Barbara Sharp Running for Hospital District Commissioner

I have been a full-time island resident since October 2002, and a property owner since 1978. Like many islanders, I came here to visit and was instantly smitten with this special place and fine community.   Accordingly, I wish to serve as a Commissioner on the San Juan County Public Hospital District Board to ensure our community has access to the best possible health care, delivered in an efficient manner and in compliance with Washington state law.

I am a retired attorney and past member of both the Washington and Utah state bars. I have a BA degree from Miami University (Ohio) and a JD degree from BYU Law School. After law school, I had a year’s assignment as a judicial clerk for Judge Gregory Orme in the Utah Court of Appeals, and then worked as a staff attorney for the Workers’ Compensation Fund of Utah.   Here in Washington, I worked for the Washington Attorney General in the Bellingham Regional Office, where I represented DSHS/CPS in cases of child abuse and neglect in Skagit, Whatcom, and San Juan County.

Now that I am retired, I am active in several local non profit organizations: Friends of the Library board member; League of Women Voters board member; and general worker bee for Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor. In addition to my duties with the local League of Women Voters, I am also on a League state committee studying and cataloguing hospital mergers in the state.

Our hospital and EMS service are vital parts of our community that directly affect the health and well being of all islanders. We are fortunate to have a dedicated staff of EMTs who respond quickly to islanders’ needs, as well as access to additional services such as the emergency room and advanced diagnostics at Peace Island Medical Center. As a commissioner on the San Juan County Public Hospital District, I will work to ensure that our health care delivery system operates in full compliance with state law. Also, I favor full disclosure and transparency regarding the county tax funds that are disbursed to Peace Island Medical Center. My work and volunteer experience has prepared me well to serve on the Public Hospital District Board.

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