One More Vote To Come On Huntley Centegra Hospital

Centegra Health Systems officials and Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board staffers will lay out a schedule next month to culminate in what will be, in effect, one more vote on whether to build a new 128-bed hospital in Huntley.

Centegra, according to Board Administrator Courtney Avery, filed an appeal Dec. 20 from the Board's Dec. 7 four to four deadlock with a member absent over authorizing the new hospital.  There'll be a pre-hearing Feb. 23 followed by a one to three-month investigation before an administrative law judge renders his decision, according to Board Deupty Chief Counsel Frank Urso.  But that's not the final decision.  The end will come when the Health Facilities Board votes one more time on whether to accept or reject the judge's verdict.

At an initial review in June, the Board voted eight to one against Huntley Centegra. Three members changed their minds last month, though, after Centegra emphasized expected population growth in southeastern McHenry County.  Centegra will have to hold those four and convert one more Board Member to win approval.

"When someone has invested all the time and the effort and the money that goes into one of these proposals they probably will take all the due process options that are available," commented Urso Friday.

Mercy Health Systems is also asking for administrative review of the Board's thumbs down to a now-smaller proposed hospital in Crystal Lake.  Avery said Mercy filed a request on that Jan. 12.

In the pic:  A model of Centegra's proposed new hospital at Haligus and Reed roads.