Celina Mayor Disappointed In County Commission’s Vote On Hospital Incentive

Disappointment. That is how Celina Mayor Luke Collins described his feelings after the Clay County Commission voted down an incentive for a healthcare company to reopen the Cumberland River Hospital.

The city’s Board of Aldermen approved $250,000 to any organization that reopened and operated the facility as a hospital for a full year. The county commission voted 6-3 against matching the funds Monday night.

“What it proved was the city supports the hospital, but the county does not,” Collins said. “It changes the demographics. Instead of them hoping to get people from the whole county, it sends a message that they can only get customers from the city.”

Some commissioners that voted against the funding said they still support the hospital reopening. The issue was the main prospective company does not have the funding mechanism to purchase the hospital at this time.

Collins said the company called Boa Vida Healthcare also indicated disappointment after the commission’s decision. Collins said he believes a representative of Monroe County Medical Center in Kentucky speaking to commissioners played a role in the incentive not being approved.

“It is my understanding that they were texting and communicating with commissioners trying to get them not to do it,” Collins said. “Last night, a representative spoke (at the meeting) telling us how bad of an idea it was to have a hospital.”

Collins said the city’s $250,000 for a company to reopen the hospital remains on the table. Collins said reopening the hospital will remain on the forefront of issues for him as mayor.