However, mayor Larry Kraemer believes a more diplomatic and co-operative approach is required in order to get information about the hospital which is part of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, along with Walkerton, Chesley and Durham. 

The municipality is concerned about the loss of services at the Kincardine site, given the decision last month to switch to a private company to provide physiotherapy at the hospital. The health meeting debate raged Wednesday night during council's committee-of-the-whole session.

A report by chief administrative officer John deRosenroll outlined the stakeholders to be invited to the meeting, including Kincardine council, Huron-Kinloss council, the health centre board chairman, chief executive officer and local representatives, Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell, and one representative from each of the following: the Kincardine Physicians Group, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation, and the Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN).  Kincardine would host the meeting at its municipal hall, with the date tentatively set for Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The information-based meeting would allow all stakeholders a chance to present the position/policy of their organizations, said deRosenroll, and a single representative from each group would be given five minutes to speak on his/her views on health care. Kincardine council would create a short list of questions for the mayor to present to the forum.
 Hewitt objected to this proposal because he believes all of council should be at the table and all options addressed, not just the lack of communication between the hospital board and the stakeholders.

Kraemer said that would be impossible - with 25 people at the table wanting to speak there would not be enough time for all of them. He said if the two municipal councils agree to have just one representative speak, that reduces the number by 14 people. "It would be a better, more organized meeting that way," he said.

Hewitt argued that council represents the people of Kincardine and should be allowed to ask questions of everyone at the table. "I'm not sure how I could chair a meeting like that," said Kraemer.  "It could become a free-for all."

Councillor Guy Anderson said he would like the chance to ask for clarification once an answer is given.  "We could have follow-up," said Kraemer. "All of council can attend the meeting."

"I agree we should have a list of questions and the mayor asks them," said councillor Gordon Campbell, "but then open it up for questions later. Otherwise, some people won't get their questions answered." 

Councillor Randy Roppel suggested this could be an initial meeting, with two or three more meetings to follow up on the important issues surrounding health care and the hospital. "We need to get everything out in the open," he said. "How can health care work more efficiently?  If it takes five meetings to discuss four issues, so be it."

Kraemer said that's why it's critical that the first meeting be conducted in an orderly, co-operative manner, or there won't be any further meetings because the stakeholders won't come.

"There is huge interest from our ratepayers," said Hewitt. "They're not happy with the system as it is now. We need to get things out in the open." "I was hoping this meeting would be more of a 'hot seat' situation," said Anderson, noting the sample questions in the report were more like "feel good" political questions and wouldn't draw out any real answers.

Councillor Kenneth Craig reminded council that health care is funded by the province and operated by the hospital board and the CEO.

 "Kincardine and Huron-Kinloss are on the outside looking in," he said.  "Though we'd love to see people in authority on the hot seat, we wouldn't get anything achieved."

He said the municipalities are not pleased with the erosion of services in the community. "We need to understand where health care is going but we must be careful in how we present this meeting. Twenty-seven people expressing their views passionately is unworkable.  I support an information meeting and then look at where we go from there."

"My original motion was to get some options on the table about how to sustain our hospital," argued Hewitt. "We can't stick to the status quo because it's not working. Something has to be done."

Councillor Mike Leggett suggested council defer the issue to the Sept. 17 meeting, allowing time for members to draw up a list of questions so council knows what it actually wants to achieve with this meeting. "I'd just like to hear the reasons behind the board's decision on changes to physiotherapy at the hospital," said deputy mayor Laura Haight. "It helps if you understand the fiscal pressures and the policy pressures on the board."

She recommended caution about calls for de-amalgamation from the South Bruce Grey Health Centre. Kincardine standing on its own could be worse, she said. "We need to examine the issue, but ultimately, it's not our decision. It's up to the health ministry and the hospital board. We're not going to improve things by screaming at anybody." "I wasn't planning to scream at anybody," said Anderson. "I just want to ask questions and get answers clarified."

Council agreed to draw up questions and submit them to staff by Monday at noon. They will be compiled and ready to discuss at the next
 meeting.  As to the date of the health care meeting, it could be changed to November if the stakeholders would rather meet at 5 p.m., rather than in the morning.