A healthy debate

Saratoga Town Council continues discussion of clinic lease

As the discussion around healthcare continues, the members of the Saratoga Town Council appear to be divided as to the best coourse of action to take for the following topics:

• Saratoga’s role in healthcare

• The pursuit of a critital access hospital by the Platte Valley Healthcare Project (PVHC)

• Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s intention to establish a clinic in the Valley

•The lease between the Town of Saratoga and Health Management Services (HMS)

This was made apparent during the Aug. 20 meeting of the governing body as questions were raised.

For the past several months, healthcare has been discussed at length at nearly every town council meeting. One of the most active meetings being that of June 4 in the Platte Valley Community Center (PVCC) which saw community and business leaders express their opinions on the current lease (see “Political theater” on page 1 of the June 12 Saratoga Sun).

During the most recent town council meeting, Saratoga resident Glee Johnson asked Councilmember Jon Nelson if the questions he had posed to Bob Quist, (MHCC interim Chief Executive Officer), during the Aug. 6 meeting had come from the lease. Nelson stated that they had. Johnson followed by asking Councilmember Steve Wilcoxson if HMS was paying rent for the lease. Wilcoxson stated that they were not. Johnson then asked legal counsel Tom Thompson why the lease had not been terminated due to non-compliance.

“That’s the decision of the council, to make a motion or to consider termination and the council hasn’t done it,” Thompson replied.

Councilmember Bob Keel, following Johnson’s questions, weighed in on the issue of the clinic lease, stated that he believed the council was split on the proper way to approach the contract.

“I think there are some of us that would like to fix this issue. There are some others that are pretty hesitant and I think their line of thinking is that they don’t want to disrupt any of the healthcare in the town, which I understand. It is my opinion that the lease needs to be either voided and restructured or some other action taken,” said Keel.

Johnson told the council that her objection was not to the healthcare being provided, adding that she believed that the two physicians assistants were providing good care.

“The healthcare being given, there’s no question that it’s been good healthcare. That isn’t the question,” said Johnson. “The question is; you have somebody that’s signed a contract and they’re not honoring it and that’s the management. You could have different management and still have good healthcare.”

Councilmember Judy Welton expressed her concern about the disruption of healthcare, stating that she did not want to be in a position were a temporary clinic was established at PVCC, such as the one in late 2018. Following Welton’s comments, Keel stated he believed this concern was no longer valid.

“The new light that we have somebody else that’s going to come in and provide healthcare, I think, voids the concern that we won’t have any healthcare. In my opinion,” Keel said.

Wilcoxson restated his position on amending the current lease to reflect what was currently taking place at the clinic. He added that it appeared the critical access hospital PVHP was pursuing would be feasible. He believesthe amended lease should last only as long as was needed for an answer from the United States Department of Agriculture on the critical access hospital.

Keel responded to Wilcoxson, stating he believed the Town of Saratoga was leaving itself open to litigation by not enforcing the lease.

“The big argument in the past was there was going to be disruption of service and now we know very well that isn’t going to happen with another company coming in offering similar services. So, I think it’s negligent by this council to continue to turn a blind eye because we’re leaving ourselves legally liable because there’s a competing company that can come in and they’ll claim that we need to provide the same services that we are another private company; which is a free building and free equipment,” said Keel. “So, I’d hate to see the town be under legal liability.”

Debate between Wilcoxson and Keel continued with the former stating the circumstances surrounding the lease were specific to the situation and the latter asking if the Town of Saratoga would begin giving “every private company free services.”

“It’s our building and our lease, but at the same time, we’re giving preferential treatment to a private company,” Keel said.

“We’re giving preferential treatment to a renter that’s leasing our building,” added Welton.

As the discussion appeared to come to an end, Thompson addressed Johnson’s original questions about the lease stating that he had already given advice to the council (see “Presentation consternation” on page 3 of the May 29 Saratoga Sun).

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Saratoga Town Hall.

 

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