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Mounds View City Council January 9, 2017 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br /> <br />services that would be offered at Unity in 2017. She thanked the Council for their time and <br />stated she was looking forward to being a continued engaging partner to the community. <br /> <br />City Administrator Ericson asked if new employees would be hired or lost through the changes <br />being proposed at both hospitals. Ms. Criger explained the proposed plans would allow the <br />hospitals to enhance the services provided which would lead to a growth in jobs. <br /> <br />Mayor Mueller commented she had heard of the hospital campuses merging last summer. She <br />questioned why the hospital had not been more transparent with the public regarding their plans. <br />Ms. Criger stated Unity and Mercy have been under the Allina umbrella for the past decade. She <br />reported the recent changes to the mother/baby consolidation happened fairly quickly and this led <br />to a reevaluation of the programs offered at both campuses. <br /> <br />Council Member Gunn inquired if the clinic services would change. Ms. Criger reported the <br />clinic services would not be changing. <br /> <br />Mayor Mueller explained she has a close family member that has utilized the emergency services <br />at Unity on a regular basis and she wanted to see this continue as much as possible. Ms. Criger <br />stated emergency services would continue at Unity for the time being. <br /> <br />Linda Hamilton, 7856 Monroe Street in Spring Lake Park, noted she was the Director of the <br />North Suburban Hospital Board. She asked how many beds would be added for mental health at <br />Unity. Ms. Criger stated no beds would be added, but rather all mental health patients would <br />receive private rooms. <br /> <br />Bridget Lundquist, 2849 Bronson Drive, explained she is the newly elected North Suburban <br />Hospital Board member for Mounds View. She reported Allina would be requesting the Council <br />dissolve the hospital board. She believed Allina had not been very transparent in their actions. <br />She expressed frustration with how services would be switching between the two campuses. She <br />had concerns with the time that it would take people in emergency situations to reach Mercy <br />from the Unity service area. <br /> <br />Council Member Gunn referred to an article regarding the hospitals in the Sun Focus from <br />January and encouraged the public to review this article. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause understood that three communities have voted in favor to dissolve <br />the hospital board. He believed this meant the hospital board was therefore dissolved. He stated <br />the City Council had no jurisdiction or authority over the taxing of the hospital district. <br /> <br />Ms. Lundquist understood this may be the case, however, she encouraged Mounds View to hold <br />a public meeting in order to raise awareness of the situation. <br /> <br />Mayor Mueller inquired if the hospital board meetings were open to the public. Ms. Lundquist <br />reported this was the case. She stated the next meeting would be held on Wednesday, January <br />11th at 6:30 p.m at Unity Hospital.