By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Now that the state has given a Certificate of Need, it will take Massena Memorial Hospital another six to eight months before getting IRS approval to privatize, their CEO said Monday.

Meanwhile, they have narrowed down to two potential affiliates, he said.

“It’s a big step we’ve begun and it’s going to take several, several more months,” MMH CEO Robert Wolleben said. “Now we are going through the process of filing the required IRS forms, and they are voluminous. It will be six to eight months before IRS approval.”

They need to be designated a 501c3 entity and name an affiliate before they can privatize. Last week, MMH received the CoN from the state, allowing them to operate as a private entity.

Earlier this year, MMH sent out requests for proposals to 17 larger healthcare systems. They received five that fit what they are looking for and have narrowed that down to two.

“I’m hoping in January we can whittle that down to one,” Wolleben said.

They also have to work out an asset transfer agreement with the town, which now owns the hospital.

“We’ve had very preliminary conversations about that,” the CEO said, adding that the report is pending “hopefully in the not-too-distant future.”

That agreement will include which assets and liabilities go with MMH to the new entity and which stay with the town.

MMH started talking about privatization years ago in light of losing millions in operation each year and only remaining financially solvent through government bailouts, most of which covered their yearly state pension payment and left them breaking even.

Since Wolleben took the helm, MMH started finishing each month in the black and have done so for nearly two years.

They finished November with an $86,796 net gain, down from a $94,390 net gain in November 2015. They have gained $1,230,227 through Nov. 30, up from $182,049 year-to-date at the same point last year.