Letter to the Editor

Sturgis Hospital needs a plan

I have read with interest the two articles in the Sturgis Journal regarding Sturgis Hospital.

The Tuesday May 24 article, while not overly optimistic, did not give a hint that bankruptcy would be on the table less than a month later. While the June article does have a plan going forward, it depends on a loan from the city and a large grant to carry the facility to the end of the year when it would become an emergency facility and be eligible for outside funds. If the loan from the city is not approved then the Hospital would file for bankruptcy.

I would suggest that there might be a different plan which would pay off the $7.2 million bond issue and make the hospital attractive to buyers. The plan would call for three entities to share the cost of retiring the bonds. As an example, the bond debt would be divided into three segments of $2.4 million each. The city would write off their portion over the 12 years remaining which would come to $200,000 a year, not an insurmountable amount for the city to handle. (If bankruptcy is declared, the city may have to write off a far larger amount) The Sturgis Foundation would be responsible for the next $2.4 million. This could be simply upfront dollars combined with pledges over the next 12 years. The third segment would be funded by donations and pledges from industry and citizens of Sturgis. A functioning hospital is a must to keep industry here and attract new businesses to the area.

Maybe there is a variation of a plan like this that might work. Without a hospital, the city, industry and its citizens will suffer a real loss in the future.

Graydon Fox, White Pigeon