Starke County Hospital Board President Kathy Norem approached the Starke County Commissioners during their last meeting with a request.
She reminded the commissioners that the hospital operations were leased to a for-profit organization in 1996. The original lease was a 20-year lease with two, 10-year options for renewal. During that time, the lease has been sold a few times. The current lessee is Community Health Systems located in Brentwood.
Norem said the first 10-year option is nearing its end and the expiration is October 1, 2026. Notice has to be given at least nine months in advance. Norem explained that Community Health Systems has indicated that they would like to make some changes to the lease and the Hospital Board would like to do a community survey to find out what expectations and needs are in Starke County.
She said the board would like to create a committee to sit down with the lessee to begin discussions. She asked that one commissioner be included in this committee along with three Hospital Board members and three Starke County Council members. Commissioner Charles Chesak agreed to be on the committee and the commissioners unanimously approved a motion to have Chesak as the commissioner to serve on the committee.
Norem also requested a $50,000 appropriation to help pay for a consultant/attorney and for the community needs/assessment survey. County government would have a majority decision with the use of that money.
The commissioners unanimously agreed to a recommendation to appropriate $50,000 out of the non-reverting Public Health Fund. The Starke County Council later approved the recommendation with a unanimous vote. The council members also unanimously approved a motion to select Bruce Bennett, Cassandra Hine and Todd Leinbach as the council representatives on the hospital committee.
Additionally, the commissioners thanked outgoing Commissioner Mark Gourley for his years of service as a commissioner.
