Supervisor V. Manuel Perez requested an expedited review back in June to dive into the financial solvency of the Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe and find recommendations to address the urgent fiscal situation they are in.

That review, the Municipal Service Review of the Palo Verde Healthcare District, is on the agenda tomorrow for the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission. The report can be found on the LAFCO website at https://lafco.org/meeting-information.

Supervisor Perez is one of the county’s representatives on the LAFCO Commission, which looks at governance of public agencies and special districts, and looks forward to this discussion.

“I have made this a priority because it’s about the people of Blythe,” said Supervisor Perez. “A closure of the Palo Verde Hospital would be devastating for the Blythe community. I have met with leaders throughout the 4th District including local council members such as Johnny Rodriguez and Joseph Halby to mobilize immediate actions on the potential closure of the Blythe hospital. We have also brought together our county team to make sure the community of Blythe is supported. Urgency has been our course of action. With this expedited review, the goal is to have action items that demonstrate the sense of urgency needed to finalize an agreement between the leaders.”

Blythe Vice Mayor Johnny Rodriguez states, “I appreciate Supervisor Perez and LAFCO for moving swiftly to evaluate the situation and explore governance models that can ensure our hospital’s long-term survival. This review is an opportunity to take evidence-based steps to safeguard emergency services and build a more sustainable health system for our community.”