Huntsville’s mayor feels ‘threatened’ by MAHC’s cease, desist letter
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — The gloves are off and the love affair between the Town of Huntsville and MAHC has turned into a bitter public squabble that threatens Muskoka’s two local hospitals.
Before Huntsville’s town council had a chance Monday night to consider a motion calling for the disolvement of the hospitals board and its CEO, MAHC lawyers sent them cease and desist letter.
Mayor Scott Aichison, who at first said he wasn’t worried, later told the Huntsville Forester he considered the letter from MAHC to be “threatening” and he would be contacting his lawyer.
Huntsville’s motion was deferred a month to try and resolve the issue.
The tit-for-tat continued Tuesday.
In a media release from MAHC, they said: “Recent events are threatening to interfere with and derail the process, and are detracting from these efforts:
“MAHC is disappointed this is occurring, and reluctantly issued a letter to the Mayor of Huntsville and Town Council to try to get the process back on track….
” … the mayor’s false, misleading and defamatory comments about MAHC in the media; and Huntsville Town Council’s motion calling for the dismissal of the MAHC Board and CEO and to dissolve the organization, which seeks to undermine public confidence in MAHC and its leaders.”
“MAHC is not suing anyone. The letter was sent on behalf of the MAHC board of directors and senior leadership team to address: the mayor’s false, misleading and defamatory comments about MAHC in the media; and Huntsville Town Council’s motion calling for the dismissal of the MAHC Board and CEO and to dissolve the organization, which seeks to undermine public confidence in MAHC and its leaders.”
The MAHC release reiterated that they have a “proven track record of working collaboratively with stakeholders and has established a Capital Plan Development Task Force to lead MAHC’s future planning work. The task force is largely comprised of community members and has municipal representation which includes the Mayors of Huntsville and Bracebridge, the Reeve of Burk’s Falls and the CAO of the District of Muskoka.
“The task force began its work in August 2017 and is working together to follow a capital planning process to plan for MAHC’s future.
“We understand there are concerns about possible models, and want to assure the community and council we are listening to their feedback,” said board chair Evelyn Brown in the release.
“I want to be clear that the board and the CEO have not made any decisions with respect to future planning, except to ensure that we follow the process outlined by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.”
“The Capital Plan Development Task Force is close to bringing forward to the board of directors its recommendation for a preferred model,” Brown added.
“The task force needs time to do its work. The community and council can continue to have confidence that the 25-member task force, with its broad membership, will duly consider all feedback and information when evaluating the models to arrive at the best recommendation for safe, high-quality sustainable care in the future.”
For more information about MAHC’s future planning work, visitwww.mahc.ca/planning-for-the-future.
