After reading Gary Hagen’s editorial in the Tribune about the “many” paths our city and county can take in regards to “many” issues, I only have one piece of advice. We will have no other issues, no other building projects, no other renovations, no other anything if we do not have another entity take over our hospital and get Mayo out. We must have a full-service, acute-care hospital, and if we are defeated then we will see a slow meandering slide downward. It is obvious to anyone in the medical and financial fields that a treatment and psych facility will have extremely low reimbursement rates as opposed to a full service hospital with surgical and acute-care interventions. This poor reimbursement doubles down on everything else in a hospital environment. It should be noted that the Brainerd Hospital recently stated they want to eliminate their 16-bed psych unit for this and other issues.

We need a full-service, acute-care hospital to keep our community vital. The economic forecast without it is beyond dismal. This economic impact along with health and safety issues is the base of our entire situation. No company, no organization, no other productive entity, as well as families, will move to our town. Our schools will decrease in enrollment. Our churches will decline in membership. Our shops and dining areas will decline, and our beautiful community will be no more.

I am beyond proud of the city I was born and raised in. I love Albert Lea and always have. No one person, no one corporation, no one entity has the right to take what is ours. Many citizens are not aware that in 1996 a group of respected, honest good people (trustees of the hospital) signed over our hospital along with $5 million to Mayo. This group of people believed, as we all have, that Mayo was wonderful and honest and that they would make our hospital the greatest, and this greatness would pour over into the economic development of Albert Lea. We would grow and become that shining city surrounded by the beautiful farmland and lakes that we are noted for. Interestingly enough, Ginger Plumbo, spokesperson for Mayo recently stated …”the hospital is not for sale.” I say to Ms. Plumbo, there are legal avenues to pursue in this David versus Goliath fight. Economics are on our side.

Vicki Pestorious

Albert Lea