The Unfilled Promise of the Winsted Health Center

Five years ago the Winsted Health Center opened for business in the building that was once the Winsted Memorial Hospital. There was joy and hope in the community. Joy that vital medical services were once again available in Winsted: an emergency room open for 16 hours a day, along with radiology and laboratory services, and cardiac rehabilitation. And the hope was that the Center would add services to such an extent that eventually an acute care hospital with in-bed patient care would become feasible.

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital joined with the Health Center Foundation on a Certificate of Need that allowed for the expansion of medical services. We were on our way. The entire community was supportive. Later the Veterans Administration began services at the Health Center, and we thank Nancy Johnson for her great efforts.

Then things happened. Or didn't happen. The vital ambulatory surgical services never reached any satisfactory level; other proposed new services never materialized. In December 2001, Commissioner Ray Gorman of the State of Connecticut’s Office of Health Care Access removed both St. Francis and the Health Center from the Certificate of Need.

About two years ago some members of the Health Center wanted to make some changes, but any and all suggestions were rejected. The leadership on the board of trustees developed an "enemies list" of corporators and trustees who dared to propose changes to the bylaws. This mindset has worked its way into the nominating committee.

This nominating committee has become the center of power in the organization. It has assumed powers that are not specified in the bylaws. This committee refused to accept any new corporators last year and also refused to renominate one trustee for reelection to office.

This year the committee rejected nine corporators who wanted to run for election for trustee. This committee also rejected seven applicants from the community who wanted to become corporators. The committee is attempting to control the membership by refusing entry of those it perceives as real or potential enemies. The committee is also denying all corporators the right to choose who shall become trustees.

This is the first of a number of articles that will detail the problems up on the hill. Next will come details of what has transpired with the nominating committee. It is not pretty.