Updated 9:58 a.m. Dec. 18 to clarify that the town supervisor has the authority to appoint board members, not remove them without cause.

By ANDY GARDNER
North Country Now

MASSENA -- The town supervisor will not re-appoint the chairman of the Massena Memorial Hospital board to a new term and says he may get rid of some trustees whose terms aren't expired.

At Monday's MMH board meeting, the board voted to name Susan Bellor their chairperson for 2019.

Current MMH board chair Scott Wilson's term expires at the end of the month, and Town Supervisor Steve O'Shaughnessy said he won't reappoint him. The supervisor has the authority to unilaterally appoint board members. He can remove them before their terms expired, but only "for cause," officials said.

"I'm not going in the direction he'd like, so I'm not going to be reappointed," Wilson said when asked by he won't seek another term as chair.

When asked to comment on the disagreement that led to his not being re-appointed, Wilson said there is no disagreement.

"I don't have a disagreement with the town. My personal vision is the hospital board [has to] affiliate at some point and transfer to a 501c3 and keep the hospital intact and all its employees intact and all its services intact," according to Wilson.

O'Shaughnessy said he doesn't think the board has made any progress with turning MMH around financially

"I haven't seen any progress at all in the three years I've been here," he said, referring to his two years as a councilman before being elected supervisor in 2017. "We're no closer to an asset transfer, we're no closer to an affiliation and we're losing money by the millions ... there needs to be some changes."

According to a financial and statistical summary made public at the meeting, MMH lost over $200,000 in November and is over $5 million in the red year-to-date.

O'Shaughnessy said he may also remove other MMH trustees whose terms haven't expired.

"You never know what's going to happen. We have a hospital to save," O'Shaughnessy said when asked if he is looking at removing any other board members.

He did say he intends to re-appoint trustees Loretta Perez and John Horan. Their terms also expire at the end of the year.

MMH trustee Paul Morrow accused O'Shaughnessy of threatening him with removal from the board.

"I think he called all of us, all the board members and asked us which way we were going to be voting (on a potential affilaite), and if we weren't going to vote with him, then I was against him. I'm not against Steve. I'm against him calling and threatening me if I'm not going to move the way he wants," Morrow said.

O'Shaughnessy later said he has contacted only some of the board members, not all, but otherwise did not dispute Morrow's account.

Trustee Real "Frenchie" Coupal also said he received an ultimatum from the supervisor.

"I went to your office also. You and I get along pretty good. But as you said, either you're with me or you're not. And I didn't answer you that day, and I think you're making a mistake removing Scott. He's the best brain this hospital's got for affiliation," Coupal said. "That's the truth. He's a business person and knows the ins and outs.

"That's gonna hurt you and this hospital ... This is one mistake you're making."

Others at the table also spoke highly of Wilson.

"I've had the great pleasure to serve this board for a few years, and many outstanding chairpersons, men and women ... You rank up near the top with one of the best," Trustee Dave MacLennan said. "Your expertise in financial and your communication skills will be very hard to replace."

MacLennan closed by saying it will be "hard to comprehend" moving forward without Wilson on the board.

Dr. Bedros Bakirtzian, MMH chief of staff, also lamented Wilson's departure. He generally sits at the table with the board, but does not vote and usually does not speak.

"I agree with all this," Bakirtzian said. "I think you're one of the best chairpeople we've ever had and removing you in this crucial time doesn't make any sense to me."

Earlier in the meeting, the board welcomed a new trustee, Lenore Levine.

She replaces Brian Beck, who resigned after serving nine months starting in March of this year.

The board voted 10-2 to offer Beck a resolution of commendation and plaque thanking him for his time on the board.

Morrow and Perez were the two no votes.

"He was only here four meetings," Morrow said.