The hospital task force’s new consultants, attorney Julius Ciembroniewicz and health expert Ralph Gabarro, presented a unified message at Tuesday’s forum: the community must engage with Lincoln County Healthcare and MaineHealth about the proposed changes at St. Andrews Hospital. They also assured the audience they had the tools and expertise to make that engagement worthwhile.

About 250 residents filled Boothbay Region Elementary School’s gymnasium to hear the task force’s plan for preserving St. Andrews Hospital. By the end of the night, it was clear the task force plan rests on their consultants’ ability to "talk healthcare" in a way that has previously eluded local officials and community members.

Ciembroniewicz said he was “prepared to pursue legal remedies” to the proposed closure of St. Andrews Hospital but the towns’ primary approach should be non-adversarial and collaborative. He said he planned to protect the rights of the community, give the community a voice in the decision process and help convince Lincoln County Healthcare and MaineHealth that maintaining the hospital was in the best interest of the community.

Ciembroniewicz said there were serious legal issues that could be pursued if consultation failed, but such discussions would be inappropriate in a public forum.

Gabarro, who has had a long career in rural hospital management, has been retained along with iVantage Consultants to look at the current situation and identify viable options for maintaining St. Andrews Hospital. Gabarro outlined his project objectives, which will include analysis of hospital use and financial data, as well as community need surveys. He promised this study would be “open and transparent” and would culminate in a final report with recommendations by January 1.

Gabarro said iVantage will also “gauge Lincoln County Healthcare and MaineHealth’s willingness for dialogue.” He said he was particularly interested in getting the healthcare organization to defer the April 1 closing date.

Task Force Chairman Chuck Cunningham echoed the consultants’ comments, “We need to work with Lincoln County Healthcare. The only way to reach middle ground is to work with MaineHealth and Lincoln County Healthcare,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham, Southport Selectman Smith Climo and Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis all praised the task force’s dedicated volunteers and the continued community engagement on behalf of the hospital. Chaousis and Volunteer Coordinator Peggy Powis reported more than $65,000 has been raised to date in support of the task force’s effort to keep St. Andrews Hospital and its ER open.

Lincoln County Healthcare CEO Jim Donovan, who attended the meeting, as well as MaineHealth CEO Bill Caron and some Board Trustees, said the healthcare organization has offered to talk with the community from the beginning. “We’re still interested in talking,” Donovan said.