Talks between Hazel Hawkins and San Benito County to find partner at a standstill

HOLLISTER, CALIF. (KION-TV)- Discussions to find a partner for Hazel Hawkins have stopped between the hospital and San Benito County, leaving both sides at a standstill.

According to Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki, the county is asking to begin discussing Salinas Valley Health as possible partner.

“The county offered Salinas Valley Health as a potential partner, you know, to engage in conversations with Salinas Valley Health and Hazel Hawkins Hospital,” Kosmicki said. “Salinas Valley Health has shown interest in engaging in those conversations.”

The hospital says that this offer was never brought up to them though according to spokesperson Marcus Young

“There is no proposal from the county and there is no proposal from Salinas Valley Health,” Young said. “We contacted Salinas Valley. That was months ago, and they respectfully declined being part of that process with us. So nothing has changed from then till now.”

In a memo sent to employees about possibly partnering with Hazel Hawkins in some way President and CEO of Salinas Valley Pete Delgado said in part quote:

“If we can assist others for the betterment of our entire region and still protect the quality care of Salinas Valley Health, then we have a duty to look into that, which is what we will do. When one piece of the regional healthcare ecosystem suffers, it has the very likely potential to affect others.”

County supervisors want to be able to discuss this possibility with the hospital, but only if they’ll even want to talk.

“We haven't even had the opportunity to have any discussions,” Kosmicki said. “We you know, we haven't even had the opportunity to explore what that partnership might look like. And that's really all we're asking to do.”

If there’s one thing both sides agreed on it’s a simple one. They want to keep Hazel Hawkins in San Benito County.

The hospital says they have potential partners or buyers in place that could bring 30 to $100 million to the table, but no definitive deals have been reached.