The Pike County Commissioners met with the Senior Operations Executive Officer for Adena Pike, Dave Zanni, to talk about the proposed annexation of the hospital by the village of Waverly.
Waverly Mayor Richard Henderson had talked to the commissioners, in March, about the possible annexation of Adena Pike Medical Center and maybe other properties in the area, but no residential property.
Commissioner Tony Montgomery, who was not at Monday’s meeting, said at a March meeting that if the village wants it, the hospital wants it, and the people want it, he’s all in.
The owners of the properties Waverly is considering annexing cannot stop the annexation from going forward, and neither can the county commissioners. However, according to the commissioners, Henderson wants everybody to be on board before any action is taken.
“After conversing with the health system’s senior leadership, at this time, we’re not really comfortable with moving forward with annexation,” Zanni said. “Part of our concerns, as is happening in a lot of locations, not just the hospital, there is truly a significant increase in supply costs.”
Zanni also cited lower reimbursements, in several areas, with some of Adena’s commercial payers and some of that is contractually related.
“I know the village does a lot for us,” Zanni said. “They respond if there is a need from a fire department perspective. The county handles any police or sheriff needs.
“Our discussions have centered on ‘What more can our caregivers take on at this point?’” Zanni said. “There are a lot of things already happening from a salary wage perspective. We’ve readjusted hours of the work week for some of them. There’s a concern, truly, on what more can those caregivers put and potentially lose from their check.”
Commissioner Jerry Miller said that not everybody understands non-profit status does not mean you have to lose money.
“If you are in the red, that’s not if, that’s when you are not going to be able to offer any services. We are cognizant of that.”
Commissioner Jeff Chattin said when Waverly Mayor Richard Henderson met with the board the question was, “What kind of value could the village bring to the hospital?”, and security was the main thing mentioned.
Chattin admitted that a police officer on patrol in the village could quite possibly respond to the hospital in fraction of time a sheriff deputy on patrol in the county could. The village also supplies the water to the hospital that the hospital pays for.
The county provides other utilities and takes care of the upkeep of the roads.
“We got a grant for about $400,000 from the Department of Commerce (to repair Waverly Gables Blvd. and the storm sewer),” Miller said. “Then we approved funding to repave the road. If that road has a problem, people aren’t flying up there. Choppers may fly in, but people need access. We had to fix that road.”
Miller explained that there are many ways that a municipality can perform an annexation, and in one way the county commissioners have no say in the matter. Even though the commissioners must legally make a motion and approve the annexation, they may or may not agree with it.
Zanni said he understood, through strictly e-mail communications with the village, that the annexed potion would just be the hospital. Chattin felt that the village intended to annex the hospital, the mental health facility and the Valley View building.
Waverly Council did not mention the annexation in its meeting Wednesday evening.
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