Levy will be on ballot, Hospital CEO: Hospital mill levy needs to remain at 6%

At their meeting on Aug. 22, the Weston County commissioners approved the Weston County Health District’s request to ask voters in the November election whether the hospital should receive an additional 3% levy, renewing its current levy level.

Hospital CEO Cathy Harshbarger said in her presentation to the commissioners that she understands the levy might not pass because “money’s tight for everybody these days,” but the hospital is addressing its financial issues, doing good work for the community and isn’t receiving as much in reimbursements as it once did.

The mill levy has been in place for the past four years, and it is up for renewal on the ballot every four years. Commissioner Ed Wagoner said at the Aug. 22 meeting that passing the mill levy won’t raise taxes, but noted that taxes would decrease if the mill levy isn’t passed.

The hospital has about 200 employees, and Harshbarger said at the Sept. 19 hospital board meeting that the hospital “really can’t operate without that mill levy this next year very well, at all.”
“We are going to get some (brochures about the need for the levy) put together and folded and that sort of thing,” Harshbarger said. “I’d like to be able to get some out to you all as well. We’re going to get them out all over the community.”

The senior center and a staff town hall were two of the opportunities she noted as being available to distribute information to potential voters.

“Late September, early October is when I’m going to make those visits to make sure that we get that message out to people,” she said, noting the main thrust of message in the brochure.

“We kind of just said your vote to continue the existing mill levy safeguards essential funding for your local health care facility,” she said. “This is not a proposal to raise taxes.”

Commissioner Vera Huber noted last month that the hospital has had budget transparency problems, which the public watches very closely, but Harshbarger said the situation has improved because the hospital has an interim chief financial officer, John Ganter, and is in the process of hiring a permanent one. She told the News Letter Journal on Sept. 23 that the hospital has three candidates for the permanent CFO position and two other people have expressed interest.

Harshbarger also acknowledged the hospital has experienced upheaval that has had an impact on the institution’s credibility, and the brochure addresses recent history at the facility.

“While we have experienced a loss of trust from some community members, I’m here along with 200 employees asking you to support us by voting for the levy and we in return will focus on continuing to bring high quality health care to you while demonstrating fiscal responsibility,” a draft of the brochure states.

Harshbarger said she believes the community needs to know that the hospital wants to bring high-quality care and fiscal responsibility that residents can witness for themselves.