GREENWOOD TWP- The Greenwood Town Board may have the authority to vote on joining the Cook Hospital District, but at their Oct. 14 town board meeting, they made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that they were not interested in joining the taxing district.

A recent letter to the editor from Cook Hospital Chair Judy Pearson stirred up a storm of questions at Tuesday’s Greenwood Township meeting. In the letter, Pearson prodded the board to “do the right thing.” She used a quote from Township Chair Tom Aro, from an unrelated essay in the Vermilion Sportsmen’s Club newsletter, where he wrote “as we all know far too well, in life’s travels nothing is free.”

The hospital district levies across the valuation of their 14 member townships and cities. The levy is used to help subsidize the Cook and Orr ambulance services, for operational costs at the nursing home, and for the purchase of new hospital equipment. According to a presentation given earlier this year, the levy has ranged from $800,000 - $1,000,000 in the previous few years.

Greenwood’s property valuation, which is around $600 million, would substantially increase the hospital district’s valuation, reducing contributions from the existing members, but shifting a substantial amount of the levy onto Greenwood residents.

Pearson wrote, “I firmly believe that if you voted as a board to join the district, you might take a little flack temporarily (less than you imagine), but you would all survive that.”

Pearson was right about the flack. But the ruckus was raised at simply the idea that the board had the authority to impose a new taxing authority on township residents without their approval.

Resident Dean Panion gave a presentation to the board, noting that while he was a paying user at the Cook Hospital, he was upset by the attitude of the hospital board letter, which implied that Greenwood residents were freeloaders. Panion said he was already paying over $1,000 a year on the school district levy, and was worried about being forced away from his lakeside home. He noted that at least the school board levy had an end date, while the hospital levy would be ongoing.

“Every time you use the facility you are paying for it,” Panion said. “That was unfair.”

Panion also questioned whether Aro was in favor of joining the district. At the meeting last February, Aro had clearly stated that he didn’t feel there were enough tangible benefits to Greenwood residents to justify the cost.

Aro was out of town and not at Tuesday’s meeting to discuss the issue, but the rest of the board was eager to give their views.

Vice-Chair Kirsten Reichel, who is actively involved in fundraising and other support for the Cook Hospital and Scenic Rivers Clinics, spoke forcefully on the issue. She noted that while she personally supported the hospital district, that as a Greenwood Board member, “I don’t feel it is the position of this board to make that vote for the township. I would never be so cocky as to ask this board to vote on it and have our residents burdened with that tax levy.”

Reichel noted that the township still had other options as far as supporting the hospital, and noted this was something that could be discussed at the annual meeting in March of next year.

Board member Don Doroff said he was not in favor of joining the district, due to the high tax burden it would impose. Board member Rick Worringer said he’d be in favor of making a contribution, based on input from township residents. Board member Gene Baland said he had mixed emotions on the issue, but right now would “not be in favor of it.” Baland said he would be in favor of putting the issue up for a vote, to see how residents feel.

The town board took no formal action on the measure, which was not on the evening’s agenda. Township residents will have the option of discussing the issue further at next year’s annual meeting in March.