New Hospital Is an Opportunity We Can't Pass Up
To the Editor:

To the voters eligible to vote in the hospital election: On May 6, the voters of Moran Township, St. Ignace Township, Brevort Township, and the City of St. Ignace will have the opportunity to make their voice heard regarding the new hospital.

Obviously, I strongly encourage a "yes" vote.

Our current hospital has served this community well, but it's time to bring to our area some much needed improvements in health care.

A "yes" vote will start construction this summer. It will include a new hospital with 15 private, acute care rooms, modern emergency rooms, a tribal health clinic to replace the Lambert Center, improve existing services, and allow expansion of other needed services. It will also include a 60-bed long term care facility with emphasis on a more "homelike setting," as opposed to our current institutional setting. All of this comes with no added taxes, and no liability for county residents.

A"no" vote will be followed by a millage levy and an election among the current hospital authority members to raise funds for a multi-million dollar improvement project to the current hospital. This will be required to meet current hospital codes. We will still be left with an "old" building, and the taxpayers will then be liable for all debts.

The building of a new hospital, with the funding we have been able to procure, is an opportunity we cannot afford to pass up. It will be a boon to this area, and allow us to maintain 200-plus jobs with good wages and great benefits.

As with any endeavor, there will be detractors, but anyone advocating a no vote on this issue is doing a terrible disservice to the residents of our community.

If you have any questions, or require clarification of any issue, please call me at (906) 478-7333, or CEO Rod Nelson at 643-0455.

Ronald R. Mitchell St. Ignace Township Board chairman, Mackinac Straits Hospital