You may read the ordinance regarding increasing the amount of compensation board receive here: https://ukenreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ordinance-23-01-Increasing-Compensation-Effec.-09-25-23.docx.pdf

You may read the insurance and compensation policy here: https://ukenreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Policy-BOD-21-Board-Member-Compensation-Guidelines-06.28.2022.pdf

The board of directors voted of 4-3 — with Directors De Lara, Zavala and Kimberly Barraza in opposition to “direct counsel to take appropriate action concerning the confidential matter related to the CEO’s contract, according to a report from the Sept. 20 special closed session meeting.

The four directors who supported termination were Zendle, Shorr, Evett PerezGil and Carole Rogers.

The filing period is July 15 through Aug. 9.

The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. It is funded primarily through a portion of Riverside County property tax collected in the Coachella Valley, as well as public and private donations and lease revenue. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved and vulnerable members of our community — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary healthcare and behavioral healthcare. The District owns the Desert Regional Medical Center campus in Palm Springs, but the hospital facilities are leased and operated by Tenet Healthcare.