Mikel's Thoughts by Mike Virdell

The City Council meeting in Marble Falls last week featured the consultants report on a 100 plus regional bed hospital. Cost estimates now are over $100 million. The Mayor of Marble falls says this will be his legacy. Sources have said Llano is “on board”. Meaning Llano Memorial Hospital will take its $10-15 million in assets (Cash, accounts receivables) and join in on a venture that will leave a small emergency room in Llano.

My opinion is simple. When a business leaves your town, and tells you that they will continue to operate a facility in the old location…they are lying. The Mayor of Marble Falls indicated that within 90 days this deal would be done, and by 2009, there would be a hospital in Marble Falls. If this is true, Llano Memorial would no longer exist as a hospital. My guess, is at best, 30 employees would be left. Today, including doctors who are also Llano County employees in the present system, has over 200 employees. An $8 million dollar payroll

If the Hospital board is wrong about “keeping a facility open” lets pick a number. Let’s say that at the present location on Ollie Street, that at least 75% of the employees will stay in Llano past 2010. 150 people will still have jobs in Llano? Sounds reasonable. When Board Chairman Don Adams and Hospital Administrator Kevin Leeper make that guarantee in writing to the people of Llano, then we may be able to think keeping some resemblance of a hospital could happen. But, it won’t happen.

You have to understand. This is about money. Not money for Llano County and the people that built Llano Memorial. Not for higher salaries for nurses. This is about brick and mortar. This is about land sales, and development around a regional facility. And we are talking millions. The only way Adams and Leeper get to play in this game with Marble Falls is to take Llano’s assets and offer them to Marble Falls.

If Marble Falls wants a hospital , let them build it. If Mr. Adams wants to build a hospital and get his name placed on it, move to Marble Falls and head up the Marble Falls building plan. Mr. Leeper wants to get more than his $110,000 salary in a bigger hospital, go apply. But the only way this stupid project with Llano involved has gotten this far is there are no controls on the Llano Memorial Board. No oversight. And again, no Llano County leadership. Every one of you can help stop this. Call a Llano County Commissioner, or call a Hospital Board member.

I’ll make a bet. I’ll bet Burnet County won’t help build this facility in Llano County. Mr. Adams says he does not know where the regional hospital will be built. Sure he does. It will be built in Burnet County, at the expense of Llano County.
Can you imagine if Marble Falls was talking to Fredericksburg? Can you imagine what the people of Fredericksburg would do with Mr. Adams and Mr. Leeper should they be in Fredericksburg, talking with another community about moving that hospital? Me either. It would get nasty.

My plea to you is to help. Help the few that are trying to keep the hospital in Llano. On April 20th, there is a Hospital Board meeting. Maybe something can happen before then.

The way that something like this happens is there are no controls on the Llano Memorial Board. No oversight. And again, no Llano County leadership. Call your Llano County Commissioner, or call a Hospital Board member. It could help.

This may be the last chance for Llano to save its hospital. Right now. Everyone of you that have done nothing…not made one phone call, or said one word of protest…just sat there, can then blame yourself if the hospital leaves Llano. But you can do something. Please take 60 seconds out of your day to help. This is your hospital. This hospital does not belong to Adams or Leeper. It was built by people just like you. People that cared, and knew the needs. Now is the time for us to take it back from those that are planning on stealing it from our town.

Part II

More information has been given to me and by Friday morning, April 7th, I will share it with you, here on this web-site. We will make copies for pickup at 1000 Ford St., the RE/MAX Llano Office.