The group lobbying to halt Jennie Stuart Health’s acquisition by a larger hospital group is continuing to assert its case to community groups — and now their message also appears on lawn signs cropping up around Hopkinsville.
Save Jennie Stuart representatives Craig Richardson and Dan Kemp spoke Thursday to the Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club about plans for Deaconess in Evansville, Indiana, to acquire Jennie Stuart. Kemp posted one of the lawn signs, which read “Just Say No!! Save Jennie Stuart HOSPITAL,” in front of the speaker’s lectern just before he spoke at the Memorial Building.
Jennie Stuart and Deaconess, both nonprofits, are working toward an agreement called a membership substitution that would result in Jennie Stuart’s ownership being transferred into Deaconess. The Hopkinsville community would not receive monetary compensation for the hospital, although Deaconess would put $5 million into the Jennie Stuart Foundation, officials of the local hospital have said.
“In short, we don’t think this deal makes any sense financially, or otherwise, and it’s a bad deal for our community,” said Kemp.