Dr. Gaurang Pandya, who's a board member on the Sierra View Local Health Care District Board which governs Sierra View Medical Center, has requested his public censure from last year be reconsidered.
A spokesperson for Sierra View stated Pandya made the request. The issue was set to be addressed during closed session at today's board meeting which will begin at 4:30 p.m. it the Sierra View board room.
But Sierra View Medical Center stated the issue has been postponed until July 26 and would have no further comment at this time.
At its July 27, 2021 meeting, the Sierra View board voted to publicly censure Pandya over an incident that happened at a meeting the week before on July 20, 2021. At that meeting, Pandya was accused of making inappropriate comments directed at Sierra View CEO Donna Hefner. As a result of that meeting Hefner issued a complaint against Pandya.
At the July 27, 2021 meeting, Pandya disputed the account of what happened at the July 20, 2021 meeting. “It was not directed at Mrs. Hefner at all,” said Pandya at the July 27, 2021 meeting about the comments he made at the July 20, 2021 meeting.
“I'm entitled to my opinion of what happened. Mrs. Hefner has done a reasonably good job. I don't dislike her.”
But Dr. Kent Sorrells, who was the board chairman at the time, said Pandya specifically mentioned Hefner by name and was angry at the time of that July 20, 2021 meeting. He added Pandya used words “intended to be hurtful.”
The other board members also commented Pandya's conduct was unprofessional and his behavior was unacceptable.
As far as the account of what happened at the July 20, 2021 meeting, Pandya said, “That is not entirely true. That is partially true.”
But Sorrells stated it was Pandya's conduct that was the issue. “All we're talking about here is your behavior,” he said.
At the July 27, 2021 meeting, Pandya said he wasn't given enough of a chance to respond to the allegations and requested the issue be tabled to the meeting in August to give him a chance to prepare to respond to the allegations.
But the board went ahead with the public censure. As part of the action, Pandya was also directed not to be in the same room as Hefner unless someone else was present.
The board members voted 4-1 to approve the public censure with Sorrells, Dr. Bindsagar Reddy, Dr. Ashok Behl and Liberty Lomeli voting in favor with Pandya voting against.
Public comment was scheduled to be allowed on the issue at today's meeting in closed session. The board agenda stated the public was scheduled to be allowed to enter closed session only to give comment in favor or opposition of Pandya. Those addressing the issue were to be limited to three minutes.
Nobody else was going to be allowed into the closed session to listen while a member of the public speaks on the issue. “Public will be allowed to enter the room to provide the comment and must exit the room promptly after comment is completed,” the board agenda stated before the matter was postponed.
The board agenda stated the issue of the public censure was being held in closed session to protect confidential information requiring protection by several government code sections.
Typically a board can take action on a matter in closed session and make it a matter of public record during open session.
