In the end, there was no persuading Huntsville Council on Monday night. The rift between it and the Board of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) had become so wide that in an unprecedented vote, an overwhelming majority of councillors declared that they had lost faith in the hospital board and called on the Health Minister to immediately dismiss it.
Councillors criticized the board for being ambiguous about telling the Minister that there is no community support for a single hospital model and removing that option from the table. They also criticized what they referred to as the board’s lack of transparency, they questioned who the board is really accountable to and pointed at the fact that it had not rescinded the motion it passed in 2015 calling for a single hospital model, despite assurances that it had turned a new chapter.
Huntsville Deputy Mayor Karin Terziano, who seconded the resolution, said it was “intended as a message that the board’s governance model is in question, their accountability and responsibility to our community is in question, the board has a HIP (Hospital Improvement Plan) agreement that recommends surgery today in Bracebridge and that’s a concern. We’re six years into a process that appears to have been neglectful of this community’s wishes and the lack of trust does not seem to be reversible.”
Others echoed her sentiment and although the Chair of the board, Evelyn Brown, in an apparent change of stance, told council and those who packed the Algonquin Theatre on Monday night that the board welcomed a unified front with municipal representatives to ask the Province to reexamine its funding formula, one that has resulted in hospital deficits year after year, her assurances seemed for many to be too little too late.
“It seems like they’ve come to the end game a little too late for my comfort level,” said Huntsville Councillor Brian Thompson.
During the meeting with board members and input from the community, Councillor Dan Armour questioned whether MAHC should be expected to be neutral, to which Brown answered, “I should hope so.” Yet, continued Armour, MAHC’s Chief of Staff has indicated that surgeries should be conducted in Bracebridge, a comment that he said does not lead to the building of trust. Brown said she had not heard that comment, “but I believe that is someone’s opinion. It’s not a statement by the board,” she added.
In another exchange, Councillor Jonathan Wiebe noted that resources have been expended by the task force appointed by the board to study and recommend a future hospital model for the area but questioned whether their focus shouldn’t be on the funding formula itself. “I’m just worried that all that work is really just a waste of time if the funding isn’t there and we can’t go forward anyway.”
Brown responded by referring to that task force’s work as one of two streams attached at the hip. She said the redevelopment of the hospital model can take several years “and so as we continue to fight for medium-sized hospitals in towns like ours, we will still be refining a model that hopefully over the next reasonable… time frame, that the funding formula will be changed because it is being advocated right across the province,” she assured.
But her response did not seem to allay fears that at least a majority of the hospital board continues to favour the creation of one hospital to replace the existing two.
Harold Featherston, Chief Executive Diagnostics, Ambulatory Planning with MAHC perhaps put it more succinctly. “The task force’s responsibility is to pick the model that we think best serves this community in the long-term and then we need to figure out how to make it happen. So that’s where those two conversations continue to intersect, but it’s also where you can help us,” he told council, adding that it is not the task force’s job to fix the funding formula. “That’s not going to happen with local volunteers in the community. It’s not going to happen with an individual board, it’s not going to happen with a really passionate CEO, much of this happens on the political side of things and you’re much better at this stuff than we are. So, the work you’ve been doing on those fronts, and we’re talking about going together with you to help advocate for that, is going to help set us up for the future way better than we are today and that’s where these two conversations come together.”
But conspicuously missing from the presentations that evening, especially at a time when MAHC’s financial future is at stake, was the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer. Doppler caught up with Brown who left after the presentations, shortly before council voted on a non-confidence resolution that evening. We asked what had happened to former CFO Tim Smith. Brown said he had retired and been replaced with a new CFO by the name of Terry Shields. Brown said Shields comes to the area from a similar position in Windsor. That community underwent a similar situation when two hospitals amalgamated following a realignment of services. “I think in Windsor it was particularly contentious,” said Brown.
Shield was hired with very little fanfare, although Brown said a press release had been issued.
Meanwhile, inside the theatre council continued discussing the motion before it. Councillor Nancy Alcock said the hospital board’s lack of transparency continued to be an issue for her and Huntsville Mayor Scott Aitchison made it clear that the results of passing the motion would be uncertain. He said the Province, currently in the midst of an election campaign, might ignore it. They could send an investigator in and ultimately a supervisor or they may respond and tell council to keep working with the board.
“At the end of the day that really is the challenge before us. Do we think we have a better chance of effecting the kind of change and outcome we want by passing a resolution calling on the Minister to dismiss the board and then going and dealing directly with the Minister or the Ministry of Health or potentially a designate that they send here?” He said like many councillors he too was hoping for more definitive answers. “Specifically, I didn’t think it was a difficult thing to commit to at least speaking to the board about rescinding that 2015 motion [calling for a single hospital model],” he said.
I tell you honestly, I’m a fairly confident individual and I usually don’t have a problem speaking my mind and telling you what I think and sometimes I can be a bit obnoxious about it, but I’m really quite fearful for this whole situation and I worry that if we just continue to just keep talking, there’s a part of me, that cynical part of me that thinks they’re doing it on purpose because they want us to just keep talking until they steal everything away… Huntsville Mayor Scott Aitchison
He said whether the municipality has a better chance with the appointment of a supervisor rather than dealing with the hospital board is a question that has kept him up at nights.
In the end all of council except Councillor Bob Stone who said the task force should be given time to come up with its recommendation and said he had no substantive evidence that the board was acting in an untoward manner, voted in favour of the resolution to dissolve the board and forward the same to the Minister and area municipalities.
Update: MAHC CEO Natalie Bubela was on vacation during Monday’s meeting, said Brown.
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I believe that they are all trying to reach the best solution for ALL of Muskoka and not just Huntsville. That solution seems to be 2 full hospitals Even if the mayors were “out voted” isn’t that called “democracy.” Isn’t that how it works on their councils?
I kinda thought the presentation from Mayor Smith was right in line with all the other presenters and Mayor Aitchison. Yes the Mayors are part of the task force but I fear they are only there to be out voted by the MAHC representatives. I fear this is one big set up.
What you “think” and what you know for a fact, are two different things. This whole debate has been one of “alternative facts” from the Huntsville mayor and council. The mayor is part of this planning committee, why hasn’t he kept his council up to date on what is going on? It’s apparent that they don’t have a clue. In the absence of real facts, the council members and the public just make up their own reality. When they hear information they don’t like or don’t agree with, the cry is “off with their heads.”
Graydon Smith is still the voice of reason in this emotional vs. fact-based dispute.
I came out to the meeting on Monday expecting to hear something new, perhaps that the board was listening and we could carry on debating what was needed to proceed with the hospital model overwhelmingly favoured by the residents of Muskoka/Parry Sound. Minutes in to their presentation I thought, the words have been altered a little but the script was the same as, at least, the presentations I had attended in District Council Chambers and my own Probus Club in Huntsville. They aren’t listening at all. When Cameron Renwick tells us there is no Elephant in the room it is because he can’t see it, he is standing on it. When the board chair brought out the first proposal a couple of years ago, it was touted as a unanimous board decision. No questions were allowed and each board member read out what was supposed to be their reasoning for this decision. Those of us in attendance were in shock. The statements were obviously coached and proof of that came when two of the board “resigned” or were pushed out when it was revealed they were having an attack of conscience and refuting the unanimity. The backlash from this report lead to the formation of the current Transformation Task Force. There are three elected district Mayors on this Task Force. All strong Mayors who stand up loudly and often for their constituents. The board could now say that they weren’t hiding anything and couldn’t with such oversight. My fear now is that while the original task force appears to have been mandated to come to a unanimous decision or preferred option, I think perhaps this task force is aiming for a majority decision and that is why the one hospital model option is still on the table. This board has 25 members. If the Mayors stick together they can easily be outvoted by a simple majority and we have all been scammed again. Transparency !!! If the board can be fired and a new board organized that will work to community needs and wants, any time frame lost in the past mess could probably be made up easily with all the infighting removed and all sides working for the good of our total area residents including Almaguin, The Park, Dorset and all the seasonal and tourist patients seen by MAHC each year. If this can’t happen, I feel we have lost again.
This is ridiculous. The Ontario Government, who funds the Hospitals is saying they will not have two Hospitals here. We have the option of a new fully functioning one, or two old, non fully funded locations. How is no one looking at the simple economics of this situation.
If the Ontario Government changes, and we do not have a proposal put forward, we are going to end up with nothing. Losing the board only slows things down further.
Our mayor, is unaware that he is the mayor of a small town, the Ontario Government is not going to be pushed around by him. He is doing nothing but slowing down any chance we have at new facilities. They are looking at the province as a whole, not one small community.
Everyone would love to have two locations. The fact is, there is not enough funding for two hospitals so close together. Just demanding we are going to have two locations, does not mean there is the money for it. How can a group of adults not understand the basic economics that the Ontario Government is looking at…… just ridiculous.
Bob this is what democracy is about, the people speaking out against beurocracy, and people from all over, not just Huntsville. Our concern is for everyone in Muskoka having easy access to quality medical care,
I will try to post .. again …So much for cooperation … when Huntsville has PASSED a motion to have the board replaced and fired! Huntsville is being very selfish and doesn’t care about the rest of the region or citizens! Huntsville has basically said ‘it’s their way of the highway’ and will NOT negotiate any further until they get THEIR way and the 2 hospital solution! It’s all about Huntsville .. not concerned about cost($$) … or ..new services, the future, will not listen or debate as long as the ONE hospital solution is on the table … and .. wants the current board FIRED! So much for democracy and common sense! WOW!
Why is it .. you will only publish or post stories that support this decision? Very biased in my opinion!
Having attended last night’s meeting at the Algonquin Theatre, I was glad to see the community support displayed by an excellent turn out of concerned citizens. Equally inspiring was the committment to standing strong in this battle to move forward with a two-site plan. Both mayors Aitchison and Smith spoke clearly about their concerns, as did Huntsville council members. Everything was done in a respectful manner. It would appear that the “fudiciary trust” between the Task Force and the mayors, municipal councillors and citizens has been broken. How sad they couldn’t work together in a spirit of transparency and mutual trust. I hope that the “funding issue” can be worked out and that someone with “business experience” can outline for us all the “funding options” available to both Huntsville and Bracebridge. Then, at least the public will know the true cost, and be able to move forward with the “two site plan” in good faith. Also, I believe all the other variables, (i.e. community and government support) will fall into place, once all the necessary data is revealed. With all due respect to the Task Force, much work has been done; however, if they are not truly working in partnership with local government and community, toward a common goal, sharing a common vision … all their efforts will fail. It really came out at the meeting the individual heart of each citizen who spoke. Demographics, personal stories relating to long travel times to hospitals, positive experiences with amazing medical staff and how they are doing all they can in order to provide the best possible care at the present time: these are the positives we have on our side as taxpayers and members of our community. Even the young people were represented by a soon-to-be high school graduate who shared he would like to get married one day, and envisions himself returning to Muskoka to raise his family. Amazingly, he expressed his concern about appropriate medical care being available for himself and his future family, when he returns after post-secondary education. We have much to be thankful for here in Muskoka. As we continue to align ourselves with the public interest by speaking truth and being transparent, our integrity as two healthy communities will shine through all the bureaucracy and red tape that seems to have us bound and “spinning our wheels”, or so to speak. I believe we all need “the facts” in order to get behind such a worthwhile project as our two hospital site plan. And, as was also mentioned near the end of last night’s meeting by Mayor Smith from Bracebridge: “We are not in competition with Huntsville; but, rather we are in partnership with them in order to become stronger and continue to stand up for what is required for our present situation, as well as for our future.” Hopefully, this positive attitude will gain momentum in all of the surrounding communities as we break new ground in this battle against bureaucracy! The voice of the people has been heard! Hallelujah!