St. Andrews

First task force meeting

SUE MELLO, Staff Reporter
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 11:00am
Facilitated by Jiim Chaousis, the new four-town board got off to a sound start at their first meeting on August 29 at Boothbay Town Hall. Pictured here, from left to right, Chaousis, Smith Climo, Chairman Chuck Cunningham, Valerie Augustine and Stuart Smith.
Facilitated by Jiim Chaousis, the new four-town board got off to a sound start at their first meeting on August 29 at Boothbay Town Hall. Pictured here, from left to right, Chaousis, Smith Climo, Chairman Chuck Cunningham, Valerie Augustine and Stuart Smith. Below, the task force set its objectives for its first week, which Chaousis noted on a white board. First on their list, a 6 month moratorium for hospital changes that would push the earliest change could occur to October 2013. JOHN EDWARDS/Boothbay Register
the task force set its objectives for its first week, which Chaousis noted on a white board. First on their list, a 6 month moratorium for hospital changes that would push the earliest change could occur to October 2013. JOHN EDWARDS/Boothbay Register
the task force set its objectives for its first week, which Chaousis noted on a white board. First on their list, a 6 month moratorium for hospital changes that would push the earliest change could occur to October 2013. JOHN EDWARDS/Boothbay Register

In its first meeting, the new St. Andrews Task Force asked Lincoln County Healthcare for a six-month moratorium on any changes and voted to hire a lawyer specializing in healthcare to assist them.

The task force will remain a town selectmen-only group with Chuck Cunningham (Chairman, Boothbay), Valerie Augustine (Boothbay Harbor), Smith Climo (Southport) and Stuart Smith (Edgecomb) as its members and Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis as its facilitator. It will rely on town volunteers to staff working groups and to provide funding and expertise. 

The towns' move came on the heels of Lincoln County Healthcare's decision to close the St. Andrews emergency room and replace it with an urgent care. Without a 24-hour emergency room, St. Andrews would no longer be a licensed hospital. LCH plans to close the emergency room in April of 2013.

Chaousis said “some very skilled people,” citing those with hospital administration, pharmaceutical, and emergency response experience, had expressed an interest in supporting the task force’s efforts to avert St. Andrews emergency room closure. He asked volunteers in the room to sign up to serve, and those who did not attend to contact him to sign up.

The task force has received $3,000 to date, which will be used to fund legal fees, Chaousis said. Under an inter-town agreement, which is still under review, the Town of Boothbay will act as fiscal agent, receiving, tracking and expending any donated funds. Anyone interested in donating to the task force should contact the Boothbay Town Office. Chaousis said any collected funds not spent by the task force will be given to the Boothbay Region Ambulance Service’s capital improvement fund.

Several audience members expressed particular concerns they would like the task force to address, and a few like former EMT Helen Farnham, and former St. Andrews employee Freddie Luke, offered their expertise. Tom Hagan asked the task force to investigate the governance of St. Andrews Hospital and expressed concern that Lincoln County Healthcare could transfer property before the town could act.  “We could wake up and find out it’s all been transferred somewhere else,” Hagan said.

Lincoln County Healthcare’s Vice President of Physician Services Stacey Miller said that there would be no transfer of real estate and that no equipment bought with auxiliary funds had been transferred to Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta. She agreed to provide an equipment inventory to the task force.

“We know our community communication process was flawed,” Miller said. “We can’t take that back but we can make a good faith effort going forward.”
Miller and Vice President of Hospital Operations Cindy Leavitt represented Lincoln County Healthcare at the meeting.

Climo asked that Lincoln County Healthcare representatives come to the table with open minds. “You’re saying (closing the ER and ending in-patient care) is a done deal. I am saying have an open mind or there is no chance. At the end of the day, you may be right. But you need to come into this with the idea that maybe you’re not right and there’s a viable option,” Climo said.

After over an hour of open public discussion, Cunningham said he appreciated the comments and concerns, but would need to limit public comment so the board could get on task.
The task force set the following objectives for their first week:

  1. Setup task force meeting with Lincoln County Healthcare to request a six-month moratorium on hospital changes. This would push back changes date from April to October 2013.
  2. Get information request to Lincoln County Healthcare.
  3. Consult with and retain the services of a healthcare lawyer. Chaousis recommended Julius Ciembroniewicz of the Augusta-based firm Kozak & Gayer and the task force accepted this recommendation. A conference call with Ciembroniewicz is planned for August 30.
  4. Inventory volunteers and their skills for work groups.
  5. Establish work groups to address Rep. Bruce MacDonald’s community hospital district idea; define ambulance service needs; work with Lincoln County Healthcare; and work with Mary Ellen Barnes of Lincoln County regional planning office on economics and transportation factors. Other work groups may be defined as needed.

Chaousis said he would provide a central location for all the task force’s communications and information and would make those available to the public.

The task force will meet weekly at the Boothbay Town Office on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Video footage of the meeting
Photos of the meeting 

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