AN OPEN LETTER

No community issue in many years has aroused Greenbrae homeowners to such an extent as that caused by the proposed Trauma Center with associated heliport at MGH. Naturally, the GPOA Board feels called upon to publish, and to convey to you, a statement of its position on this matter.

In its representative capacity, and in an effort to avoid coloring this position statement with the bias of individual Directors, the Board chose to poll the entire Greenbrae community by way of a mailing sent out last May. The mailing consisted of previously published articles on both sides of the argument as well as a response card that provided each household the opportunity to inform the Board of its position-- OPPOSE or SUPPORT. Nearly 500 cards were returned, a great many of which included lengthy comments supporting our belief that local feelings were running pretty high on this. More than two-thirds of the responses were OPPOSED.

As a follow up to this polling, the GPOA Board opened a discussion of the matter at its unusually well attended regular meeting on July 15. Overwhelmingly, those in attendance were opposed to the development of a Level II Trauma Center with Heliport at Marin General Hospital. Reasons given echoed the sentiments expressed in the large majority of response cards:

• The incidence of medical traumas in relatively lightly populated Marin does not warrant a separate Level II Facility in Marin.
   
• Concern that such a facility could only be made economically viable by attracting trauma cases from all over the six-county Bay Area via helicopter, to an extent that would vastly exceed the number of flights indicated by proponents of the facility.
   
• Concern over the enforceability of County-imposed land use and permit restrictions once the facility was converted to FAA control.
   
• The heliport represents an unacceptable level of risk to the local environment, and to the health and safety of the local public.
   
• The peaceful use and enjoyment of property, and the general quality of life in Greenbrae and the larger Ross Valley community, would be seriously negatively impacted.

While it is always easy to dismiss the expression of such concerns by the local citizenry as selfish disregard for the greater good ("Not In My Backyard"), it would seem that, based on our polling, Greenbrae residents taken as a whole are both conscientious and circumspect with regard to this issue. As a representative of and on behalf of that community, the GPOA Board of Directors urges you to vote against the Level II Trauma Center Proposal and any notion of developing a heliport at Marin General Hospital.