A Line in the Sand

City officials in a suburban Florida community issued an
ultimatum to the foundation charged with operating a small, nonprofit hospital: give us voting membership on the board or we’ll sell the hospital.

The foundation refused and went to court to block the measure, arguing that such a move would force the board to operate under the state’s sunshine laws. Competitors, intent on gaining market share, would be able to attend meetings and have first-hand knowledge of all the hospital’s strategic initiatives.

Forge professionals positioned the city’s move as an attempt to deprive it citizens, many of whom were retirees, from local access to health care. In a referendum on the hospital’s future that resulted from the court battle, residents were asked to “vote as if your life depends on it.”

They did, and the city plan was soundly defeated.