The Town of Webb Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to open negotiations with St. Elizabeth Medical Center toward a final contract that would establish a new public health services arrangement at the Professional Offices building in Old Forge.

The arrangement would have St. E’s managing all heath care offerings and allow the Town of Webb to effectively “get out of the health care business,” according to town Supervisor Ted Riehle, who said the town is ill-equipped to continue its historic support role.

The health care climate has changed and the longtime partnership between on site health providers and the town is no longer feasible, added Councilman Mike Ross.

The decision process started on Monday, May 7, when representatives from St. E’s and another potential service provider—Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare—presented proposals to the town board.Each entity presented designs for a revamped health delivery structure. Included were descriptions of proposed health offerings, staffing, facility updates, lease arrangements, and requests for supplemental support from the town.Participating on the town board’s behalf were Doctors Thomas Socash and Mark Webster, both longtime practitioners at the Old Forge medical facility, Head Nurse Laura Cooper, Kelly Hunkins of Dr. Joseph Rintrona’s dental office, and others whose work at the Professional Offices stands to be affected by any new arrangement.

Both St. E’s and Faxton-St. Luke’s made attractive presentations, according to Supervisor Riehle, who said he consulted with Doctors Socash and Webster afterward.

Dr. Socash had already announced his retirement from practice locally, but Dr. Webster will be continuing his medical work at the facility, Riehle said.

Both Socash and Webster advised that the town should proceed in contracting with one of the two medical groups, Riehle said.

The medical needs of the community are their foremost concern, Riehle said.

“And Dr. Webster said he is willing to work with either group,” Riehle added.

Though both presentations were similar in many ways, they were not identical.

St. E’s offers laboratory blood testing, so it would replace Centrex with it’s own service. Faxton-St. Luke’s would keep Centrex in place.

Both groups identified facility upgrades needed to satisfy current medical codes.

The town, as landlord, was asked to provide for those upgrades.

A lease agreement would need to be drawn and approved by both the town and the approved medical group.

Both groups stressed a need for continuity of service, according to Councilwoman Mary Brophy Moore.

That means existing staff would be kept and use of interim doctors would be avoided.

Greg O’Hara chaired the town’s committee which sought to guide local health care improvements. Their efforts included a survey of public concerns.

O’Hara said he hoped any plan adopted by the board would be responsive to priorities that had been revealed by his group’s study.

Among those priorities was a desire for urgent care.

But Supervisor Riehle said some concerns spotlighted by the committee were not resolvable due to regulations and other factors. A few others might have to wait till further off.

Councilwoman Kate Russell added that “urgent care” is an industry term whose meaning likely differs from that of the general public.

She said many of the medical needs thought to be “urgent’ by the public would be able to be treated at the local health offices—at least more so than is currently the case.

Attempts will be made to address other needs as the arrangement unfolds, Councilman Ross said.

This includes making non-permanent specialists available possibly, which would hinge on sufficient patient demand and specialist availability.

The center would also accept all insurances, according to Mary Brophy-Moore, including Workers Comp, which is currently not the case.

Councilman J.B. Herron thanked Doctors Socash and Webster for all they’ve done over the years to keep help services available to the degree possible in an ever difficult health care environment.

“We did a lot of homework on this issue,” Herron said, adding that the final decision of the board hinges on what is best for local health care and for current employees.

The tipping point away from Faxton and toward St. E’s was two-fold.

Faxton was offering to provide one doctor and one mid-level medical assistant, whereas St. E’s proposed staffing the facility with two full doctors.

Also, Faxton had asked for a $250,000 annual subsidy to offset losses it was projecting. This was not negotiable, according to Supervisor Riehle.

Conversely, St. E’s required no financial support from the town other than a start-up investment and some cost requirements for maintaining the facility.

Supervisor Reihle said he believes that if certain variables line up properly, the town could actually realize an income from the facility.

The board has scheduled a public informational meeting for Tuesday, May 15 at 7 p.m., at the Park Avenue Building in Old Forge.

This meeting will allow representatives from St. E’s to hear from the community and answer questions.

St. Elizabeth Medical Center is located in Utica. Faxton-St. Luke is in New Hartford.