November 12, 2024
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La Salle County Board adopts resolution morally supporting hospital reopening, stops short of pledging financial support

Board member had suggested county could seek matching grants for relief or studies

By Tom Collins

Former St. Margaret's nurse Alyssa Holmes (right) reads from a prepared statement Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, condemning the abrupt closure of the Peru hospital while colleague Bonnie Bottenberg (left) listens. The La Salle County Board then adopted a resolution urging the Peru hospital be reopened in some form. (Tom Collins)

Patients, young mothers and now-unemployed nurses all condemned the closing of St. Margaret’s Health-Peru and the La Salle County Board called for St. Margaret’s to reopen in some form and with obstetrics.

Thursday, the La Salle County Board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution urging all parties involved to make the Peru facility available again and to restore obstetric services to the county’s west end.

“It’s moral support for the people who are here (Thursday) or who couldn’t make it and who don’t have a job,” said Board Member Jill Bernal (D-Peru).

The vote followed a public comment period in which several past patients and now-former employees condemned the abrupt closure and unceremonious dismissal of the workers.

Alyssa Holmes Alyssa Holmes, a former nurse for St. Margaret's Health, condemns the abrupt closing of the Peru hospital. (Tom Collins)

Terry Eich, of Peru, said he has a neighbor who, following the Peru closure, suffered through a 3 1/2-hour wait in Spring Valley. Eich is a heart attack survivor who said such a wait would have been fatal for him and questioned how one hospital could serve an area that once used two.

“It’s like pouring 3 gallons of water into a 1-gallon jug,” Eich said. “It’s just not going to work.”

Jane Friel, a Mendota native and former compliance officer for what was then Illinois Valley Community Hospital, called for greater regulatory oversight of St. Margaret’s given some questionable comments from administration and what she said was a lack of compliance.

“This is all unethical behavior,” Friel said. “It’s riddled with negligence.”

Some board members wouldn’t go along with the resolution until the verbiage was limited to just that – “moral” support. The resolution did not advance to a floor vote until the board’s support was edited to “non-financial” means – a last minute insertion to appease board members unwilling to commit taxpayer funds to a bailout.

“Are we going to help the hospital or are we going to help the people?” Board Member Michael McEmery (R-Marseilles) asked rhetorically.

Bonnie Bottenberg Nurse Bonnie Bottenberg speaks against the Peru hospital closure (Tom Collins)

Board Member Ray Gatza (R-Dimmick Township) said the resolution was overreaching and could set a bad precedent – “Morally, I support it all day long, no doubt” – and said he was uncomfortable with the county adopting the workers’ allegations of wrongdoing by hospital officials.

Board member Brian Dose (D-Ottawa) said he appreciated such concerns – “I’m not a big fan of some of the verbiage, myself” – but said the county has the financial means to meet matching grants that would aid displaced workers.

“I do think we have an obligation to help our fellow citizens,” Dose said.