No matter where Audrain Presiding Commissioner Alan Winders goes the same question always pops up.

“What’s going on with the hospital?” Winders said during a meeting with municipal leaders from around the county at the community building in Farber on Monday, May 15, “Community leaders want to know. Why haven’t you guys got the hospital problem fixed yet?”

Winders brought up the issue not only because he gets asked a lot but to also address the many rumors circulating about the hospital and a possible new ownership group.

Representatives from a new ownership group recently met with staff from the Ledger to discuss the issue. Thus far a new chief operating officer has been hired along with some other staff and they anticipate announcing more details soon.

Winders also commented on the new ownership group at the meeting and said from what he’s seen so far there are reasons to get slightly excited about something happening. However, he cautioned that he doesn’t expect anything to happen quickly.

“There is activity,” Winders said. “The current owners have engaged in activities they should talk more about than I should but they are making some investments. They are doing things but we don’t know where all of this will end.”

Winders said he was told a functioning emergency room and other ancillary services are part of the initial plans by the group. 

Winders also said the county is keeping all options open including another group that is looking at building a new hospital.

“That doesn’t discount the other efforts to potentially build a new hospital,” Winders told the group. “We continue to be supportive of any of those efforts that might bring health care to Audrain County.”

Eastern District Commissioner Leslie Meyer was also at the meeting and talked about a current survey underway by the county. The survey covers all of Audrain County.

“We want to get your input,” Meyer said. “Please share it with your friends, family, and neighbors and try to spread it to your community.”

Meyer said the idea of the survey is to get as many responses as possible.

“It’s going to be utilized as a tool for us down the road as we’re navigating through this current hospital crisis we’re in right now,” Meyer said.

Winders said the data collected from the surveys will be used against real data to determine what needs to be done.

“These guys are going to be crunching numbers to determine what sorts of things are going to be sustainable over time,” Winders said.