What you are saying... about the closing of St. Francis Hospital?

by Sandy May

The following quotes are from a variety of individuals. I tried to provide a cross section and incorporate different personalities, backgrounds, ages, etc

•it's the end of an era and it takes away my "security blanket" and gives great concern for emergencies with my small child. I have asthma.

•I don't believe it... it can't be true. It is really devastating and consequences are severe. It's got to be saved. It's like saying, there is no more city government, or post office or courthouse...you folks are on your own.

•I am puzzled-do we know the whole truth? Is taking care of the indigent, the real reason for the decline. I see a long, long (useless) hallway and a fancy coffee shop done during renovation…was this really necessary? Why did our mayor know nothing? What you are saying... about the closing of St. Francis Hospital

•I hope a new corporation from the private sector purchases the facility. This would then mean tax money for our area. It always bothered me that the hospital was a non-profit organization.

•I have always felt comfortable living in Blue Island and knowing there is a quality health care system minutes away. In a medical emergency, the window
of time could be lost. Thank God we have paramedics. The renovation is more user-friendly.

•I fear for the employees-as an example, suppose there is a husband and wife both
employed at the hospital…will closing mean that they will have no insurance…will
they then be part of the “new” poor?

•It is most important that the mayor and council be keenly aware of--on top of this
situation. Where is the concern about the city and the citizens-our well-being. The
obvious deterioration of our city and its appearance does not help and offering severance
packages to hospital employees is the new rumor.

•The closing is a natural consequence of mismanagement by corporate headquarters
of SSM and political mischief by Blue Island's Coalition Party administration
for 23 years. Too much money was put into the walls, floors, and expensive expansion
projects as well as high level corporate salaries. We deal with some mighty
slick corporate operators.

•I really think we will lose our business district and even houses will go up for
sale…it's like saying, the hell with our town. We need someone who really knows
how to do city planning and to help our businesses. No more excuses. All good
mayors know what's going on in their town. Rumors about the hospital began
about six year ago…that was the time to start looking into the situation, not now.
It is so disheartening.

•It means losing a top notch medical facility that is available so close to my home
and it means I worry about what it will do to Blue Island

•It means a loss of jobs, not too mention a positive attribute, a Blue Island institution,
really our claim to fame. No other facility employs that many people and
they were a nationally renowned cardiac treatment center. Was the facility overimproved?

•Is this some kind of last-ditch effort to get funding?