BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- A comment regarding a settlement between the town of Massena and St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES by a former town board member was corrected during a recent meeting. 

According to the current town board, comments made by former Deputy Supervisor Pat Facteau regarding the settlement were not entirely accurate, prompting the board to pass a resolution addressing the situation. 

The resolution stated its purpose was "authorizing the Massena Town Council to correct and cease making statements, publications, or references that conflate SLL BOCES with the St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties District Employees Medical Plan (and vice versa) that was stated at the December 17, 2025, Town Board meeting and published agenda.“

The correction comes roughly one month after Facteau addressed $1.2 million in funds the town received from the lawsuit. 

Facteau told meeting attendees the funds stemmed from a "lawsuit with BOCES" that ended with a financial settlement of $1.6 million in total. Roughly $400,000 was paid to attorneys who worked on behalf of the town he said. 

“Back when I worked at the hospital, BOCES wasn’t appropriately paying what they were supposed to pay based on contract, and we started a lawsuit with them to be able to get things paid. It took a long time, and at the time of the merger and stuff, nobody seemed to want to follow through with that except me,” he previously said. 

But in addressing the situation, Facteau misspoke, according to BOCES officials. 

While referencing the case, Facteau references the legal entity of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, which officials say is "separate and distinct" from the St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties School Employees Medical Plan. 

Just why did the town of Massena launch the lawsuit? 

It all stemmed from reimbursement rates for medical care provided to those enrolled in the medical plan, Facteau said. 

Though the agreement stated reimbursement for al costs for outpatient services performed at the hospital were to be 92%, Facteau said the actual reimbursement rate "was closer to 62%." 

He said that shortfall hurt the hospital for a number of years, something town and hospital officials alike alleged in the suit. 

Following the settlement, both sides issued a joint statement, which was announced during the Jan. 18, 2023 Town Board meeting. 

“The town of Massena and the St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties School Employees Medical Plan are pleased to have reached a mutually satisfactory resolution to the lawsuits alleging that Massena Memorial Hospital was underpaid by the plan for services provided to persons covered by the plan between 2011 and 2018. This settlement allows the plan and town to continue providing services to the people of the north country without consuming additional public resources," the statement read. 

Facteau said he had knowledge of the shortfall and subsequent lawsuit having worked as the hospital's CFO for a number of years prior to transitioning into politics. 

He said it was his plan to utilize the funds secured from the lawsuit to pay off a portion of the pension debt, potentially relieving taxpayers over the course of the repayment plan, which will take 30 years to complete. 

"It would lower the tax levy by about $160,000 each year if we use the $1.9 million to lower that debt," he said during the December meeting. 

The vote to approve the spending plan ultimately failed 3-2, with newly-elected Supervisor Ray Lancto and Council Members Adrian Taraska and Kristy Dubray-Baker voting against the measure. 

During his campaign, Lancto said his number one priority would be to tackle the hospital debt, commenting he aimed to work closely with Albany to find a "more equitable solution" for taxpayers. 

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