Voting dates set for towns with stake in Mayo Regional merger
Courtesy / Mayo Regional Hospital
Mayo Regional Hospital President and CEO Marie Vienneau said Tuesday's vote by the Legislature's State and Local Government Committee advances a bill that facilitates a proposed merger with Northern Light Health.
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The merger of Mayo Regional Hospital and Northern Light Health already cleared one hurdle when it was approved by Dexter.
Now the other towns that make up the Hospital Administrative District 4 will have their say. The votes will be held on a variety of dates set by each individual town as a part of a town meeting. The result of the votes will give legislators guidance on whether or not to submit legislation to change the district’s charter to allow for the merger.
Mayo Regional faces the same challenges rural hospitals are dealing with across the country and merging with a larger hospital group will offer a more stable financial footing for the future, its leader says.
“Rural hospitals are facing challenges and difficulties around the country,” said Mayo Regional Hospital president and CEO Marie Vienneau. “We are fortunate to be ahead of the curve on those challenges. The Hospital Administrative District 4 board of directors prepared for these challenges five years ago, and did its due diligence and careful, thoughtful consideration when considering the next steps in a long-term strategic plan for the hospital. The 12 town votes are important to help our legislators see that there is public support for this merger, which also means public support for keeping quality care close to home. Quality care is vital for Piscataquis County, and this vote is vital to maintaining that care.”
There is currently legislation that will direct the towns in Hospital Administrative District 4 to hold public votes. The legislation had a public hearing Wednesday morning and will be taken up by the State and Local Government Committee later in the week before being voted on by the House and Senate. Once the towns in the district hold their votes, the legislative delegation representing those communities will determine whether or not to submit legislation to change the charter, which would allow for the merger.
Because Mayo Regional Hospital is owned and operated as a Hospital Administrative District, its board is made up of members who are elected by the communities served by the hospital. Hospital Administrative District 4 is the only one left in Maine and is a quasi-governmental agency with taxing power. The effect of the merger would be to transform the hospital administrative district into a Maine charitable tax-exempt nonprofit corporation that would have a community-based board but would not have taxing authority. This would relieve the towns in the district from potential liability for the certain indebtedness of the hospital.
Dexter has already decided on this matter at its annual meeting last week, voting unanimously to proceed with the merger. The schedule for the votes for the remaining towns are as follows:
- Cambridge, 10 a.m., Saturday, April 20, Cambridge Town Office, 202 Ripley Road.
- Bradford, 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 22, Bradford Town Hall, 345 East Road.
- Milo, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, Milo Town Hall, 6 Pleasant St.
- Monson, 6 p.m., Thursday, April 25, Monson Town Office, 10 Tenney Hill Road.
- Abbot, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25, Abbot Town Hall, 133 Main Road.
- Dover-Foxcroft, 9 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Municipal Building, 48 Morton Ave.
- Willimantic, 10 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Willimantic Town Hall, Elliottsville Road.
- Parkman, 6 p.m., Monday, April 29, Parkman Town Office (lower level), 771 State Highway 150.
- Atkinson, 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 29, Atkinson Town Office, 102 North Stagecoach Road.
- Guilford, 7 p.m., Monday, April 29, PCES Middle School Cafeteria, 25 Campus Drive.
- Sangerville, 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 30, Sangerville Town Hall, One Town Ave.
- Sebec: To be determined.
Four public forums have been held on the topic in April as well.
More details about the potential merger and the upcoming votes can be found at www.MayoHospitalFacts.com.
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